On May 13, La Vista voters will be asked to approve an additional half-cent sales tax, which would be exclusively designated for the redevelopment of the 84th Street corridor.

The revenue generated by an additional half-cent will be used to fund public infrastructure projects located in the 84th Street Redevelopment Area.

The Vision 84 Redevelopment Plan identifies significant components including...

• Potential acquisition and demolition of property.
• Creation of a town center.
• Improvement of pedestrian safety and access.
• Connecting the east side of 84th Street to the west side.
• Converting the Golf Course into Civic Center Park.
• Updating and improving existing infrastructure along the entire corridor.

Why is an Additional Half-Cent Sales Tax Being Proposed?

Vision 84 anticipates transforming the corridor from vacant and blighted to a vibrant and sustainable mixed-use development providing opportunities for people to live, work, eat and shop as well as enjoy leisure activities in an expansive Civic Center Park.

The Vision 84 plan is aggressive and the transformation process will come with a price tag. At this time, the City has no other revenue source sufficient enough to begin funding improvements.

It is estimated that an additional half-cent sales tax would generate annual revenue of approximately $1.1 million. Funding the redevelopment of 84th Street with sales tax dollars and not property tax dollar is one way of shifting the burden of taxation from La Vista residents (property tax) to a broader base (sales tax) which reflects the shoppers in La Vista that are both residents and non-residents.

"The decline of 84th Street did not happen overnight, and bringing it back will not happen overnight either. It will take time, resources, planning, adjustment and re-adjustment. We are beginning just the first chapter of the novel that will be redeveloping 84th Street, and the approval of the additional half-cent sales tax is an important part to making our vision become reality." - Mayor Douglas Kindig

What does this mean to me?

This is not a property tax increase. The additional half-cent sales tax would apply to purchases made in La Vista.

What will my ballot say?

OFFICIAL BALLOT
CITY OF LA VISTA
PROPOSAL TO INCREASE LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX RATE

Shall the governing body of the incorporated municipality – the City of La Vista - increase the local sales and use tax rate by an additional one-half of one percent (½%) from the current rate of one and one-half percent (1 ½ %) to a rate of two percent (2%) and impose a sales and use tax at the increased rate upon the same transactions within such municipality on which the State of Nebraska is authorized to impose a tax, with all revenues generated by the additional one-half of one percent (½%) to be used for public infrastructure projects within the 84th Street Redevelopment Area?

____ Yes
____ No

A "Yes" Vote:

If a majority of the votes cast upon such question shall be in favor of increasing such local sales and use tax rate by an additional one-half of one percent (½%), then the governing body of such incorporated municipality - the City of La Vista - shall be empowered as provided by Section 77-27,142 of the Nebraska Statutes and shall forthwith proceed to increase the local sales and use tax rate from one and one-half percent (1 ½ %) to two percent (2%) and impose a sales and use tax at the increased rate pursuant to the Local Option Revenue Act, with all revenues generated by the additional one-half of one percent (½%) to be used for public infrastructure projects within the 84th Street Redevelopment Area.

A "No" Vote:

If a majority of those voting on the question shall be opposed to such an increase of the local sales and use tax rate by an additional one-half of one percent (½%), then the governing body of the incorporated municipality shall not impose such a tax increase and the local sales and use tax rate will remain unchanged at one and one-half percent (1 ½ %).

Additional Information Regarding Proposed Local Sales and Use Tax Rate Increase

Projects to be funded; savings, efficiencies and affect on other taxes or fees:

Additional revenues collected from increasing the sales and use tax rate by one-half of one percent (½%) will be used to fund in whole or in part and pay costs of public infrastructure projects, as defined in Nebraska Statutes, Section 77-27,142, within the 84th Street Redevelopment Area that otherwise would be funded or payable from other taxes, fees or revenues, including without limitation, property, occupation, or sales and use taxes.

Years revenue collected; payment of bonds:

The increased sales and use tax rate will be implemented and related revenues collected beginning as soon as practicable after voter approval and continuing for a period of ten years unless bonds are issued with some or all of the additional revenues pledged for payment of such bonds, in which case the increased sales and use tax rate will remain in effect and additional revenues will be collected until payment in full of such bonds and any refunding bonds.

Interlocal Agreement.

The Cities of La Vista and Papillion and the Papillion Rural Fire Protection District entered an interlocal agreement for the long term development of unified governance of public infrastructure projects, specifically as relating to the cooperative use of public buildings and capital equipment to provide fire department and emergency medical services for the joint and mutual benefit and protection of said Cities and District. Additional revenue collected from increasing the sales and use tax rate by one-half of one percent (½%) will be used to fund in whole or in part public infrastructure projects within the 84th Street Redevelopment Area, and none (0%) as initially projected will be used for purposes of the interlocal agreement.