The Alliance has developed the Smart Government Contract with Omaha and invites all lcurrent candidates to publicly endorse and commit to implementing  these good government initiatives

The Omaha Alliance for the Private Sector Proposes to any Candidate for City Office their public endorsement of the

Smart Government Contract with Omaha

As Mayor or Councilperson, I promise if elected, to work to:

1. Bring the total cost of public sector union contracts down to less than 50% of the city budget without raising taxes.

2. Set up one ombudsman position with the power to deal with citizen and business complaints about fire, police, planning, code enforcement, public works or any city department.

3. Return the power to neighborhoods to determine their own destiny with regard to zoning, master plan, traffic flow, liquor licenses, development etc.

4. Stop sending a fire truck to each ambulance call and staff the department accordingly.

5. Make the city budgeting process more transparent, and allow more time for review before enactment.  Introduce and promote legislation mandating at least 45 days’ notice to citizens for review of major changes (10% more or less) in income or expense.

6. Enable legislation mandating at least 45 days’ publically posted proposed ordinances on all non-routine items coming before the city council. e.g. additional taxes, protected classes laws, off budget additions, etc.

7. Aggressively pursue citizen input into the crafting of the new city charter.

8. Work to restore cooperation with the Unicameral.

9. Demand performance audits of all city departments. Agree to follow recommendations whenever possible. Responsibly manage staffing levels based on best practices criteria. Privatize whenever possible.

Smart Governnment Contract with Omaha.PDF

JB Duncan with the Omaha Alliance takes questions from Chip Maxwell. Subjects included membership, the Public Safety Departments and the many Alliance initiatives.

Omaha Alliance for the Private Sector and Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom hosted this Mayoral Forum that featured candidates businessman Dave Nabity, Councilwoman Jean Stothert, former Councilman Dan Welch and State Senator Brad Ashford. Incumbent  Mayor Jim Suttle declined to participate.


 

This is the full length version of our forum on well managed police department concepts that are are currently in place and successful in other similar profile cities. Professor Walker and Tristan Bonn detail the philosophy and the results of these policies and answer a number of policy and real world procedure questions in the Q & A.

 
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In a striking example of clarity improving with distance from the subject, the Financial Times of London published an article from Debtwire an international high yield and leveraged loan markets analyst.

The article title captures the sad reality "Omaha’s pension accounting strategy digs USD 794m hole, tarnishes its triple-A halo"

The money quote from the article-

"But unlike other municipalities, Omaha, which was blessed by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s top ratings until a downgrade last fall, hasn’t shortchanged annual contributions to save operating budget funds. Instead, the city uses a funding method in which pension contributions are determined by statute, not actuary. It has stuck to that strategy even as those numbers diverged farther and farther from actuarially-calculated recommendations, unfunded liabilities ballooned, and one of the prized top ratings was lost."

We recommend you read the entire article at the Financial Times for a detailed look at what could be a not so subtle hint about the future of the city bond rating.

Elections have consequences. Get out and vote for fiscal responsibility and taxpayer advocates.

* Maximum public safety employee annual benefit  payout 2004--$80,993

* Maximum public safety employee annual benefit  payout 2012--$106,854

And you wonder where the money went to fix your road.

City Pension Observations and Financial Highlights.doc

City of Omaha pension calculation mod 2.xlsx

This information is for reference only--we have removed the names of the employees as they are not relevant to the discussion at this time

City of Omaha 2006 to 2011 payroll mod 2.xls

Dan Welch, at the time on the City Council wrote a point by point prescient editorial in 2003 warning- to quote Mr. Welch from that editorial "we would have to endure the long - term ramifications of enhancing a contract that substantially contributes to the city's financial problems."

$700M + dollars in hole later we thought we should offer his editorial and cautionary tale of badly managed negotiations with the public sector unions and it's crushing impact on city finances for review. (note added emphasis ours)

Welch 2003 editorial.PDF

The Average Social Security Recipient Receives $15,000 per year

The Maximum Social Security Benefit for a Person Who Makes the Maximum Contribution and works from 21-66 is $30,000 per year

 

The Average Retirement Benefit for Police and Fire is $60,000 per year, retiring at 45, with free health for himself and his family!

 

Download or open our brochure for how we got here in just ten years.
Pension Comparison.PDF

FRIENDS: Why didn't Omaha investigate a lawsuit against the EPA? Question the EPA's authority? Or, in any way fight this enormously expensive unfunded mandate. Whether or not the Virginia case is germane to exactly the same Omaha regulatory concerns, did our elected leaders properly protect us by contemplating a lawsuit - look how it paid off for Virginia? Should Omaha have done more, or anything, for that matter, than just agree to the mandate? READ ON. . .

Virginia Federal Court Overturns EPA Stormwater Mandate