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Ballots Sent to Sidney Homes

By now, Sidney's registered voters have received a large, white envelope from the Cheyenne County Clerk's office containing a mail-in ballot. The question posed to voters is a small change to the city's current LB840 Economic Development Plan that will allow the city to seek funds for economic development other than that raised by a one-half percent sales tax already in place.

The LB840 fund, first approved by voters in 1997 and renewed in 2017, dedicates a portion of sales tax specifically to economic development.

Although the current plan is set to run through 2028, the city's economic development team said renewed interest in the funds to help new businesses could put a strain on the fund.

"We've had enough money so far," said Economic Development Director Melissa Norgaard. "But there have been more queries about assistance, and we could go through what we have very quickly.

"We don't want to miss out on helping a business come to Sidney if we can avoid it."

Under the current plan, the city receives $300,000 per year from a special one-half cent sales tax. Of those funds, $200,000 goes to a "revolving loan fund" to help businesses, with $50,000 able to go directly to qualifying businesses and $50,000 for improvements to Sidney's North Side District.

The change adds provisions for the plan to be able to used other, outside funding for its economic development efforts. As with previous measures, Norgard said there are no new tax requests.

The new plan adds the phrase "as well as any grants, donations, or state and federal funds received by the city subject to any restrictions or the grantor, donor, or state and federal law" to the funding section.

That added verbage, Norgard said, allows the city to seek and use funds from other sources specifically for economic development. That could include funds from grants, private donations or other economic development-specific means.

If the change is approved by voters, it would update the LB840 program to run through 2029. If not approved, the current program would remain in place, without the provision for additional outside funding.

To be counted, ballots must be returned to the Cheyenne County Clerk's Office by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14. Ballots can be either mailed in or taken to the clerk's office.

 

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