In some rare positive budget news, Lincoln now has $1.4 million in "free" money. Well, sort of. Mayor Beutler wants to sell the idea that the money spontaneously appeared from under the couch cushions. His idea is that we the taxpayers had already assumed the money was gone, so we may as well continue to treat it that way. We could put it toward preventing budget gaps if other tax revenues disappoint.
Unfortunately for Beutler, it's not that simple. The folks who gave that $1.4 million -- you and me -- may very well want it back. After all, it was earmarked for a specific use, a use for which it is no longer needed. Parents, if you gave your kid fifty bucks to buy clothes for school and instead he came home with a video game, would you be pleased?
I do understand Mayor Beutler's point. There are a whole bunch of things Lincoln could spend that $1.4 million on. Important, worthwhile things. Heck, I wouldn't mind putting an extra $1.4 million toward the City's critical infrastructure needs. Boring things like fixing streets and maintaining sewer lines. Or maybe even burying utility lines. I would happily (and selfishly) volunteer my neighborhood for that! But that's not what we gave the money for.
I have more thoughts, but I need some more information first. Monday's City Council meeting should provide that. In the mean time, are you inclined to support Mayor Beutler's "let's keep it just in case" proposal?
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I agree with the quote this part:
“(and selfishly)”
Infrastructure needs money, yes. But I think that we should allocate the money for that through proper means and not by using excess taxes that were collected for something else.
Can someone explain to me what Coby Mach has to do with his? Honestly, who cares how he interprets what’s going on? It’s not like he’s in a position to make a decision or anything.
LIBA is a prominent organization in Lincoln, particularly when it comes to tax issues. Coby Mach heads up LIBA. Seems like he’s a natural source for a quote, particularly since LIBA had already raised an eyebrow on this very issue a few months ago.
Rather than “particularly when it comes to tax issues,” I’d say “exclusively.” Has LIBA ever been part of any discussion when its input wasn’t “Cut taxes” ?
Yes. Have you ever been to a LIBA meeting and seen it with your own eyes?
Sometimes they ask people to vote Republican, so there’s that.
You aren’t in a position to decide anything, so why do you post here?
Calling this ‘free money’ is obscene. It belongs to the taxpayers and it should be returned to them. I suppose it could be used to finance other budget shortfalls, but those budget shortfalls need to be dealt with as if this money wasn’t there.
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