Omaha mayor's budget includes funding increase for OPD

Omaha mayor's budget includes funding increase for OPD

THE CITY COUNCILSPEECH IS TYPICALLYFAIRLY NON-CONTROVERSIAL.THAT WASN'T THE CASETHIS YEAR.GOOD EVENING, I'MJENNIFER GRISWOLD.THE BLACK LIVESMATTER MOVEMENT HASPUT PRESSURE ONLOCAL LEADERS TO PULLFUNDING FROM POLICEDEPARTMENTS AND RE-ALLOCATE THE FUNDSELSEWHERE.MAYOR JEAN STOTHERTSAYS SHE WILL NOT DOTHAT...INSTEAD SHE'SINCREASING THE CITYBUDGET.REPORTER JON KIPPERTELLS US WHYSTOTHERT IS RAISINGTHE BUDGET AND WHATELSE SHE HAS IN IT.PKG14.15.43 "DEFUNDING THEOMAHA POLICEDEPARTMENT AT THISTIME WOULD BEIRRESPONSIBLE ANDRECKLESS AND I WON'TDO IT."STOTHERTMAYOR JEAN STOTHERTSAYS SHE DOES NOTWANT TO DEFUND THEPOLICE DEPARTMENT.OVER A DOZEN PEOPLEAT THE CITY COUNCILMEETING DIDN'T LIKETHAT.PROTESTING VOCALLYBEFORE GETTING KICKEDOUT.NATTHE MAYOR'S BUDGETINCLUDES A MODEST 1.2PERCENT INCREASE TOTHE POLICE BUDGET.IN A PRESS CONFERENCEEARLIER IN THE DAYSTOTHERT SAID THATMONEY WILL BE SPENTON BODY CAMERAS ANDENSURING THERE'SENOUGH OFFICERS ONTHE STREET.SHE ARGUED THATADDING AROUND 100POLICE OFFICERS IN THELAST FEW YEARS HASHELPED REDUCE CRIME.3.52.22 "THESE NUMBERSOF OFFICERS AND HOWWE HAVE MANAGED THEPOLICE DEPARTMENTHAS CERTAINLY WORKEDAND HAS MADE OMAHA AMUCH SAFER CITY." SHETHEN SAID THE PROCESSOF ACTUALLY MOVINGFUNDS AWAY FROM THEPOLICE DEPARTMENTWOULD TAKE YEARS.3.53.37 "CAN'T JUST TAKEA BUNCH OF POLICEOFFICERS AND LAY THEMOFF AND SAY, 'OH W'EREGOING TO STARTTHINKING ABOUT SOMEPROGRAMS', YOU GOT TOHAVE THOSE FIRST ANDYOU GOT TO PROVE THATTHEY WORK.BEFORE YOU COULDEVER SAY, THAT WEDON'T NEED ANY POLICEOFFICERS THAT WE HAVENOW." LOOKING AT THEREST OF THEBUDGETTHE MAYOR ISNOT CALLING FOR ANYTAX INCREASES ORDECREASES.THE GENERAL FUND ISUP 4.5 PERCENT FROM2020.ONE BIG REASON FORTHAT IS A NEW TRASHCONTRACT - WHICH WILLCOST THE CITY AROUND10 MILLION DOLLARSMORE THAN THEY'REPAYING THIS YEAR.AFTER VOTERS PASSED ABOND ISSUE IN MAY - THEMAYOR IS ADDING 40MILLION TO THE STREETPROJECT BUDGET.STOTHERT MADE THEBUDGET AS IF THEPANDEMIC WILL BE OVERBY JANUARY 2021...SAYING THERE IS SOMEFLEXIBILITY BUILT INTOTHE BUDGET.COUNCILMEMBER PETEFESTERSEN IS A BITWORRIED THECORONAVIRUS COULDTHROW OFF THE BUDGETAGAIN."I THINK THE ANSWER ISNOBODY KNOWS, BUT ITHINK IT'S TOUGH TO DOA BUDGET THIS FAR OUT,BUT I AM CONCERNED,SALES TAX ANDPROPERTY TAXREVENUE, ANDRESTAURANT TAXREVENUES, MAY NOT BEWHAT WE'RE USED TO."FESTERSENJON LL OPEN"MAYOR STOTHERT ISCREATING NEXT YEAR'SBUDGET WHILE THISYEAR'S BUDGET ISAMIDST OF A 56 MILLIONDOLLAR BUDGETSHORTFALL.DOUGLAS COUNTY HASLOTS OF MONEY FROMTHE CARES ACT THATTHEY CAN POTENTIALLYGIVE TO THE CITY, BUTTHE CITY OF OMAHADOESN'T KNOW AND IFTHEY'RE GETTINGMONEY.MAYOR STOTHERT SAYSTHEY NEED TO KNOW BYTHE END OF THE MONTH,BEFORE THEYPOTENTIALLY HAVE TOLAY OFF WORKERS."THE CITY COUNCIL WILLHOLD A HEARING ON THEMAYOR'S BUDGET ONAUGUST 11TH.NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS