Top Priority

Brewer said mental health is the most pressing issue facing the city. He said he would work to ensure that therapists and mental health experts are available for those who seek help and that the Police Department, collaborating closely with health professionals, takes people who are experiencing a mental health crisis to the hospital instead of arresting them.

Ewing said the biggest issue is the discrepancy between wages and housing costs. He said he would prioritize creating jobs that support the city’s infrastructure and develop housing for low- and middle-income wage earners. He said the city needs to invest in its infrastructure and public amenities, including roads, parks and the library system.

Harris said public safety must be addressed, focusing not just on adequate resources for law enforcement but on prevention and community-based programs that address the root cause of crime. She said she would push to increase the resources of mental health co-responders to make sure they can handle the heavy workload.

McDonnell said the most pressing issue facing Omaha is the city’s misplaced priorities, which he said have led to underinvestment in police staffing, affordable housing, street repairs and core infrastructure. He said he would reprioritize city spending to ensure full funding of those areas.

Stothert said she has focused on public safety, lowering property taxes, controlling the city’s budget and investing in Omaha’s streets. She noted that homicides and violent crime in general are down, and said higher salaries and other changes will allow the city to deal with a declining pool of police recruits. Stothert said the city’s property tax has been lowered five times under her watch, and a voter-approved bond issue is allowing the city to accelerate street repairs  – without a tax increase.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF)

McDonnelI said TIF is a valuable tool for economic development, but it must be used responsibly and transparently to ensure that it benefits the entire city. Concerns about overuse and lack of oversight must be addressed, he said, adding that he would advocate for increased transparency and accountability in the approval process, push for more community input and explore policies that ensure developments receiving TIF include affordable housing and infrastructure improvements.

Brewer said he would consider requiring voter approval of projects requesting TIF, manage transparency on how TIF funds are allocated and spent, and discuss restricting TIF to economically deprived areas.

Stothert said TIF has allowed for numerous developments across the city, and an independent auditor that reviewed the city’s use of TIF has confirmed that Omaha is compliant with state law. The city, she said, will continue to use TIF, which she called indispensable for attracting investment. By leveraging future property tax revenue, Stothert said, TIF enables municipalities to fund critical development projects without immediate tax increases or reliance on grants.

Harris said TIF is well-intentioned, but it has not been used to build up areas that are extremely blighted. She said she would work with city officials and developers to prioritize developments that restore blighted neighborhoods and lay the foundation for economic opportunities for all.  

Ewing said TIF is an important tool for revitalization, but the city should be more judicious in its use. He said he wouldn’t use TIF on projects that would be financially viable without TIF incentives. When TIF is overused, he said, it becomes a hidden tax increase as it shifts the burden from the city to other political entities. He said he would focus on expanding housing stock and development in the areas where it is most needed.

Streetcar

Ewing said he has serious concerns about the use of TIF financing for the project, saying it was inappropriate and that the scope of the designation was excessive, putting the city at risk of legal action and jeopardizing future TIF-funded projects. He said he would prioritize responsible TIF usage to support urban revitalization efforts and do his best to control the project’s cost, hold contractors accountable and ensure that all deadlines are met.

Harris said she shares the frustrations and skepticism of Omahans about the streetcar project, but it would be fiscally irresponsible to stop the project now. She said she would work to ensure that the city and area transit agencies coordinate to provide a system that works for all Omahans and connects the city and surrounding areas.

Stothert said the streetcar will help modernize Omaha’s urban core while requiring no tax dollars. Because no general tax dollars are being used for the streetcar, she said, the public has nothing to vote on. Stothert said the streetcar already has spurred $1.5 billion of new development. She added that the streetcar does not take funding away from other city services. She said estimates show it will generate more TIF revenue than needed for the project – money that can go to other needs such as affordable housing.

Brewer said the increased revenue from development along the streetcar route will help pay for the project. If downtown businesses support the streetcar and their employees and customers benefit, he said, it eventually may pay off.

McDonnell said he opposes the streetcar project and that Omahans deserve to vote on it. He said he would push for greater transparency and accountability in city spending and demand a comprehensive financial review of its long-term impact on Omaha’s budget. He said the city must prioritize infrastructure projects that serve all residents, improve public safety and support economic growth without draining critical resources from schools and essential city services.

Housing

Stothert said as mayor, she has promoted safe and affordable housing through several key initiatives. The city’s Housing Affordability Action Plan addresses the need for nearly 30,000 housing units by 2030, with 60% designated as affordable. The city also has committed $20 million from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, an amount that was matched by both philanthropic sources and the federal government, to create and preserve affordable housing. The city also offers low-cost land sales and has started programs to transform Omaha Municipal Land Bank lots, Stothert said.

Harris said she would prioritize safe and affordable housing in the city budget, work with developers to create incentives for building affordable units and establish partnerships with organizations to support housing initiatives. Landlord registry and complaint ordinances, decrees and processes need to be revisited to ensure that tenants can access safe and healthy housing without fear of repercussions. She said she also is committed to ensuring homeless services provided by the city are adequately funded and are coordinated with those of community partners.

McDonnell said the city must take a more proactive approach to expanding affordable housing and improving conditions for low-income residents. He said he would expand public-private partnerships to incentivize the construction of more affordable housing units, reform and enforce standards for low-income housing and increase support for programs that prevent homelessness, including workforce training, mental health services and transitional housing. The city, he said, also must streamline the zoning and permitting of new housing developments while maintaining responsible growth policies.

Ewing said he would propose a task force on decent and affordable housing, bringing together stakeholders to produce a plan that would include development incentives, funding mechanisms, expanded public land development and zoning reform. He said he would increase funding for affordable housing and address zoning practices that hinder the development of affordable housing and restrict shared housing arrangements. Ewing said he also would push to develop high-density housing near transit lines to improve job access and reduce parking congestion.

Brewer said if used properly, numerous programs and grants are available to better serve people who need assistance with housing. He said his administration would collaborate with nonprofit organizations to leverage funding and expertise for affordable housing development and preservation. Brewer also would tap federal programs to fund affordable housing projects. Development processes also should be streamlined, he said, by working toward a unified development code to ease regulatory barriers on land use, allowing for more housing projects. Brewer said the city also should support the preservation of existing affordable housing units.