My Side of the Fencepost
January 17, 2012
Replace inheritance tax revenues
By Jim Dickerson
Gov. Dave Heineman presented his “State of the State” speech last week, calling for $327 million in tax relief over the next three years.
I don’t know if the state budget, which was operating in the red when the Legislature convened just last year, can afford quite that much tax relief — but we shall see.
The governor wants to reduce tax rates and expand the brackets for individual income taxpayers, lower the corporate tax rates, and repeal the inheritance tax.
The last part of this proposal is the “kicker” for many counties across Nebraska that depend on monies from the inheritance tax fund to help finance road programs and other portions of the budget.
In these days of record land prices, inheritance tax funds have been growing for many counties, and those funds are being tapped.
Boone County is also using inheritance tax funds.
In approving their 2011-12 budget last September, the Boone County Commissioners used $350,000 in transfers from the inheritance tax fund for roads, and $100,000 from inheritance tax to help repay the bonds for courthouse remodeling project.
According to the County Treasurer’s Semi-Annual Statement (which appears in this week’s Albion News as a public notice), Boone County’s inheritance tax currently has a balance of more than $1.3 million. Receipts so far this year have totaled nearly $149,000. A total of $350,000 has been transferred out of the inheritance tax fund so far this year.
Similar use of inheritance tax money can be found in counties across the state.
From the point of view of counties, inheritance tax has provided an alternative to property taxes in funding various improvements. It allows flexibility and helps make some projects possible that might not be otherwise.
Many counties, I’m sure, have made year-to-year commitments for inheritance tax funds, as Boone County has for its courthouse bond fund.
On the other hand, I’m sure that heirs of estates would appreciate not having to fork over proceeds from those estates that they feel have been taxed already.
As Gov. Heineman stated, Nebraska is one of only eight states that still have inheritance tax. Eliminating that tax, he said, would be the last step in doing away entirely with the “death tax.”
Officials in many counties, while not necessarily opposing elimination of inheritance tax, would certainly like to maintain a revenue source separate from property tax.
They can see the potential for a budget crunch if inheritance tax is eliminated. They don’t want to be forced to choose between a big tax increase or a reduction of services.
Alternative measures will certainly be proposed.
In fact, at least one member of the Hall County Board of Supervisors has already made a proposal for a small percentage of the state income tax to be given back to the counties on a population basis to help replace inheritance tax revenue.
Of course, that proposal would directly impact Gov. Heineman’s plans for income tax cuts — so it’s going to be an interesting debate.
I don’t particularly like the inheritance tax. I know I wouldn’t like the idea of actually paying it — but it is a substantial and important revenue source for counties in Nebraska.
If we are to eliminate this tax, then the governor and the Legislature need to find a more reasonable revenue solution than simply increasing property taxes.
My Side of the Fencepost
February 15, 2011
Plan addresses local needs
by Jim Dickerson
Albion Economic Development Corporation presented an ambitious plan to the Albion City Council last week.
The three-pronged plan represents an effort to address community needs that have been under discussion for some time and were outlined in the city’s recent comprehensive plan.
It will put to use a healthy chunk of the city’s sales tax receipts that have been set aside for economic development purposes over the past several years.
One part of the plan addresses the need for building improvements in Albion’s downtown area. This area has already been designated as a redevelopment area, and there is an obvious need for renovation of many downtown buildings.
The AEDC plan devotes $50,000 to a facade improvement program. Downtown property owners will be able to apply for up to half the cost ($5,000 limit) as an incentive for these building improvements. The projects can include repair or replacement of awnings, signage, display windows, doors, lighting, brick restoration and various other aspects of a downtown building that are visible from the street.
Project plans and budgets will be reviewed in advance, and inspected for compliance at completion.
The second and third parts of the AEDC plan address the community’s need for affordable housing. Again, this need was cited in the city’s comprehensive plan. The goal suggested by planners was to add as many as 55 units of owner-occupied housing and 45 units of rental housing during the next 10 years.
As one project, AEDC has designated $150,000 to plan and build a new affordable energy efficiant single family home — either on a vacant lot or by demolishing a dilapidated structure on an existing lot.
The other housing project would devote $50,000 to purchase an existing home in need of renovation, then involve local contractors in the remodeling work and resell the home.
In both housing projects, the hope is to recoup the investment through the sale of the homes, and create a revolving fund whereby more housing projects could be undertaken.
Will everything work as planned? I don’t know.
I do know that other communities have planned and carried out similar projects with some success.
When you think about the needs that our community planners have discussed during the past year, these projects are very limited in scope. The downtown facade improvement program provides incentive for about 10 building renovations. A quick look around the downtown area indicates many more than 10 projects could be done.
If we get 10 downtown projects completed, that could stimulate more. It has happened in other communities, and it could happen here.
In housing, there is still plenty of room for private enterprise to get involved. We are talking about one to two houses initially in this plan. The housing need is much greater than that.
The community of Albion has twice approved the LB 840 economic development program, and sales tax funds for that purpose are accummulating at the rate of about $75,000 per year.
This is a good sign that a majority of residents want the local economy to grow, and Albion has a good track record of economic development progress.
The above mentioned projects will be new experiences for the development corporation, but I believe they address both the long- and short-term community needs.
My Side of the Fencepost
December 7, 2010
by Jim Dickerson
Giving community, area
‘Tis the season for generosity, and boy . . . we have seen plenty of that in our area this year!
I guess that’s just what we might expect, but I believe the giving has been exceptional this Christmas season.
As a matter of fact, we’re having a little trouble keeping up with covering it all.
Economic times are pretty good right now in rural Nebraska. The agricultural sector has fared well, and I believe there is optimism about the future.
That shows up in extra generous donations, both for local causes and some important national causes as well. We try to cover as many of the donations as possible when we’re contacted, because these efforts are very worthwhile and we consider such gifts newsworthy.
Well, this area has outdone itself this year!
I’ve gone back through the five issues of the Albion News since Nov. 1 and compiled a list of more than 15 generous gifts to various worthy causes by organizations and businesses in this area.
Some of the causes have included St. Jude’s Hospital, the fight against breast cancer, gift boxes for troops overseas, Boone County Food Pantry, the Good Samaritan Society - Albion nursing home addition, and the fund to support the recovery of L. Cpl. Neal Claar.
This week, we have more stories on generosity extended to the Toys for Tots program and to the bleacher cover project for the Legion baseball field.
Some of the money amounts were not announced for gifts, grants and donations given in the past five weeks. If we include the grants announced by the Boone County Area Foundation in November, I believe it’s safe to say that more than $35,000 has been given to various worthy causes in a five-week time span.
Add to that more than 4,000 pounds of food and labor donated to the Boone County Food Pantry.
Residents of the Boone County area, and rural Nebraskans in general, have always been generous and helpful both in good times and bad.
This year’s generosity may or may not be exceptional, but it is good to know the caring spirit remains alive and well in this area.
Happenstance
December 7, 2010
by Julie Dickerson
Sharing
Share.
Share is a word that we have been taught since we were young ones.
Children learn to share by constant observations from adults and a little bit of guidance along the way.
Little tots are asked to get a toy from somewhere else to trade for a toy wanted.
If you take a boat load of sand toys to the park, your little one should be told that there will be other children who will probably want to play with the whole boat load and not just a few. If you want to encourage fair play, you might want to say, “We are going to share. Which car, the blue one or the red one, can Billy play with?”
Then, the children are making the decision on the sharing.
I remember our children helping to clean house years ago because we were having company. When the company arrived, they decided since they went to all the work of picking up that nobody was going to get out a toy that day. We had to reassure them that it was fine, and that, we as parents, would help them pick up again at the end of the day.
Sharing is not something that comes naturally and it is not something that is always warranted. Maybe what we should be teaching our children, is to respect the property of others, that they can’t always have what they want and that it is okay to say no.
But, do we as adults continue to share as we get older?
In marriage, it’s a whole different ball game, but you really do have to share.
It’s a real shock when you go to the refrigerator and discover your mate has finished off the milk. So much for having cereal and milk.
Then, to top it off, you go to get the cereal out. I have one kind that I like and Jim has another. Well, he decided mine sat there much too long without being used, so thought he would do me a favor and eat it. I barely had enough to have that bowl of cereal without the milk!
Jim has a beer now and then. And, if he doesn’t have any left, then he helps himself to some of my cold ones in the fridge. So when and if I decide to have something cold, then what I like is usually gone.
We do share the car, the music playing in the car, share a meal now and then when the portion is too much for one, share a movie, share the television–even though he does get the remote, share the loud television commercials, share life.
But, Jim, did you really need to share your cold?
There are limitations on the word “share” and giving a virus to another person isn’t necessary.
I had a feeling that a week ago Saturday on our way to and from Omaha that this was going to happen. Jim sneezed and sneezed, blew his nose immeasurable times, and I had to sit in the car next to all that commotion and not do a thing about it.
Except, catch the cold and try to get over it.
Happenstance
August 10, 2010
August
By Julie Dickerson
On my desk at work is a daily calendar chocked full of advice, some good and some “ignore it and it will go away” suggestions.
August 1 said, “Education moves you from the realm of ignorance to the sphere of thoughtful uncertainty.”
August 2 said, “Aging has become very stylish. All the best people are doing it.” Liz Claiborn
August 3 said, “Life’s problems never hit you when you’re 18 and have all the answers.”
August 4 said, “You’re never too old to become younger.” Mae West
August 5 said, “If at first you succeed, try something harder.”
August 6 said, “Doing the job right generally takes less time than explaining why you did it wrong.”
August 7 said, “Knowing the right thing to do is not the same as doing it; doing the right thing is not the same as doing it without being told.”
August 8 said, “The speed with which you accomplish a task is only remarkable if the quality of the accomplishment is also remarkable.”
August 9 said, “You will never be successful at doing something you don’t want to do.”
August 10 said, “Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes.”
And, today August 11 said, “The size of a leader is judged by the size of the problems she solves.”
In a nutshell, do we have education, grow older, succeed, speed, or have problem solving abilities?
Education—My graduating class recently celebrated their 40th alumni reunion. I say “their” because I chose not to attend. After my small, rural high school closed its doors in 1969, my parents and I were given the option of what school to attend for my senior year. After some thought, I opted for Sidney High School. I knew some of the girls there, but it was still a big step from a class of three to one with over 130. During that school year, I thought I was lucky because I knew most of my classmates by name by graduation day, except for one guy who walked across the stage and I didn’t even know he was in the class. There were a couple of people attending the reunion that I would have liked to see. I keep in contact with some even now, and don’t have to wait for a reunion.
Grow Older—Recently, one of the most celebrated songs in the world came my way. It was an absolute joy when one of my grandsons called and sang, “Happy Birthday.” He must have practiced, because it was perfect, precious, and even had a giggle in the middle!! Of course, along with the celebrated day, I had to renew my driver’s license, which I did on line for the first time.
Succeed—That’s a tough one. I’m still working on that. I feel that life is like clay, and my molded clay hasn’t made it to the kiln yet.
Speed—”August 8″: I repeat: The speed with which you accomplish a task is only remarkable if the quality of the accomplishment is also remarkable. Last Saturday, while Jim was golfing in his second day of the tournament, I attempted to practice free-motion machine quilting. The speed at which my sewing machine went only led to my frustration. I spent much of the day using the seam ripper and thinking I would wait for another day to try it again.
Problem Solving Abilties—Life’s a stage and there will always be problems to solve.
And so, alumni reunions and birthdays come and go. Life continues.
But, (August 10) I need to make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes.
My Side of the Fencepost
August 10, 2010
Public concerns can spur action
By Jim Dickerson
Public concerns, when expressed forcefully enough, can still make a difference. A good example is the Trans-Canada Keystone XL crude oil pipeline that is proposed to cross Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.
After the environmental mess created by the Gulf oil spill, there was a renewed interest in the Keystone XL project.
Actually, the two projects are quite different in terms of the potential magnitude of pollution. As we now know, it is considerably more difficult to stop an oil well leak a mile under the ocean, than to stop a pipeline leak about four feet below the ground.
Still, we know there is potential environmental damage from a high pressure oil pipeline leak, and every precaution should be taken to make sure that doesn’t happen.
We learned some things with the BP oil spill. Despite assurances that all safety precautions were being taken, and that automatic shut-off valves were in place and tested periodically to make sure they work properly — that wasn’t happening.
The worst part is that our government, with all of the off-shore drilling regulations that were supposed to be in place, was asleep at the switch.
I don’t have any poll results to back me up, but I believe public opinion shifted on the Keystone XL pipeline. Before, we were mostly apathetic. Now, we want all possible assurances of safety and leak prevention. Our representatives have sensed that, and they have also been more actively seeking more safety assurances.
I don’t believe a majority of Nebraskans actually want to stop the pipeline construction, but they certainly want the safest requirements and specifications they can get.
Originally, TransCanada had proposed using a higher pressure and thinner walled pipe than current federal regulations allow. The company has since withdrawn that permit request. That represents public opinion at work.
The U.S. Department of State decided to extend the public comment period on the pipeline for three months to allow more study of the project. I believe that is a response to strong public opinion.
Several of Nebraska’s State Senators, including Sen. Kate Sullivan of District 41, are spearheading an interim study on the state’s pipeline regulations. Again, I believe, that is a reflection of constituent concerns.
U.S. Senator Mike Johanns is now touring the state and visiting with constituents. He is also getting feedback. Johanns posed a good rhetorical question just this week about the pipeline project. To paraphrase a recent story appearing online in Nebraska Watchdog, he asked: Why did TransCanada believe thinner walled pipe was a good approach to start with?
Johanns said he has many more questions to ask TransCanada before he gives the pipeline his stamp of approval.
Of course, timing has a lot to do with these developments. If we hadn’t had the Gulf oil spill at the same time the oil pipeline was under consideration, we might not be having this in-depth debates about the pipeline. In that sense, we’re fortunate that the sequence of recent events occurred as they did.
My Side of the Fencepost
November 11, 2009
Understanding Sacrifice
By Jim Dickerson
Some time ago, I was given two books about the war in Iraq. The books are special to residents of this area because they include brief descriptions of the service and sacrifice of 1st Lt. Edward Iwan, as well as tributes to the Albion native who was killed during the Battle for Fallujah in 2004.
One book in particular, House to House, A Soldier’s Memoir by Staff Sgt. David Bellavia, is a graphic and riveting description of the war in Iraq and specifically the Battle for Fallujah.
This is not an easy book to read, but it gives the reader a good idea of the kinds of sacrifices we are asking — and receiving — from American soldiers who are now serving in harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sgt. Bellavia, a war hero himself, doesn’t mince any words or hold back any detailed description of the front line combat in Fallujah.
In short, if war is hell, then Fallujah was the deepest darkest part of hell. We sent hundreds of Army and Marine soldiers into that hell. Yes, they were equipped with some of the best combat technology, but they were still at a disadvantage against a well-entrenched enemy.
I know there have been other battles in other wars that have been just as bloody and horrific, or maybe worse, but this was one of the most recent. It tested the mettle of a new generation of American soldiers, and they delivered. They fought, bled, died and sacrificed with tremendous courage.
We must never forget that.
So this Veterans Day, while respecting the sacrifices of all American veterans and praying for an end to all wars, I’m reserving most of my thoughts and prayers for those young Americans serving right now in the Middle East — especially those we send into the deepest darkest parts of hell.
Perspectives
September 17, 2009
An exciting step forward
By Paul Hosford
It was quite the experience. A group of people from three local communities were assembled on the bridge spanning the moat at the Stuhr Museum listening to UNL Architecture professor Martin Despang’s 15 students explain their ideas for our future before they began their tour of the grounds.
It seemed appropriate that we examined each of these concepts on a bridge. We were not only bridging the past and the future but also bridging the generations.
Martin’s students are devoting a full semester to working with Boone County to generate new ideas for “pioneering the future.” Each has created a 3 foot by 2 foot four-panel graphic presentation that expressed 1) their initial impression of Albion, 2) something that was here but isn’t anymore, 3) something about the community that caught their attention, and 4) an innovative precedent from someplace else that could be adapted to this area.
Expressing ideas in visual form is the foundation of every architectural project. In this case the project is our community, and the displays showed images ranging from the combine demolition derby to the Dairiette, the Courthouse and the Gateway Theater. By the end of this semester, three-dimensional models will have evolved from these initial concepts.
The talent it took to create each display, coupled with the creativity of the underlying concepts, made them stand out as genuine works of art. One by one, the students stepped forward and explained why they had chosen the images on their intricate displays.
One young woman used something I had written — that the road to the future begins with a vision — as her starting point. She began her project with an image of an eye, the quintessential symbol of vision, and then proceeded to illustrate her own.
All the students’ visions were amazing and each demonstrated a genuine interest in our area. The students clearly appreciate that to move forward we must remember — and honor — our past. They spoke of such things as “intelligently integrating” new concepts and designs into our community. But they weren’t sentimental — one pointed out that the pioneer past was anything but the “Good Life.” There were droughts, prairie fires, locusts and blizzards. Another wisely pointed out that a balance must be struck between preservation and innovation, reminding us that clinging too strongly to the past will stop us from embracing the future.
One display focused on our values. Its creator was especially impressed by how community members on the students’ initial bus tour pointed to so many landmarks with an obvious sense of pride. She was also impressed with our traditional values, illustrated in part by the number of our churches. And most of all, she was impressed by our sense of trust, illustrated by the fact that we don’t have many stop signs in our downtown — she pointed out that we trust each other to “do the right thing” not only when driving but in many other areas as well.
The concept of sustainability came up repeatedly. Our area needs to sustain a viable population and conserve our natural resources. The concept of integrating new designs into the existing environment was also explored — building from local materials in ways that reflect this area’s characteristics.
The downtown was a primary focus; ways to redevelop the living spaces above our existing buildings were discussed by several students. Another student pointed out there were once many more trees in the downtown and suggested ways to “re-green” the area. Yet another showed how another community has created ornamental gardens in empty buildings.
Most of all, though, these bright and perceptive young people focused on the need for spaces that draw people together, especially to enjoy the arts. They are well aware that technology is isolating people. They have looked at our past and found example after example of people coming together to enjoy music (such as around the bandstand that once stood on the courthouse lawn) and would like to see that happen again.
The students understand that communities are made up of people, not buildings. But buildings serve the needs of communities and if properly designed, can do much to strengthen the ties among people by giving them places to gather.
There is much more than I can describe in this space. All 15 students’ designs will be on display soon in Albion at all four banks and City Hall. I would urge everyone to take a moment to view them — they are inspiring signs of things to come.
-
Recent Posts
- City of Albion declares snow emergency
- Auditions set for Q-125 production, ‘Hee Flaw’
- Petersburg Community Club, Village Board to meet next week
- Mabel Ragan turns 111
- Home, Farm & Garden Show preparations underway
- March 1 is deadline for irrigated land transfers
- Conditions are dry, warm in Boone County
- SourceGas distribution rates to be subject of PSC hearings
- New president takes helm of Albion Chamber of Commerce
- 4075
Advertisement
