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| Petitions turned in to limit Spike funds |  |
| by North Platte Bulletin Staff - 10/3/2009 |
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Photo by George Lauby
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Taxpayers turned in dozens of apparently-valid petitions Thursday to change the funding of the Golden Spike Tower that overlooks the world's largest train yard. If enough signatures are from registered voters of North Platte, it would force an election to send some Spike money to the city. Nearly 2,900 names on petitions were presented to the city clerk, who turned the petitions over to the county clerk, who will check that they are registered voters. About 2,245 valid signatures are needed. The Spike received nearly nearly $360,000 in 2008 from city occupation taxes paid by motels. If voters agree, that sum for the Spike would be reduced to no more than $274,000 a year, and the difference of $80,000 or more would go into the city treasury, according to Mike Groene, chairman of the Western Nebraska Taxpayers Association. Groene and petition sponsors hope that the additional money for the city would replace some of the property taxes that fund city government. They want to limit the occupation tax for the Spike to just what is due a year on the 25-year construction loan the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided to build the observation tower and visitor's center. That loan payment is nearly $23,000 a month. If enough signatures are valid, voters would decide the matter at the May 2010 primary election. North Platte residents Ed Rieker, Dallas Dye and William Tilgner sponsored the petition. They are members of the WNTA. The WNTA has expressed criticism of the Golden Spike Tower in the past. Before it was built some members, led by Leonard Hiatt of rural North Platte, circulated an unofficial petition against the construction that was signed by 3,202 people and given to the city council. The council did not respond and the Spike opened in June 2008. "It’s there and we all hope it is successful,” Groene said Saturday. “We hope it generates enough money to operate, but if it doesn’t, the board can come before the city at budget time and ask for funds, like other organizations do. That would be more transparent and accountable.”
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The North Platte Bulletin - Published 10/3/2009
Copyright © 2009 northplattebulletin.com - All rights reserved.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc. - 1300 E 4th St., Suite F - North Platte, NE 69101
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Come on George, the WNTA and it''s groupies lobbied, threatened and passed around petitions to do everything in the world they could to stop the Spike. They warned of horrible shortfalls of revenue that would ultimately place the deficit on the "backs of the taxpaper" in North Platte....don''t you remember?!?! Now that it is having some sucess and there are some extra funds generated by the Spike.....HEY, they want it.....you know, just to reduce taxes....BS! They do not have the power or right to dictate public policy. Run for office Mr. Groene and Mr. Rieker!!! Something besides your little "Club For Growth" group....sorry, WNTA! |
 | Posted by new to flatrock  - 10/9/2009 11:54:37 PM
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It''s a little early for the pre-election campaign and debate, but I note that the Spike has lots of money in reserves. The net worth already is around $3 million, with about $1.5 million in cash on hand, the Bulletin has reported. And, I would add that there is nothing wrong with trying to keep taxes down -- not that I''m convinced this would be a good way. |
| Posted by George Lauby - 10/7/2009 5:33:11 PM
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I can''t figure this group out. They want to stop economic development by cutting off any funding to Devco also? So that each of us that are left have to pay more taxes instead of bringing in new business and new jobs to share the burden? Weird! |
| Posted by always question - 10/7/2009 4:01:33 PM
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During Railfest, just about everyone I overherd said they were going to go to the spike, along with the rail tours and the locomotives down town. Also where I work, the question we get asked the most is how to get out to the spike, and that is almost on a weekly basis. The spike is one of the many important tourist attractions for the area. I have seen many decide to get off the interstate BECAUSE of the spike. |
| Posted by trainnut04 - 10/6/2009 5:11:25 PM
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You have just driven a stake through the heart of the "Western Tax Payers Association" argument of the Spike, JUSTANOPINION. Indeed the Spike brings a lot of people to North Platte and when they come, they spend their money. It''s called "tourism" to those of you in the WNTA! Pull yourselves out of the despair and negativity that Groene keeps feeding you in that little group. What an incredible bunch of cynics! |
| Posted by new to flatrock - 10/6/2009 7:16:37 AM
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I was out at the Spike recently and went through a few pages of their guest book. There were visitors from across the U.S., and several countries. Do you suppose these people would have stopped in North Platte at all without the Spike being in place for them to view the Railroad yard?
Now, do you suppose that these folks stopped for a meal, purchase gas, maybe stay in a motel? What about the sales tax generated from those purchases? Doesn''t that money go into the city''s general fund?
And what about the income taxes generated by the jobs that kind of spending creates? And what about the property taxes generated by the businesses supported by that type of spending?
THAT is true property tax relief - and all supported by a tax paid for by the visitors themselves! If the excess income from the occupation tax on overnight stays in North Platte motels is taken away, it is going to cripple the marketing efforts of the Spike to bring these types of visitors to North Platte. The Spike isn''t going to be the only entity to suffer, ALL North Platte businesses are going to suffer, as are the taxpayers who no longer have these additional dollars flowing into the general fund coffers.
Let''s look at the bigger picture, and at the future, instead of allowing petty grievances and misunderstandings to cloud our judgment.
The fact is that the Spike is good for North Platte. |
| Posted by justanopinion - 10/6/2009 5:18:55 AM
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If Groene, Rieker, and company really "hope the Spike is successful" as they claim, they would have never circulated these petitions in the first place. It seems that Hiatt was the front man for their opposition back before it was built and we all remember that fiasco. I believe this is a thinly veiled attempt to cripple the Spike over the long run and keep it from growing into an even better and more appealing attraction than it already is. Ren is right - the "excess money" they are claiming would not reduce property taxes enough for anyone to notice. Another bad idea from the WNTA. |
| Posted by I use several - 10/6/2009 1:59:07 AM
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Luger, I think the operating costs are to come out of the admission proceeds. Which is quite a considerable sum. |
| Posted by Ren - 10/5/2009 6:05:25 PM
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If enough signatures are valid to force a vote, more information will be reported during the campaign. One thing Luger, tickets ($5-6 each) generated approx. $175,000 during the first operating year from 35,000 visitors. |
| Posted by George Lauby - 10/5/2009 6:04:42 PM
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If the yearly payment of the debt is nearly the $ 274,000 the petitions want to limit the Spike''s portion of the occupation tax, then where do the operating costs for salaries, upkeep, cleaning,utilities, etc. come from????
I wish people would get over their hard feelings and then use some of their brain to think these things through before signing a petition. |
| Posted by Luger - 10/5/2009 1:40:35 PM
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why not use the money to run these cry-baby people out of town and/or state and then the rest to pay down the debt? |
| Posted by 72mgb - 10/4/2009 1:14:14 PM
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If every visitor went to the Golden Spike and paid the 6 dollars to get in, there wouldn''t be a need for the occupation tax. |
| Posted by tess tickle - 10/4/2009 11:13:02 AM
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When I travel, I can understand paying bed taxes that go to support more events and attractions in the city I''m visiting - things that will enhance my stay. I would be highly offended if I thought that MY tax dollars were going to local property tax relief.
Too bad these visitors don''t have a say in where their taxes go. |
| Posted by justanopinion - 10/4/2009 10:58:56 AM
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From what I am understanding, the occupation taxes in excess of 274K would be spent by the city on who know what. If this is true, then the occupation tax should be illegal as it is not being spent on what the "tax" was designed to go towards. And the city just gets to waste another 80k+ a year of money that whould not be theirs in the first place. Now, if the money were to go to a seperate account that would draw interest and not be spent unless the occ. tax revenues were less than the spikes monthly payment (and go to "subsidize" the shortfall, I am OK with that. For the time being, I will remain neutral until I hear a way better explanation than what is in this story. But in no way, shape or form should the city be given this money to subsidize property taxes.....that would only amount to about 1 dollar per land owner anyway. |
| Posted by Ren - 10/4/2009 8:35:44 AM
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Once again, Groene, Ricker and the WNTA will do whatever they possibly can to make the Spike fail. I am sick and tired of listening to their brand of BS and I for one will be glad to buy each of them a ticket OUT OF TOWN! Let it go people. You''re nothing more than a group of bitter cynics! |
| Posted by new to flatrock - 10/4/2009 7:28:53 AM
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I don''t think this is right, having the extra money that is left over after the payments are paid go in to the city coffers is just not right this is money paid by outof town gest who stay at our motels what kind of mesage are we sending " say in north platte we need your help to pay the bills" the exta money should go toward something that would benifit gest as well as people of lincoln county like a water park |
| Posted by nebred - 10/3/2009 7:12:16 PM
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