Despite expressing earlier reservations, Mayor Jim Suttle relented Friday and said he would not veto any part of the Omaha City Council's 2011 city budget.
That means the council's $13.5 million in cuts, as well as higher taxes, will stand.
“Settling on a budget is a series of give-and-take and compromise,” said Suttle spokesman Ron Gerard. “He feels that we've reached a point where we've pretty well satisfied everything he was looking for.”
The council Tuesday approved numerous changes to both the spending and tax increases included in Suttle's 2011 budget proposal.
The council made across-the-board spending cuts and cut funding for new police cruisers, tourism and truancy prevention.
Council members also signed off on smaller versions of Suttle's tax proposals a 2.5 percent restaurant tax, a $15 increase in the wheel tax, to $50, and a 2.3-cent property tax hike. Next year's city budget also includes a council proposal: a new $50 wheel fee for commuters who work in Omaha.
Councilman Chris Jerram, who with Councilman Thomas Mulligan crafted the budget plan, said he was most worried that the mayor would veto his spending cuts. Jerram said the mayor had told him that the cuts went too far.
“I am surprised,” Jerram said. “But I think it's what the city needs to close this chapter that's been difficult and stressful. It allows us to move forward.”
If Suttle had vetoed any of the council's spending cuts, council members probably would have had enough votes for an override. Jerram and Mulligan's budget proposal, which included the spending cuts, was approved Tuesday on a 6-1 vote.
Five votes are needed for an override.
During last year's budget battle, Suttle vetoed council plans for voluntary employee furloughs and for cuts in the police cruiser fund. The council failed to override the veto, and as a result the city raised the property tax rate to balance the budget.
“I know this decision was a difficult one for him,” Jerram said of the 2011 budget.
In a letter sent Friday afternoon to council members, Suttle applauded “the determination of those of you who worked together to help reach a budget compromise.
“What has resulted is a budget that includes a combination of spending cuts and revenue enhancements, something that we can all agree resembles an appropriate compromise,” Suttle said.
A balanced budget must be submitted to the state by Sept. 20.
“I told (the mayor), ‘we're sending the right message to folks,' ” Mulligan said. “It just echoes the good spirit of cooperation.”
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