GOP slams county Democrats for proposing tax increase
Republican Party officials slammed county Democrats for saying the city of Lincoln should seriously consider a property tax rate increase to adequately fund city services.
At their county convention earlier this month, Democrats approved a resolution urging city officials to consider a tax increase to help fund the budget and properly care for its streets, sidewalks and parks.
Mark A. Fahleson, chairman of the Lancaster County Republican Party, called on Democratic candidates for the Legislature and County Board to “stand up for Lincoln families” and oppose the resolution, as well as another supporting resident college tuition rates for children of illegal immigrants who graduate from Nebraska high schools.
Fahleson said Lincoln isn’t in a budget crunch because it hasn’t taxed people enough, but because it “spends too much.” He could not, however, name a single budget cut the city should make.
The chairman of the county Republican Party, Dallas Jones, said Democrats are showing arrogance by saying “we know better” than the 84 percent of Lincolnites who said “no” to a property tax increase in a recent city survey.
When asked how the city should fund priorities, only 16 percent said increase taxes. More than one-third said cut from lower-priority areas, and 42 percent said find another way, such as by finding efficiencies.
Fahleson said it was a “slap in the face of Lincoln residents” for the Democratic Party to suggest otherwise. He said a tax increase should be a last resort if there’s no other way to fund bare essentials. They wouldn’t comment on the Republican-dominated County Board’s plans to increase taxes to pay for a new jail.
Eric Aspengren, coordinator for the Lancaster County Democratic Party, said Republicans on the County Board have been raising taxes for years, but the Republicans don’t talk about that.
“I suggest that the Republicans talk to their County Board members about tax relief. They’ve been irresponsible with that money,” he said.
The County Board has raised its levy five times since 1997, lowered it four times and left it alone once. The city property tax rate has dropped from 52 cents per $100 of valuation in 1995 to 29 cents now.
Aspengren said the county Democrats aren’t saying the city has to increase taxes, but should consider it an option rather than cut essential services like firefighters, police, pools and parks.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
At their county convention earlier this month, Democrats approved a resolution urging city officials to consider a tax increase to help fund the budget and properly care for its streets, sidewalks and parks.
Mark A. Fahleson, chairman of the Lancaster County Republican Party, called on Democratic candidates for the Legislature and County Board to “stand up for Lincoln families” and oppose the resolution, as well as another supporting resident college tuition rates for children of illegal immigrants who graduate from Nebraska high schools.
Fahleson said Lincoln isn’t in a budget crunch because it hasn’t taxed people enough, but because it “spends too much.” He could not, however, name a single budget cut the city should make.
The chairman of the county Republican Party, Dallas Jones, said Democrats are showing arrogance by saying “we know better” than the 84 percent of Lincolnites who said “no” to a property tax increase in a recent city survey.
When asked how the city should fund priorities, only 16 percent said increase taxes. More than one-third said cut from lower-priority areas, and 42 percent said find another way, such as by finding efficiencies.
Fahleson said it was a “slap in the face of Lincoln residents” for the Democratic Party to suggest otherwise. He said a tax increase should be a last resort if there’s no other way to fund bare essentials. They wouldn’t comment on the Republican-dominated County Board’s plans to increase taxes to pay for a new jail.
Eric Aspengren, coordinator for the Lancaster County Democratic Party, said Republicans on the County Board have been raising taxes for years, but the Republicans don’t talk about that.
“I suggest that the Republicans talk to their County Board members about tax relief. They’ve been irresponsible with that money,” he said.
The County Board has raised its levy five times since 1997, lowered it four times and left it alone once. The city property tax rate has dropped from 52 cents per $100 of valuation in 1995 to 29 cents now.
Aspengren said the county Democrats aren’t saying the city has to increase taxes, but should consider it an option rather than cut essential services like firefighters, police, pools and parks.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
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