Jeffrey Robb / World-Herald staff writer wrote:Stothert announced Thursday that she will ask the City Council to put a $200 million bond issue on the May 12 ballot as she tries to establish a long-term plan to address Omaha’s lagging street maintenance.
It would cost Omaha taxpayers — $35 more in property taxes a year for every $100,000 on your property valuation.
Jeffrey Robb / World-Herald staff writer wrote:She said Omaha spends $41 million annually on street repair — but needs to be spending more like $75 million a year. The bond issue would address what she says is a $34 million annual shortfall.
Can't wait to hear grandpasmucker's opinion on this.
Why not take this "opportunity" to create a general transportation fund that can be used for ORBT, MAT, the roads, pedestrian bridges/tunnels, etc?
You know they are just going to take this new money to cover holes in the budget and shuffle other money around.
I'm still in favor of the rental car / hotel tax. Tax the visitors.
...the local unit of government benefits from the enhanced revenues associated with new growth. But it also typically assumes the long-term liability for maintaining the new infrastructure. This exchange — a near-term cash advantage for a long-term financial obligation — is one element of a Ponzi scheme. The other is the realization that the revenue collected does not come near to covering the costs of maintaining the infrastructure.
Thinking there's not a whole lot to say anymore now that people listen & she has to make sense.
ScrattyB wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2020 9:36 am
Can't wait to hear grandpasmucker's opinion on this.
Why not take this "opportunity" to create a general transportation fund that can be used for ORBT, MAT, the roads, pedestrian bridges/tunnels, etc?
You know they are just going to take this new money to cover holes in the budget and shuffle other money around.
Like I said in another thread yesterday, GrandpaSmucker better keep his mouth shut or hes going to get his self in big trouble. All it takes is some big shot who I have offended to e-mail the moderators of this forum asking for my IP address and they send some one out to teach me a lesson. I need to learn to keep my opinions to my self on matters that involve the rich and the powerful and stick to safer subjects like sports and restaurants! I did not vote for this Mayor the second time around and I apologize for supporting her the first time she ran.
One thing the mayor's office will need to do a better job of when making their case is explaining the revenue shortfall. A lot of people posting snarky comments on social media think that road maintenance is completely self funded via the wheel tax.
The road maintenance bond came through with widespread support. OWH's article includes a visual of the areas and roads that will be focused on over the first 5 years.
It looks like the improvement are well spread out throughout the city. My question is how the City will be able to ensure that the roads that will be built now are built well. They claim with the increase in road maintenance budget with the bond, all of Omaha's roads will be resurfaced in 20 years. I thought I had heard from the mayor that roads generally last something like 20 years here. If that is the case, we will have to maintain this road maintenance budget indefinitely. Anyway, I am glad this went through because 1) our roads are truly terrible and 2) infrastructure spending is important during this economic situation we are in.
They did 117th Street & Davenport last week. This project was 10 years overdue. It jot all messed up when they built the west dodge expressway and was never properly fixed. They could have gone a little further west on Davenport, but its way better than it was.
I am waiting to see if they do anything to streets that are a joke. Howard st 49 to 50 is so bad, you feel like you are off roading and that is with a home owner in the area filling in the craters.
S.O.Boy wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2020 6:02 pm
I am waiting to see if they do anything to streets that are a joke. Howard st 49 to 50 is so bad, you feel like you are off roading and that is with a home owner in the area filling in the craters.
Ha, I have family that lives on that road, it is absolutely crazy that its in the center of the city. But there are some very strange 'who owns it' arguments between the city, the cemetery, and the homeowners. But there may be some momentum into turning it into a gravel road and receiving city maintenance. So we shall see.
S.O.Boy wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2020 6:02 pm
I am waiting to see if they do anything to streets that are a joke. Howard st 49 to 50 is so bad, you feel like you are off roading and that is with a home owner in the area filling in the craters.
Ha, I have family that lives on that road, it is absolutely crazy that its in the center of the city. But there are some very strange 'who owns it' arguments between the city, the cemetery, and the homeowners. But there may be some momentum into turning it into a gravel road and receiving city maintenance. So we shall see.
I don't know if that would be an improvement. Where 69th turns into Manderson is a "rut" next to pavement that is so bad, I watched a car get stuck in it.
S.O.Boy wrote: Mon Aug 17, 2020 7:19 pm
I don't know if that would be an improvement. Where 69th turns into Manderson is a "rut" next to pavement that is so bad, I watched a car get stuck in it.
That thing hurts just looking at it on google satellite!
S.O.Boy wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2020 6:02 pm
I am waiting to see if they do anything to streets that are a joke. Howard st 49 to 50 is so bad, you feel like you are off roading and that is with a home owner in the area filling in the craters.
I fondly remember, ~25 years ago if we were behaved on the bus from school the bus driver would let us cram in to the back and she would take that stretch of Howard for the bumps.
S.O.Boy wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2020 6:02 pm
I am waiting to see if they do anything to streets that are a joke. Howard st 49 to 50 is so bad, you feel like you are off roading and that is with a home owner in the area filling in the craters.
I fondly remember, ~25 years ago if we were behaved on the bus from school the bus driver would let us cram in to the back and she would take that stretch of Howard for the bumps.
