- Residents are feeling the squeeze. Sarpy County homeowners — including newly arrived out-of-state residents and seniors on fixed incomes — say rising property taxes are creating serious financial hardship, with some saying they feel they are being taxed out of their homes.
- All three entities are moving forward with revenue increases. Sarpy County, the city of La Vista and Bellevue Public Schools say they will proceed with their proposed revenue increases for the next fiscal year to meet the demands of a growing community.
- Bellevue is betting on development to ease the burden long-term. Mayor Rusty Hike says a new waterpark and entertainment district is specifically designed to generate additional sales tax revenue and expand the tax base — with the goal of eventually reducing the tax pressure on Bellevue residents.
BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — Sarpy County residents say they are concerned they are being taxed out of their homes.
At Wednesday night's public hearing, Sarpy County, the city of La Vista and Bellevue Public Schools discussed their proposed property tax increase requests for the next fiscal year. Officials say the revenue would help meet the needs of a growing community.
One resident, who recently relocated from Florida, expressed shock at the tax burden.
"We just moved here from Florida and the shock of taxes...I'm shocked we couldn't even fathom that people here pay that much in taxes," the resident said.
Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike said the city is looking for ways to reduce pressure on homeowners over time, including developments like the new Bellevue Bay waterpark and entertainment district.
"One of the citizens tonight said why don't we bring some entertainment and start thinking about some other ways to make money? That whole entertainment district is designed to lower the taxes on our residents so once that income starts coming in around that district and the additional sales taxes and the additional jobs, the extra tax base we're creating in that entertainment district that's exactly what it is designed to do take that pressure off of our residents," Hike said.
Hike also noted that Bellevue came in under the revenue cap this year.
"Bellevue wasn't required to be here tonight because we did come in under the cap. We're about 750,000 under so we dropped our mil levy rate 2% this year so we're doing what we're supposed to be doing, we're watching our expenditures," Hike said.
Bellevue resident Barbara Underwood said she wants to ask officials how senior citizens on fixed incomes are supposed to handle higher costs.
"There are many seniors that are struggling right now. We pay over 600 dollars a month for our health benefits," Underwood said.
Underwood also says we need to ask God to help the government to make righteous decisions.
Sarpy County, La Vista and Bellevue Public Schools say they will move forward with the increase for the next fiscal year.
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