A few months ago, the LIBA Board of Directors conducted a survey on “road funding” and “taxes”.  The results clearly indicate that our membership would support a small fuel tax increase to help with road funding.  However, the support disappeared as the amount of the tax was increased.

Please do not interpret the publishing of this survey as an endorsement for a tax increase.  While the LIBA Board of Directors feels that road funding is important, and a tax increase may play a part of the funding, LIBA would want to see additional changes to the city budgeting process before it would lend support to a tax increase.

Here are the questions with the results.
1. Do you feel that the City of Lincoln has a problem with adequately funding street construction and road repairs?
85% – Yes    8% – No        7% – Don’t know

Note: The following proposals involve implementing an occupation tax on gasoline (fuel) in the city of Lincoln that would increase fuel taxes.  Some people support this because “non-resident” visitors and workers who commute to Lincoln would help pay for our roads.  A 1 cent occupation tax on fuel would bring in $1 million annually for road funding.  The average passenger car uses 580 gallons of fuel per year, so the cost to the driver for a 1 cent fuel tax would be approximately $5.80 per year.

2. Would you be willing to add a tax of 1 cent per gallon to fund roads?
78% – Yes    20% – No        2% – Don’t know

3. Would you be willing to add a tax of 3 cents (or less) per gallon to fund roads?
60% – Yes    32% – No         8% – Don’t know

4. Would you be willing to add a tax of 5 cents (or less) per gallon to fund roads?
27% – Yes    65% – No        8% – Don’t know

5. Would you support a wheel tax increase to fund roads?
24% – Yes    68% – No        8% – Don’t know

Note:  Some people support using property taxes to fund our roads and street repair because they are tax deductible at the federal level.  A 1 cent property tax levy increase would bring in $1.4 million dollars of revenue annually.  The cost to the homeowner for a 1 cent levy increase would be $15 per year on a $150,000 home or $105 per year on a $1 million business.

6. Would you support a property tax increase to fund roads?
37% – Yes    56% – No        7% – Don’t know

7. Would you support a property tax increase to fund the Police Department?
21% – Yes    60% – No        19% – Don’t know

8. Would you support a property tax increase to fund the Fire Department and Ambulance Service?
16% – Yes    69% – No        15% – Don’t know

by Coby Mach, President & CEO
Lincoln Independent Business Association
http://liba.org/

LIBA studies and promotes these types of issues that are important to businesses and
our community.  If you have an interest in joining LIBA, please call me at 402-466-3419.
LIBA membership is not restricted to just businesses. We also have “individual” memberships
for those who want to help influence our local government decisions