In the April Primary election, Lincoln voters will get to decide on a measure that would increase Lincoln’s local option sales tax rate by one-quarter of one-percent. The change would raise Lincoln’s overall sales tax rate from 7% to 7.25% for a period of no more than three years. The increased revenue would then be used exclusively to upgrade the 911 radio system, relocate two fire stations, build one new fire station, and one new joint police substation and fire station.
The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce supports this proposal.
Rest assured, the Board of Directors did not come to this decision hastily or without thoughtful consideration. In this situation, they believe a small, temporary increase to the sales tax rate makes fiscal sense for Lincoln. The voters will be given the chance to make the final determination.
Let me explain.
Throughout this entire process, the City of Lincoln has made it clear the 911 radio system is at a point of failure. The system is 20 years old and the technology is obsolete. To illustrate this, Public Safety Director Tom Casady often describes the smart phone in your pocket right now as having more computing power than the current 911 radio system. He makes a striking comparison.
As for the fire stations, anyone driving around our city can see the tremendous growth that has taken place since the last time a new station was built in 1996. Growth is a positive thing for Lincoln and a direct result of the great work being done by our local businesses as they grow and expand. However, many new areas of town are now beyond the industry standard four minute response time for emergency services. By relocating the stations and using existing fire companies to staff the new buildings, the city can improve the response times AND do it with current staff resources. Adding the police substation will mean officers can begin and end their shift somewhere around the 70th and Pine Lake Road area as opposed to reporting to headquarters downtown, then commuting for 20 minutes before beginning their shift. A similar project that added a substation in north Lincoln has produced tremendous dividends in efficiency.
The City, being good stewards of our dollars, didn’t just say “take our word for it”; they asked Lincoln residents to get involved in the process. The Council and the Mayor convened a citizen’s panel to study the issue and make a recommendation on the necessity of the projects and how to fund them. Chamber members and Board leaders were invited and took part in the discussions. After a month’s worth of meetings, the panel overwhelmingly said “yes”, these are worthwhile projects and sales tax is the most advantageous way to fund them.
The bottom line is this: The radio system must be upgraded and we must improve our response times to maintain Lincoln’s ability to keep citizens and property safe and secure. Using sales tax instead of property tax spreads the cost among all those who come to our community and depend on our 911 system. Voting yes makes the most fiscal sense; I hope we can count on your support.
The Chamber’s mission is to improve the lives of Lincoln residents by providing increased economic opportunity and can only be accomplished together. Networking opportunities, business advocacy, and creating economic viability are critical to our success. We encourage you to become a member and help us achieve these goals for Lincoln. For more information, please contact our Membership Director, Kristin Holmes, kholmes@lcoc.com.
by Wendy Birdsall, President
Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
402-436-2350