The city's proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year is about $92.4 million, a 6% increase over the current budget.
However, property valuations have gone up anywhere from 10%-30% based on the most recent valuation done by the Lancaster County Assessor's Office.
Whether people's property taxes go up depends largely on what the city and other taxing entities, such as the county and Lincoln Public Schools, do with their tax levy.
Members of the City Council on Monday heard from about a half-dozen people about why it's important for them to stick to the budget they approved last year and not take advantage of a "windfall" from increased valuations.
Lynn Fisher, general manager of Great Place Properties, said that if the city is serious about affordable housing, "you'll do everything you can to keep property taxes as low as possible."
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Fisher said that property tax increases lead rental property owners to raise rents, something many of them are already doing in anticipation of potential property tax increases.
Bud Synhorst, president and CEO of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, said that by his calculations, the city has collected $102 million more than it budgeted over the past three fiscal years, or an average of $34 million a year.
Synhorst said now would be a good time to "hold the line" and only take the amount of money it needs to pay for the already approved budget.
"This would be a responsible time to step back," he said.
Councilman Richard Meginnis, who proposed the nonbinding resolution, said his purpose was to try to "give a little notice" to property owners about what might happen with their property taxes in the next year.
Meginnis, who is president of commercial real estate company NAI FMA Realty, said many owners of both residential and commercial properties start raising rates ahead of time in anticipation of cost increases, such as rising property taxes.
Declaring the intent now to stick to the previously approved budget would allow those owners to institute small increases now rather than forcing them to potentially institute larger increases if the budget is changed later this year, he said.
Some council members said they were uncomfortable giving the next City Council budget direction, even if it is nonbinding, especially with a city election Tuesday that will put at least three new members on the council.
"I don't personally feel we should be proposing any statement of intent to the next council," said Councilwoman Michelle Suarez, who was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Jane Raybould, who was elected to the state Legislature last year. Suarez is not seeking election to the seat.
Councilwoman Sändra Washington, who is not up for reelection this year, agreed with Suarez that she didn't want to try to influence what a future council might do with the budget.
Still, Washington said she appreciated the chance to discuss the issue.
In the end, Meginnis asked to delay a vote on the resolution for a week, which the council unanimously decided to do.
In other business Monday, the council voted to approve a plan to redevelop a home near 84th and A streets into a new headquarters office for Hoppe Development.
Fred Hoppe, who is a principal in the business, wants to add an 8,200-square-foot office building to the house at 1620 S. 84th St. and use the existing house for conferences and as a reception area.
Hoppe owns the house, which abuts several acres of undeveloped land he owns east of 84th Street, as well as his backyard.
Nearly all the neighbors who live in the area support his plans, he said, which he came up with because he wants to keep the property suitable for the neighborhood.
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department had opposed the plan, but the Planning Commission approved it, except for a proposal to keep access to the site on 84th Street, which goes against the city's access management plan.
The council, however, narrowly approved an amendment that will allow the property to keep the 84th Street driveway for the office redevelopment, but would require it to relinquish it in the future if the site develops further.
The vote on the amendment was 4-3, with Tom Beckius, James Michael Bowers, Suarez and Washington supporting it, and Richard Meginnis, Bennie Shobe and Tammy Ward voting against it.
2023 Voter's Guide: Lincoln City Council
This year's city elections will put at least three new faces on the City Council, where the four seats which represent districts are on the ballot.