Monday, Aug. 10

Wednesday, Aug. 12

The City Council holds apublic hearing on theproposed budget from2:30 to 6 p.m. and6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

The City Council votes onchanges to the Mayor'srecommended budgetat 3 p.m.

photos byRobert Becker, Lincoln Journal Star

Submitted photo

February 23

July 3

Dear Cit z n f incol i e s o L n,

ea

yt

n e e e h S h

Wh n Sherid n Elementar studen Grace Doll a d h r fri nds learn d t at out

a o b lo

e o c . T d a

t

Br nch Library c uld e c sing, th y to k a tion hey organize a r lly and s ood

r h m a sc a o s h u

outside the libra y wit ho em de igns, en our ging mot rist to onk in s pport.

h c iy t io a I t

u l th i in i

T ey erta nly got m at ent n, nd me with the gro p to exp ain e d re f anc al

ir s c t l o e po .

c cum tan es hat ed t th pro osed cl sing

At he e, we ere th pro es of eve ping our City bud et f r 2 09- 010

t tim w in e c s d lo g o 0 2 ,

an it d n't ok ood With r ing xp ses and dec ning reve ue we wer

d id lo g .is e en li n s, e

fa ed with f din sol tion to ave millio s o do rs imp rta t C se vice .

cin g u s s n f lla in o n ity r s

n

e a

My adm istration has work d h rd to transition to a budget that focuses on the

ie

s l

outcom s the community wants us to achieve. We've e tab ished goals and

W

i p

indicators. e brought in people from the bus ness and non rofit sectors to help

us prioritize every City program.

A he am tim , a di a o te g s e c nti ed ur dg w k,

t t s e e we lso d lot f lis nin . A w o nu o bu et or

I o t t se irls d e o nc of a ran h ry o t m I o

th ugh of ho g an th imp rta e th t b c libra t he . als

si red he oic o he ea 2 00 sid ts ho ar ipa d ou

con de t v es f t n rly ,0 re en w p tic te in r

k n C rge pro ss A ns su is ildi a nd hr ke co ep –

“Ta i g ha ” ce . co en s bu ng rou t ee y nc ts

ain inin ke se ces n ro am fi ing f ien s d re ing

m ta g y rvi a d p gr s, nd e fic cie an inc as

cc nt ility a ou ab .

a

w

a

We h ve made significant progress to ard fixing the City budget's structur l

t1

n

imbalance. In my first two budge s, we cut 1 5 positio s, reduced spending by more

en a r

than $4 million, reorganiz d for efficie cy nd aised some fees. My proposed

re

tu i

budget fo next fiscal y ar was balanced with a combina ion of c ts, ncluding 28

m ,

e r

ore jobs new revenue, fe inc eases and use of one-time money. I've also taken

l

steps to end the two-to-one City retirement match for new emp oyees to bring City

en

h r

t

retir ment pla s closer to those in t e p ivate sec or.

But I b lieve we ave rea ed tip ing oin . F rther drastic uts only ser

e h ch a p p t u c ve

to amage our a ility o e fectivel ad ress the needs of this commun y. A

db t f

y d

it

gr up yo ng eop e re inded us of hat poin on co Februa y d y

o of u p l mt t a ld

r a

ou side So th Branc Li rary. hey are the utu de isio -ma ers ho re

t uh b

T f re c n k w a

m st affected by he ctio s w tak to ay P ase help us uild Cit they

o t a n e e d . le b a y

w ll co tinue to e p oud to c ll h me.

i nb r a o

in reS ce ly,

Chr Be tleis u r

Ma or f Li olny o nc

Visit our Web site at

These meetings arein the City CouncilChambers orRoom 113, both onthe first floor of theCounty-City Building,555 South 10th Street.

The City Council adoptsthe budget at its5:30 p.m. meeting

Monday, Aug. 24

2009 - 2010

CITY OF LINCOLNANNUALOPERATINGBUDGET

Mayor s Recommended

All other taxing entities

85.8%$2,612.45

City of Lincoln14.2%

$431.82

CURRENT YEAR BREAKDOWNOF PROPERTY TAX LEVY

On a propertyvalued at$150,000

Out of every property tax dollar paid by Lincoln homeowners, only 14.2 cents goes to support City government. An individual’s total property tax bill is determined by the budget actions of all governmental entities, including Lancaster County (13.2 cents) and the Lincoln Public Schools/ESUs (63.2 cents). Each elected body sets its tax rate independently.

19

93

19

95

19

97

19

99

20

01

20

03

20

05

20

07

20

08

20

09

$0

.50

9

$0

.40

6

$0

.38

4

$0

.32

4

$0

.32

4

$0

.31

5

$0

.29

5

$0

.28

3

$0

.28

8

$0

.28

8

$0.00000

$0.10000

$0.20000

$0.30000

$0.40000

$0.50000 CITY PROPERTY TAX RATEFiscal year ending August 31st of each year

44.7% drop since 1993-94

All increases since 1994-95 have been for voter-approved bond issues. Whencomparing the property tax rates of the state's top ten largest cities, Lincolnranks seventh above Grand Island, Kearney and Norfolk. None of those threeprovides bus service or aging services comparable to Lincoln's. Kearney andNorfolk receive substantial rent income from leasing their power grids to NPPD.

Police - 27% Fire - 20% Transfers - 12%Parks and Rec - 10%Debt service - 6%Libraries - 5% CIP - 0% Other departments - 20% TOTAL EXPENDITURES:

$37,105,270$26,355,537$15,545,805$13,075,570

$8,597,144$7,343,571

$469,100$26,464,932

$134,956,929This year’s budget is a .04% increase over the 2008-2009 budget of $134,894,287.

Where the money comes from (tax funds only): Where the money goes (tax funds only):

Sales tax - 41%

Property tax - 30%

Occupation tax - 9%

Appropriated balances - 4%

Fees and other revenue - 16%

TOTAL REVENUES:

$55,614,362

$40,771,697

$11,354,160

$5,226,625

$21,990,085

$134,956,929

All other sources

Fund balances

Permits and fees

Motor vehicle tax

Occupation tax

30%Property Tax

41%Sales Tax

10%

4%3%

3%9%

Mayor'sRecommended

BUDGET

19

94

01

/02

4.3

0

02

/03

3.1

71

99

6

03

/04

4.5

1

04

/05

3.0

6

19

98

05

/06

3.0

4

06

/07

2.8

0

20

00

07

/08

2.0

3

08

/09

1.0

0

20

02

09

/10

-1.2

5

20

04

20

06

20

07

-0.5

7%

12%

10%

4%

8%

3%

6%

2%

4%

1%

2%

0%

0%

-1%

20

08

20

09

3.2

9%

-2.17%Year to Date

PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN SALES TAX

SLOWING GROWTH OF THEPROPERTYTAX BASE

Fiscal year ending August 31st of each year

(Does not include revaluationsprior to 2009-2010)

LPS a

nd E

SU

#1

8

98.90% 91.20% 83.47% 80.22% 50.65%

Low

er P

latt

e Sou

th N

RD

Lanca

ster

Cou

nty

Sou

thea

st C

omm

. C

olle

ge

Cit

y of

Lin

coln

100%

75%

50%

25%

0%

PERCENT OF LEVY AUTHORITY USEDBY TAXING ENTITIES IN LINCOLN

Sales tax revenues grew during the1990s as local retail constructionincreased to meet demand. The StateRevenue Department concluded thatLincoln’s sales tax receipts have nowleveled off as that demand has been met.

Fiscal Year

1990 - 1991

Recommended2009 - 2010

PercentageChange

Fire, Police,911 FTEs

589

739

25.5%

All OtherFTEs

1,435

1,347

(6.1%)

Population

191,972

251,624

31.1%

Area

63.5 sq. miles

90.4 sq. miles

42.4%

$0 $5 $10 $15 $20 $25 $30 $35

PoliceFire

911 CenterOther Public Safety

Misc. Budgets & CIPParks and Recreation

LibraryStarTran

Public WorksHealth

LawFinance

AgingPlanning

Mayor's OfficePersonnelUrban Dev.

City CouncilBuilding and Safety

TAX DOLLARS BY DEPARTMENT2008-2009 Mayor’s Recommended Budget

Total Safety andSecurity = 49.7%

Parks and Recreationand Aging have hadsignificant reductionsfor the last three years.

Millions

STAFFING CHANGESIn full-time equivalents (FTEs)

Positions eliminated:

Positions added:

Total positions eliminated

(33.7)

5.7

(28.0)The number of current employees whose positionsare being eliminated in the Mayor's proposed budgetis between two and four.

The savings from tax funds is $424,000, andthe total savings from all funds is $1.4 million.

CITY STAFFING CITY GROWTHDOINGMOREWITHLESS

6.4% of the City workforce has been cut over the last three budgets.

Personnel costs make up about 69 percent of the City budget. State law mandates that City salaries and benefits be comparable to those of other cities our size. All six labor union contracts were negotiated this year, and union cooperation resulted in compensation increases that are less than those in previous years.

BOND RATINGSLincoln is one of about 50 cities in the nation to have thehighest ratings from the two major bond rating agencies –Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s. The triple-A bondratings help Lincoln borrow at the lowest possible interestrate. One reason for the City’s high rating is the City’spolicy for maintaining a General Fund reserve balance.The City follows a formal policy of maintaining a GeneralFund reserve of at least 15 percent over the five-year forecast.

FEEDBACKThe City of Lincoln wants to hear from you.You can express your opinion by sendingan e-mail to mayor@lincoln.ne.gov or bycontacting the Mayor, City Council or CityDepartments at the phone numbers andaddresses listed on the back page.

REVENUES

STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS

EXPENDITURES

DEPARTMENTS/DIVISIONSLincoln Area Agency on AgingDirector June Pederson - 441-7070Building and SafetyDirector Fred Hoke - 441-7521Citizen Information CenterManager Diane Gonzolas - 441-7375FinanceDirector Don Herz - 441-7411Fire and RescueChief Niles Ford - 441-7363HealthDirector Bruce Dart - 441-8000Human RightsDirector Larry Williams - 441-7624LawCity Attorney John Hendry - 441-7281LibraryDirector Pat Leach - 441-8500Parks and RecreationDirector Lynn Johnson - 441-7847PersonnelDirector Mark Koller - 441-7597Planning Director Marvin Krout - 441-7491PoliceChief Tom Casady - 441-7204Public Works and UtilitiesDirector Greg MacLean - 441-7548Urban DevelopmentDirector David Landis - 441-7606

MAYORCHRIS BEUTLER555 South 10th StreetRoom 208, Lincoln, NE 68508Phone: 402 / 441-7511Fax: 402 / 441-7120e-mail: mayor@lincoln.ne.govEconomic Development - Mike LangOmbudsman - Lin Quenzer

Produced by Citizen Information Center 7/2009

555 South 10th St., Room 111, Lincoln, NE 68508Phone: 402 / 441-7515 Fax: 402 / 441-6533e-mail: council@lincoln.ne.gov

About 18,000 individuals use InterLinc, the City-CountyWeb site, each day. Features include public records,interactive maps, forms, permits and traffic cameras.Other services include:

ACTION (Acting with Citizens to Improve ourNeighborhoods), an interactive system that allowscitizens to request non-emergency services orexpress concerns online.

Online animal license renewals.

Payment of parking tickets, property taxes, poolpasses and water/sewer bills.

Criminal history checks.

Reserved event parking and two pre-paid parkingcard options.

Online applications for City and County job openings.

A local government calendar listing all meetingsopen to the public.

Online tee time reservations at City-owned golfcourses.

Ball field reservations.

VISIT lincoln.ne.gov

Front row from left - John Spatz, Vice Chair, Northwest District;Doug Emery, Chair, Northeast District; Jonathan Cook, SouthwestDistrict. Back row from left - Jayne Snyder, At Large; Jon Camp,Southeast District; Gene Carroll, At Large; Adam Hornung, At Large.

The County-City Building at 555 South 10th Street isequipped with free wireless connectivity to the Internet.Two cable channels – 5 CITY-TV (government access) and21 Education Access – are available on InterLinc, with livevideo-streaming. Many programs also are availablethrough video-on-demand.

CITY COUNCIL’S PROPOSED CHANGESTO MAYOR’S RECOMMENDED BUDGET

LINCOLN CITY COUNCIL

Cuts/Efficiencies:Total: $5,017,509 (tax funds $2,105,008)

Consolidation of Lincoln Area Agency onAging offices into Downtown Active AgeCenter - $179,000.Proactive bidding of health care insurancesaved about $1.6 million.Personnel cuts - $434,079.Water/Wastewater - $2,912,501 (non-tax funds).

Proposed revenue changes:New revenue: $607,550

Raise natural gas franchise fee to catch upwith inflation.Increase telecommunications tax from 5.5to 6.0 percent.

User fee and rate changes: $1,315,797(tax funds $343,452)

Increase fees and make programmingchanges in Parks and Rec (team sports; before-and after-school, preschool programs; camps;shelter rental) - $288,202.Increase Health Department fees, mostly inEnvironmental Health - $55,250.Water/Wastewater rate increases - $972,345.

One-time sources: $929,478Transfer $500,000 from the Special AssessmentRevolving Fund to the General Fund.Stimulus funding for StarTran - $370,000.Transfer unused fund balances - $59,487.

This revenue funds the continuation of these services:Neighborhood branch libraries - $392,730.Belmont, Ballard, Irvingdale and Arnold Heightspools - $178,753.Reporting of non-injury traffic crashes - $164,471.Middle School Resource Officers - $93,163.Evening and weekend hours at recreationcenters - $81,874.Healthy Homes outreach to promote healthymothers and babies - $67,280.Maintenance in new neighborhood parks -$24,034.Senior Companion Program - $17,889.

Other initiatives:Changing the two-for-one City pension match to one-for-one for new employees is projected to save $2.2million over the next five years.

Proposed uses for Special Assessment Revolving Fund(in addition to $500,000 transfer to General Fund):

$282,000 to fund phase one of the Development Services Center (DSC). The DSC is a one-stop center for permitting that will allow developersto create jobs more quickly. Phase one wouldinvolve relocation of offices and would also befunded with increased rents.$6 million to Fast Forward Fund, which wouldbe used for infrastructure improvements forhigh-impact economic development projects toencourage growth and job creation.

Proposed uses for potential revenue fromtelecommunications audit (occupation taxes owedbut not paid):

Create Cash Reserve Trust Fund to preserve Cityservices without raising taxes. Fund phase two of Development Services Center.Establish Helen Boosalis Icons of the City TrustFund to maintain Lincoln legacies, such as theSunken Gardens, Hamann Rose Garden, PioneersPark, Sherman Field and Holmes Lake Park. Cityfunds would be matched with private donations.

Proceeds from the Robert Crawford Trust Fund would be used to create the Crawford Corridor of the Arts Trust Fund to purchase, improve, renovate and maintain arts corridor park along Airport and I-180 routes into the City.

BALANCING THE BUDGETMayor's proposed actions:

Remove $6 million in funding from theSpecial Assessment Revolving Fund for theFast Forward economic development fund.

Reduce Lincoln Fire and Rescue overtimeby $150,000.

Cut $25,000 for street lights and $25,000 forcontracted surveys and use funds for personnelin the Police Department.