Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert presents 2025 Recommended Budget to City Council

Mayor Jean Stothert presented the 2025 Recommended Budget to the City Council on Tuesday.

• Funding for street resurfacing and police recruitment efforts are just two increases in the city's recommended budget for 2025.
• This budget announcement comes at the same time as Governor Pillen is trying to roll out a property tax plan.
• Stothert does not think the 2025 budget will be impacted by what happens in Lincoln.
• "Two-thirds of our general fund budget pays for police and fire services, we must ensure these services are not compromised," Stothert said.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

This budget announcement comes at the same time Governor Pillen is trying to roll out a property tax plan. Mayor Jean Stothert says she feels the 2025 budget will not be impacted by that plan.

"I don't agree with the governor when he says spending is our problem, overspending, I think it's our valuations, our property valuations, that are causing the biggest challenges for us,” Stothert said.

She and the team that put the budget together say they are moving forward as if it is not impacted by the governor’s plan but say anything can happen.

"It's hard to know what is going to end up down there," Stothert said.

Mayor Stothert says her budget priorities are always based on her goals which include, managing the city budget, keeping taxes low, creating economic development, job growth and public safety.

Next year's recommended budget includes a total general fund budget of $531 million. That's up 4 percent from 2024.

"We will again increase road repair and maintenance budget, bringing the major street resurfacing budget to $10 million in 2025, an equal amount is set aside for residential streets," Stothert said.

Mayor Stothert is also asking for money for two other big projects; a city-owned asphalt plant that she says will help with pothole repairs and a sixth Omaha Police precinct that would be downtown.

"Even with new higher salaries for all officers, including recruits, we remain well below the 906 officers that we are budgeted for, we are currently at 780," Stothert said.

The recommended budget sets aside more money for recruitment efforts within OPD while keeping the number of officers we are budgeted for the same.

Omaha Fire's budget is also increased with hopes of adding staff.

"Two-thirds of our general fund budget pays for police and fire services, we must ensure these services are not compromised," Stothert said.

The City Council now has the recommended budget. There will be a public hearing on August 13 with the council voting on September 10. Both the budget and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) are available to view online now.