Omaha Mayor Faces Recall Vote on January 25; Unbalancing Omaha's Budget; Time for Mayoral Boot

Taxpayers everywhere have had it with higher taxes. At an increasing pace, they have taken matters into their own hands.

Last summer an Omaha man, fed up with the Omaha's property tax hike, restaurant tax hike, and the mayor's public union pandering, launched a recall campaign. The vote is Tuesday, January 25. Mayor Jim Suttle is now whining (or do I mean begging) to stay in office.

Please consider Omaha mayor says city will suffer if he's recalled.

The mayor of Omaha said Friday the city's improving financial situation could be at risk if voters recall him in Tuesday's special election and create turmoil in the city's leadership.

Democratic Mayor Jim Suttle said in his State of the City address that he's turned Omaha's finances around, eliminating a projected $12.4 million shortfall to end 2010 with a $3.3 million surplus and restoring the city's AAA bond rating.

"Instability would hurt our chances for economic stability," he said in his speech before the City Council and business and community leaders.

The mayor's critics have accused him of financial mismanagement. In its recall petition, the Mayor Suttle Recall Committee cited "excessive taxes, broken promises and union deals that cost taxpayers millions and threaten Omaha's economic future."

Suttle said Friday that he did the responsible thing, even if that meant raising the city's property, wheel and restaurant taxes.

"Problems were pushed aside for decades, and some type of tax increase was needed no matter who was mayor," he said.

Mayor Suttle Is Mistaken

Mayor Sutttle lied about tax hikes and lies again now. He pandered to unions instead of cutting expenses and renegotiating contracts. Now he brags he "balanced the budget".

What he fails to point out is that he "unbalanced the budget", for business owners and the average taxpayer. Why? Because he did not have what it takes to deal with union salaries, excessive pensions, especially with police and firefighters.

Recall Campaign Background

Congratulations to Anthony FastHorse, who launched the recall campaign.

FastHorse said filling out the recall affidavit needed to begin a petition drive required just a few strokes of a pen, but he said his actions spoke volumes.

“I think the recall should open his eyes,” said FastHorse. “If he really wants Omahans to work together, he needs input from the citizens.”

FastHorse asserts Suttle is not listening to citizens right now. He points to the budget presented to the Omaha City Council on Tuesday.

That budget included a 4.44-cent property tax hike, a new 4 percent tax for tabs at restaurants, bars and on catering, and a 66 percent increase in the wheel tax, pushing it to $58.

FastHorse, who has worked construction, said the tax hikes are just too much.

You Can Help

If you live in Omaha, please vote and get your friends to vote. Talk to businesses and point out that if the mayor raised taxes once to bail out the public unions, that he will do it again and again.

Please visit the Mayor Suttle Recall site, and pledge time or money.

It's time for a boot.

Here's my recommendation for Omaha: Get someone to run who will outsource the entire police department to the local sheriff's association. That move alone will save enough money to roll back property tax hikes.

Good Luck Omaha!

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
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