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A Second Street homeowner is concerned about taxation without representation in a newly forming Second Street business improvement district.
John and Sallie Folsom, 1504 W. Second, attended Tuesday night's Grand Island City Council meeting to ask questions about the district from Eddy Street to Grant Street.
Would homes be included in the district? Will they be taxed? If they are, could homeowners be on the improvement district board?
But the Folsoms missed their chance to ask the questions publicly, as the item was on the council's consent agenda. Consent agenda items are only discussed if the council or public raises a question. The Folsoms waited until the end of the meeting after the consent agenda was approved then tried to raise questions.
John Folsom was gaveled out by Mayor Margaret Hornady.
The mayor said Folsom had the chance earlier in the meeting to "come forward and state your name and ask to address the council, but you did not. This meeting is adjourned," she said with a rap of her gavel.
Folsom stood at the council podium asking for a list of district representatives.
"Yes, of course. You're welcome to have a list. Certainly. It's published," the mayor said, getting him a list before she left the meeting room.
Folsom was OK getting the list of seven appointed business owners and OK with being given Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity's phone number for follow-up questions, but wasn't OK with being gaveled out.
"This is an arrogant mayor," Folsom said as he marched out of council chambers.
"This is no way to treat the public," Sallie Folsom said irately. "I never treated the public like that."
Sallie Folsom was on the city council in the 1980s. Her sister is former Nebraska Gov. Kay Orr.
When questioned by The Independent, Hornady said the council has a formal meeting procedure and she "was firm" not arrogant with the Folsoms.
She also said the couple has a good idea about homeowner representation on the district board something she hadn't considered. She simply appointed the volunteers who came forward requesting the district.
They are Bob Dodendorf of Five Points Bank; Mike Wanek, who owns a commercial building at Second and Eddy; Dallas Kime of TierOne Bank; Phil Maltzahn of Almquist Maltzahn Galloway & Luth certified public accountants; Cheryl Nietfeldt of Real Estate Group; Randy Evans of Randy's Auto Sales; and Bill Raile of BG & S Transmissions.
There's a chance that homes wouldn't even be assessed a tax, Nabity said after the council meeting.
"There will be homes included within the district. But council has the option of determining the benefit is such that there is no (taxable) benefit to that property," he said.
Nabity said that means homes included in the district, could receive no assessment or a partial assessment until their use becomes commercial in nature.
The improvement district is being considered to pay for landscaping and walkway lighting.
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