Grand Island Mayor Roger Steele speaks at a NDOT groundbreaking event, (NDOT, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND – Community leaders who supported the Good Life economic development program were pleased the night of Aug. 13 that voters had approved the program.
The Hall County Election Commissioner’s office released unofficial results within an hour after the 5 p.m. Aug. 13 deadline to submit a ballot. 5,044 people voted for the program, and 2,415 people voted against it.
Mayor Roger Steele said Grand Island was the first community in the state to approve a Good Life program. Only five are available in the state, through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
“The state is cutting its sales tax in half. The state collects 5.5 percent sales tax,” Steele said. “Under this Good Life district, the state will take 2.75 percent sales tax.”
“It sounds complex, but it’s not,” Steele said. “The City Council will have to take up an ordinance that takes up creation of a Good Life program. The beauty of the Good Life program is the City Council will decide how to spend the money. We’ll seek development ideas.”
The money has to be spent in the geographic area of the Good Life district,” Steele said.
He noted that Woodsonia Real Estate of Elkhorn has submitted a proposal. Other proposals will be sought.
Steele said there will be “full transparency” of how the money is to be spent. Decisions will be made during open public City Council meetings.
“In the very near future, you’re going to see development ideas come before the Council. The next thing will be an ordinance from the City Council on how we manage this,” Steele said.
He noted that time was a factor in getting the program approved as soon as possible, because the state will begin cutting the sales tax in half on Oct. 1.
“Thank you to all the people who took the time to educate the public” about the program, Steele said.
City Administrator Laura McAloon said, “This is an incredibly exciting time for Grand Island. I am looking forward to working with the City Council to build a new economic development program that sets our city up for transformative growth in the next 30 years.”
Tonja Brown is implementation chair for the Grow Grand Island Area Partnership and had a leadership position in public education programs about the Good Life district program.
“Obviously, we are elated with the overwhelming results of the election, and we look forward to the city enacting the economic development program and beginning the process. This is a 30-year revenue opportunity the state has provided, and Grand Island is excited to lead the way for transformational projects for the state of Nebraska.”
Cindy Johnson is former long-time president of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce and was involved in promoting the Good Life district economic development program.
“There are defining moments in a community’s growth and development. Today, the voters of Grand Island recognized the enormous opportunity by the Nebraska Legislature with the Good Life district economic development program. Only five communities are able to receive half of the state’s share of property taxes for up to 30 years to undertake transformational projects,” Johnson said.
“Grand Island leaders work tirelessly to see that our community is in the forefront of state elected and administrative officials’ minds. Grand Island’s Good Life district designation speaks volumes about how we are perceived,” Johnson said.
