Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird has proposed $4.35 million in mid-biennium budget adjustments to address public safety, infrastructure, and community services. The City Council will hold a public hearing August 18 and vote August 25.
The proposal includes:
- Additional investment into the police and fire pension ($936,000): The police and fire pension is funded in each year of the biennial budget. The City hires an independent actuarial firm to perform an annual analysis of the pension to determine both the amount required to be budgeted and any adjustments required in the second year.
- Pay raise incentives for emergency service/911 dispatchers ($150,000): The City Council approved an increase in the pay rates for emergency service/911 dispatchers earlier this year in response to staffing shortages that were threatening to impact service and response.
- Funding to close StarTran’s operating budget gap ($1 million): StarTran is fully staffed and meeting service time goals, but reduced state funding and increased staffing costs have created an operating budget deficit.
- Transferring funds into the pools maintenance and repair contingency fund to address aging pools in all four quadrants of the city ($1.5 million): Many community pools are 60 to 70 years old and experiencing higher rates of repair and maintenance due to mechanical and structural failures.
- Debt service for voter-approved November 2024 stormwater bond ($764,940)
No property tax levy increase is planned beyond the voter-approved stormwater bond amount. The adjustments would be funded by higher-than-projected property valuations and sales tax revenue.
Gaylor Baird said the changes “reflect our ongoing commitment to public safety, economic vitality, and a high quality of life.”
If approved, the city’s revised FY2025-26 tax-funded budget would total $301 million. For more information on the city budget, visit lincoln.ne.gov.