Photo by George Lauby

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.

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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.”