The Race
Councilman Ron Hug will go up against Andrew Adams in his bid to win his first election to City Council.
Hug was appointed to the District 4 seat in 2023 after the arrest of former council member Vinny Palermo, who had pleaded guilty in a federal corruption case.
Hug, who served more than two decades on the Metropolitan Community College Board of Directors, and Adams, a train dispatcher from South Omaha, advanced from a field of four candidates in the April primary.
Both are Democrats.
Top Priority
Hug said he is concerned about the deterioration of neighborhoods in his district. He said he recently introduced an ordinance that would strengthen prohibitions on junk cars and other vehicles parked in yards and allow the city to hire more code enforcement inspectors.
Adams said residents feel disconnected from City Hall, and they question how their tax dollars are used. He would hold town halls, push for a user-friendly online platform for citizen comments and promote audits of city departments. He also said he would advocate for planning boards to include representatives from historically underrepresented communities.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Adams said he would limit TIF to revitalize blighted areas and push for strict performance benchmarks. If a project doesn’t deliver, incentives should be revisited, he said.
Hug said TIF can be a valuable tool in addressing affordable housing issues. He said he recently asked the mayor to consider a way to use TIF for new single-family homes east of 72nd Street.
Major projects and council’s relationship with mayor
Adams said many voters are worried about the long-term debt implications and potential tax burden of some of those projects, which have largely flowed from Mayor Jean Stothert. He said he would work with the Mayor’s Office to track spending, outline construction timelines and ensure that promised community benefits are realized.
Hug said any projects that require a long-term financial commitment should be voted on by the public.
Housing
Hug said he supported a bill in the Nebraska Legislature that would allow cities to take control of any property that is not being repaired and then allow new owners to make the repairs. He said out-of-town landlords should be required to post a significant bond that can be used for repairs. Hug also said he’s working on two ordinances that would be limited to east of 72nd Street: a sales tax rebate for the materials used in construction of new houses; and a waiver for all permit fees for any new single-family home under a specific dollar amount.
Adams said he would consider licensing requirements for landlords who rent out their properties, and allowing for the licenses to be revoked for persistent violations. He said he would support daily fines for unresolved tenant issues, with the money going to a trust that could be used for maintenance needs or services, including legal aid for tenant arbitration. Affordable housing also should be included in all TIF agreements, Adams said.
Meet the candidates
