Text Box: Twin Cities Development would like to encourage all business owners to give your employees an extra few minutes to vote on November 5th. Gering’s Economic Development Issue is on the Ballot, and it is important that as many Gering residents cast a ballot as possible. The Gering PRIDE Citizens for Economic Development have put together some printed materials. We have enclosed a copy of the Question & Answer Sheet and would encourage you to photocopy it and hand it out to your employees. Many people just don’t understand how the plan works. In addition, TCD would be happy to come to your business and give an informal presentation and allow your employees a chance to ask questions. Just call us at 632-2833, and we’ll schedule a visit. Text Box: In less than one month, Gering voters will be asked to cast their vote for the Economic Development Plan and ½% economic development sales tax (LB 840). You will see a different look to the marketing campaign, as the committee has made some important changes to Gering’s plan. Gering PRIDE Citizens for Economic Development has been the driving force behind this new campaign. They are printing materials and will start the public awareness process in this next week. For instance, the plan will focus a lot of effort on using the funds to retain and expand existing businesses. As TCD’s business and expansion survey results were reviewed, there are several Gering projects just waiting for the economic development plan to pass. Another difference in the plan that is being presented to the voters is it specifically excludes the use of funds for any governmental buildings or facilities. In addition, the plan will be run entirely by a Citizen’s Application Review Committee (rather than by the city council). The council will only have the authority to approve the recommendation, deny the recommendation or refer the recommendation back to the Citizens Application Review Committee. A goal of the Gering Economic Development Program is to provide jobs at above minimum wage to the citizens of Gering. The funds received for the ½% sales tax increase would be used to assist existing and new businesses in the creation and retention of jobs. New construction and improvements to the Gering area businesses will increase property valuations, which in turn increases the entire tax base for Gering. It spreads the cost of government operations among a much broader base and lowers the property tax. Text Box: Most other surrounding communities in the Panhandle have already passed the LB 840 issue. Scottsbluff, Mitchell, Bayard, Alliance, Sidney, Kimball, Oshkosh, all have passed the ballot issue. In addition, because Gering’s population is less than 10,000, Gering can use the funds to assist retail businesses (something that Scottsbluff can’t do)! Gering residents must realize that to be competitive in today’s economic development markets, they need the kinds of tools that will allow them to be a player. LB 840 does just that. Without it, they are at a distinct disadvantage to those communities that have passed that measure. The ethanol plant is an example where Gering was limited in what it could bring to the table. Several other communities tried to use their incentives to compete against Gering and lure the facility away. In tougher economic times, the need for incentives will become more important as competition between communities becomes very real. Another issue, if Gering were to approve the Economic Development Plan, a committee of Gering citizens will decide the funding decisions using Gering economic development funds. In the past the Scottsbluff city council has generously funded several projects in the Gering area. There is no guarantee that this will continue. The makeup of the city councils may change and they may decide to stop funding projects outside of their city limits at any time. Text Box: Photo courtesy of Robyn Stover Kearney, Nebraska Text Box: Volume 1,Issue 3 Text Box: October 2002 Text Box: TCD 2001-02 Board of Directors President, Bob Unzicker Vice President, Joyce Hillman-Kortum Secretary/Treasurer, Bill Trumbull Others: Shane Aulick Owen Palm Irvin Rushall Joe Schon Stan Walker Duane “Dewey” Zerr Karen Anderson David Boeckner Gary Hall Al Heuton Rick Kuckkahn Starr Lehl Mark Masterton Mike Steklac Don Roth Executive Director, Rawnda Pierce Executive Secretary, Shelli Morgan Text Box: Twin Cities Development Association, Inc. Text Box: Photo courtesy of Robyn Stover Kearney, Nebraska Text Box: Survey quote from a local business: “All economic development helps our businesses…” Text Box: 1517 Broadway, Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Text Box: TAKE TIME TO VOTE & ENCOURAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES TO VOTE! Text Box: Gering Economic Development Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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