Is Nebraska The Only State To...

[mrsticka]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Utah. The core city of each of its three biggest metros are within 40 miles of each other. Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden. They represent 75% of the population of Utah.

[Brad]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

I believe Massachusetts fits that criteria. Boston and Worcester are the two largest cities (45 miles apart) and then many of the larger cities are Boston Suburbs. I'm assuming you are counting Pappillion, LaVista, etc with Omaha's population.

[ricko]

….have a unicameral legislature.

It’s also the only triple land-locked state.

I believe it’s also the only state to have a presidential candidate who won the state’s primary as a write-in candidate (Robert Kennedy in 1968).

I’m not sure if you’re only asking to respond to your question about the two largest cities, or asking what is unique about Nebraska.

[mrsticka]

Utah. The core city of each of its three biggest metros are within 40 miles of each other. Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden. They represent 75% of the population of Utah.

That whole area is like one big city altogether.

[Busguy2010]

How does it compare as far as land mass? Nebraska is a pretty big state. We have Omaha, Lincoln, and a few other bigger cities, and the rest of the state. Like we're all gathering in one corner of a huge pool.

[mrsticka]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

I believe Massachusetts fits that criteria. Boston and Worcester are the two largest cities (45 miles apart) and then many of the larger cities are Boston Suburbs. I'm assuming you are counting Pappillion, LaVista, etc with Omaha's population.

Yeah, I am. Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Millard, Elkhorn, all of Omaha's suburbs. Soon Bennington and Gretna will be annexed by Omaha and become official suburbs of it. One of these days. Not today obviously. But soon in the near future.

[Louie]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

I believe Massachusetts fits that criteria. Boston and Worcester are the two largest cities (45 miles apart) and then many of the larger cities are Boston Suburbs. I'm assuming you are counting Pappillion, LaVista, etc with Omaha's population.

Yeah, I am. Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Millard, Elkhorn, all of Omaha's suburbs. Soon Bennington and Gretna will be annexed by Omaha and become official suburbs of it. One of these days. Not today obviously. But soon in the near future.

Current annexation laws prevent the city from annexing outside of its county so Gretna won’t be. But Bennington is certainly on the short list. I’d bet within 5-10 years.

[mrsticka]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

I believe Massachusetts fits that criteria. Boston and Worcester are the two largest cities (45 miles apart) and then many of the larger cities are Boston Suburbs. I'm assuming you are counting Pappillion, LaVista, etc with Omaha's population.

Yeah, I am. Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Millard, Elkhorn, all of Omaha's suburbs. Soon Bennington and Gretna will be annexed by Omaha and become official suburbs of it. One of these days. Not today obviously. But soon in the near future.

Current annexation laws prevent the city from annexing outside of its county so Gretna won’t be. But Bennington is certainly on the short list. I’d bet within 5-10 years.

Well, there is new development out that way along NE 370.

[Big E]

Assuming you're allowing "metro areas" and not cities proper, Minneapolis and St Paul, MN, would fit this criteria as well.

[Louie]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

I believe Massachusetts fits that criteria. Boston and Worcester are the two largest cities (45 miles apart) and then many of the larger cities are Boston Suburbs. I'm assuming you are counting Pappillion, LaVista, etc with Omaha's population.

Yeah, I am. Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Millard, Elkhorn, all of Omaha's suburbs. Soon Bennington and Gretna will be annexed by Omaha and become official suburbs of it. One of these days. Not today obviously. But soon in the near future.

Current annexation laws prevent the city from annexing outside of its county so Gretna won’t be. But Bennington is certainly on the short list. I’d bet within 5-10 years.

Well, there is new development out that way along NE 370.

Of course, tons of it. And 370 will probably be completely developed from the Missouri to Gretna in short time. But it will never be annexed.

[mrsticka]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

I believe Massachusetts fits that criteria. Boston and Worcester are the two largest cities (45 miles apart) and then many of the larger cities are Boston Suburbs. I'm assuming you are counting Pappillion, LaVista, etc with Omaha's population.

Yeah, I am. Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Millard, Elkhorn, all of Omaha's suburbs. Soon Bennington and Gretna will be annexed by Omaha and become official suburbs of it. One of these days. Not today obviously. But soon in the near future.

Current annexation laws prevent the city from annexing outside of its county so Gretna won’t be. But Bennington is certainly on the short list. I’d bet within 5-10 years.

Well, there is new development out that way along NE 370.

Of course, tons of it. And 370 will probably be completely developed from the Missouri to Gretna in short time. But it will never be annexed.

Well, then what will happen?

[Louie]

Have its 2 largest cities within 50 miles apart and half the population living in them?

I believe Massachusetts fits that criteria. Boston and Worcester are the two largest cities (45 miles apart) and then many of the larger cities are Boston Suburbs. I'm assuming you are counting Pappillion, LaVista, etc with Omaha's population.

Yeah, I am. Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, Millard, Elkhorn, all of Omaha's suburbs. Soon Bennington and Gretna will be annexed by Omaha and become official suburbs of it. One of these days. Not today obviously. But soon in the near future.

Current annexation laws prevent the city from annexing outside of its county so Gretna won’t be. But Bennington is certainly on the short list. I’d bet within 5-10 years.

Well, there is new development out that way along NE 370.

Of course, tons of it. And 370 will probably be completely developed from the Missouri to Gretna in short time. But it will never be annexed.

Well, then what will happen?

Same that’s been happening, Sarpy will just become an even more heavily developed suburban county. Gretna, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista and Springfield will all continue to increase in population.

[almighty_tuna]

Well, then what will happen?

Towns in Sarpy will grow independently of Omaha/Douglas County and continue to have annexation lawsuits until all of the land is spoken for. Then, you will start a new thread called "What if Omaha could annex across county lines and took over Sarpy County?"

[stormchaser]

Minnesota is similar - the Minneapolis/St Paul metro has ~3.7 million people. The state of Minnesota (which is a pretty large state) has ~5.7 million people.

[mrsticka]

Well, then what will happen?

Then, you will start a new thread called "What if Omaha could annex across county lines and took over Sarpy County?"

No, I won't.

[GenX]

I wouldn't be surprised if someday in the future Douglas and Sarpy counties merged back together again. I'm sure Omaha and Douglas county management will eventually merge into a combined city/county operation.

[Garrett]

I wouldn't be surprised if someday in the future Douglas and Sarpy counties merged back together again. I'm sure Omaha and Douglas county management will eventually merge into a combined city/county operation.

I honestly can’t foresee a scenario where Douglas and Sarpy would merge. The politics just aren’t there for Sarpy to want to join up.

[Athomsfere]

….have a unicameral legislature.

It’s also the only triple land-locked state.

I believe it’s also the only state to have a presidential candidate who won the state’s primary as a write-in candidate (Robert Kennedy in 1968).

I’m not sure if you’re only asking to respond to your question about the two largest cities, or asking what is unique about Nebraska.

I don't understand why people act like the "triple land locked" actually means anything.

I mean, there are parts of Colorado further from an Ocean than parts of Nebraska. And it isn't like borders are some physical barrier to interstate travel.

[mrsticka]

If Douglas and Sarpy merged together, then Nebraska would have 92 counties.

[OmahaFan]

Well, then what will happen?

Towns in Sarpy will grow independently of Omaha/Douglas County and continue to have annexation lawsuits until all of the land is spoken for. Then, you will start a new thread called "What if Omaha could annex across county lines and took over Sarpy County?"

It don’t think it’s really a “What If” it’s when will the Nebraska legislature grant Omaha the ability to annex across county lines and what strings would be attached to it. Eventually that discussion will need to be had in the Unicameral and a political decision must be made.

[almighty_tuna]

It don’t think it’s really a “What If” it’s when will the Nebraska legislature grant Omaha the ability to annex across county lines and what strings would be attached to it. Eventually that discussion will need to be had in the Unicameral and a political decision must be made.

I highly doubt this will ever happen. State senators representing the surrounding counties/cities would not sponsor that bill because their constituents want to retain their tax income or grow their tax base from Omaha exurbs.

[Busguy2010]

Well, then what will happen?

Then, you will start a new thread called "What if Omaha could annex across county lines and took over Sarpy County?"

No, I won't.

True to his word, he didn't.

[OmahaFan]

It don’t think it’s really a “What If” it’s when will the Nebraska legislature grant Omaha the ability to annex across county lines and what strings would be attached to it. Eventually that discussion will need to be had in the Unicameral and a political decision must be made.

I highly doubt this will ever happen. State senators representing the surrounding counties/cities would not sponsor that bill because their constituents want to retain their tax income or grow their tax base from Omaha exurbs.

That’s all fine and dandy but Sarpy County residents use our roads and infrastructure on a near daily basis so it’s only fair that they have a stake in the cost of such services. Also constraining Omaha’s expansion is going to hurt Nebraska as a whole because Omaha contributes quite a bit to the state in general. We are the largest population center in Nebraska and our economic output is the only thing keeping Nebraska chugging along.

[mrsticka]

Well, then what will happen?

Then, you will start a new thread called "What if Omaha could annex across county lines and took over Sarpy County?"

No, I won't.

True to his word, he didn't.

Thank you!

[Cermak]

New Mexico has Albuquerque which is similar in size to Omaha and the capital Santa Fe which is smaller than Lincoln but similar in distance about 50 miles away. But Santa Fe is the 4th largest city in the state not 2nd. And New Mexico and Nebraska state populations are somewhat similar both around 2 million.

[almighty_tuna]

That’s all fine and dandy but Sarpy County residents use our roads and infrastructure on a near daily basis so it’s only fair that they have a stake in the cost of such services. Also constraining Omaha’s expansion is going to hurt Nebraska as a whole because Omaha contributes quite a bit to the state in general. We are the largest population center in Nebraska and our economic output is the only thing keeping Nebraska chugging along.

Yep, and I'm sure that residents of Omaha use Sarpy County roads on a daily basis, and CB's roads, and Washington County's roads, etc. What of it? Should we get an EZpass system so I can throw a couple bucks toward La Vista when I go see a show at The Astro? What about Council Bluffs - maybe we should just start charging congestion pricing for Iowans to come over and use our roads, or drinking fountains...admission to Gene Leahy Mall? Let's make Omaha great again and slap tariffs on South Dakota to come and use Eppley Airfield!

If you look at Omaha as a city proper, sure, it'll eventually stop growing outward, but just because Omaha proper has no additional real estate to consume, doesn't mean the region magically stops growing economically. Sarpy County is rapidly expanding and the regional economic output will continue to spread into neighboring counties.