Tell your story in six words was the challenge to candidates for Lincoln mayor as part of a Leadership Lincoln forum Wednesday.
The four candidates who participated also answered meatier questions, including what they would do with the empty Pershing Center and if they think the city should legalize marijuana.
But first they gave their six-word description.
“Struggle, giving back, lead with heart,†said Cyndi Lamm, a current city councilwoman.
“Simple country boy, lawyer, future mayor,†said Jeff Kirkpatrick, the city attorney on leave to run for office.
“Honestly, Lincoln should be for everyone, “said Leirion Gaylor Baird, a City Council member.
“Leadership, communication, get along, husband, grandpa†said Rene Solc, a local concrete construction business owner.
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A fifth candidate, Krystal Gabel, was invited but declined to participate.
Here are several questions and candidate answers from the forum:
What are your plans for Pershing Center?
Kirkpatrick:Â He'd like to tear down Pershing (the city's old auditorium) and put a library there, a beautiful library, with meeting rooms and other amenities. There would be half a block remaining for other uses.
Lamm:Â Pershing, with available below-ground parking, would make a great place for youth sports, perhaps a skating rink, since Lincoln is home to USA Roller Sports. She would work with private partners to develop a plan.
Solc: He believes both youth sports and a library are good ideas. Solc said his grandson likes to play soccer and it is difficult to find indoor access.
Gaylor Baird: She pointed to the downtown master plan, which suggests one use would be a library, with the other space perhaps used for housing or state offices. She would work with the library board to find the right place for a downtown library. The Pershing plan would have to have enough financing to make it feasible.
Would candidates support legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use, and using revenue to help relieve property taxes?
Gaylor Baird: This is an issue that voters may be able to weigh in on if a proposed petition drive to put the issue of medical marijuana on the ballot is successful, she said. And, if the measure passes, “I would welcome that revenue."
Kirkpatrick: The city, as a practical matter, can’t legalize marijuana. He has not seen horror stories from other states where marijuana has been legalized, and he has seen how Colorado has used revenue from cannabis for streets and libraries.
The only issue he has, as a prosecutor, is being able to prosecute for impaired driving. Prosecuting for drugs is a different challenge than for drunk driving, he said. But "if that is the only challenge we have to overcome, I don’t think it is a huge one,†he said.
Solc: He is “kind of against it,†based in part on some of the consequences of its use he's seen. But he does have a good friend with leukemia, and the cannabis products from Colorado help her out and are much cheaper than medications from a doctor.
Solc said he would let the people decide how to handle marijuana.
Lamm: Lamm, who is part of the autism family network, said she has heard examples of CBD oil (made from cannabis) changing the lives of children. But there is not yet any science behind the anecdotal evidence, she said:
“The short answer is, I don’t know.†She is waiting to see what happens with this issue, particularly at the federal level.
How can the city encourage small-business growth, including incentives or tax breaks?
Lamm: The city needs to re-examine zoning polices that add cost and time to developments involving small business. Additionally, Lincoln needs to get more flights into its airport and work to establish a convention center.Ìý
Gaylor Baird: The city should continue working with a Chamber of Commerce program where larger businesses mentor small businesses. The city needs to continue to make Lincoln a more attractive place for millennials, including its bike trails and the music scene. Lincoln continues to make top-10 lists, and the city should bang the drum and let people know.
³§´Ç±ô³¦:ÌýGetting a small business started is hard and finding parking in Lincoln for small businesses is getting more difficult.
°¾±°ù°ì±è²¹³Ù°ù¾±³¦°ì:ÌýThe city doesn't have the money for an expensive incentive program, but needs to do better with workforce development and affordable housing. The city should create a brand that lets young people know this is an exciting place to live, including developing a festival that includes art, music and theater and draws people to Lincoln over a couple of weeks.Ìý
Q&A with Lincoln mayoral candidates
Q&A with Lincoln mayoral candidates
Leirion Gaylor Baird
Age:Ìý47
Address: 1932 S. 24th St.
Occupation: City Councilwoman
Political party: Democrat
Education: Bachelor of Arts in History, Yale College (1993); master's in Comparative Social Policy, University of Oxford (1997)
Website:
Experience: Gaylor Baird has served six years on the City Council and was a member of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission and the LPlan Advisory Committee that produced the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the strategic road map for Lincoln's growth and development. She's also been an active community volunteer.
Organization endorsements: Lincoln Firefighters Union IAFF Local 644, Lincoln police union, Nebraska Conservation Voters
Why are you running and what do you want to accomplish in office?
For me, this is about family. My parents were public school teachers, and they taught me that a career can be dedicated to improving the lives of others. As a mom, I’ve spent a lot of time focused on how to keep my three children safe, provide for their basic needs, give them a great quality of life, and ensure they have the same opportunities as anyone else for a bright future. As a former planning commissioner and your city councilwoman, I have a 12-year track record of delivering on these same priorities for all of our children and families in Lincoln. As mayor, I will continue to work to ensure our public safety; to invest in the basics, like streets and sidewalks; to maintain our neighborhood parks, trails, pools, playgrounds, and libraries so essential to our quality of life; and to address affordable housing.
Every candidate includes public safety and streets as their top priorities. In lean financial times how would you budget for parks, libraries and other city services?
Parks, libraries, programs for children and seniors, and other city services are investments we make in keeping our community strong and vibrant. Modern cities compete for talented workers, and a high quality of life is critical to attracting them. Innovative partnerships and thorough budget analysis are key to funding these services. In 2018, I created the Parks Community Challenge grant to incentivize private gifts for our park system and identified additional keno proceeds to restore Bennett-Martin Library’s evening hours.
Should voters approve a quarter-cent hike in the city sales tax with proceeds earmarked for streets? Why or why not?
I am glad that Lincoln residents will have the opportunity to decide whether they want to invest in improving our roads. A coalition of neighborhood and business groups, including the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, supports this plan. Nearly a third of the revenue collected from this sales tax will come from people outside of Lincoln who use our streets. While this compromise package is not perfect, it deserves support, as it will inject needed funds into vital infrastructure.
Ensuring that everyone has access to decent housing that they can afford has become a national topic. What is your definition of affordable housing? What should the city do to encourage or provide for more affordable housing?
I’m the only mayoral candidate who took action in last year’s budget to address the issue of affordable housing. For a challenge this complex, the city needs a variety of strategies focused on those who make 30-80 percent of median income. We must improve the quality of our existing housing stock, increase the supply of new housing, partner with nonprofits like the Lincoln Housing Authority and NeighborWorks, and support the creation of community land trusts to establish permanently affordable housing.
With the rise in home values, the city and other local governments could bring in more revenue by not reducing the property tax rate. The additional tax revenue coming from the increase in appraised value has been called a windfall. How should the city respond?
In 2017, when the county assessor greatly increased home valuations, I led the effort to lower the property tax rate and shield homeowners from the full impact of the valuation increase because I understand the importance of acting with both the best interests of homeowners and responsible budgeting in mind. This year, we are experiencing a projected shortfall in sales tax receipts, so we should wait to see the full revenue picture before finalizing the tax rate.
In 2012 the City Council passed an ordinance protecting people from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. A referendum petition stopped the ordinance from going into effect. The council has not rescinded the ordinance nor put the issue on the ballot. If the state does not pass discrimination protection based on sexual orientation and gender identity this session, should the City Council put the proposed fairness ordinance on the ballot for a citywide vote? Why or why not?
If we want to be on the right side of history, attract and retain a talented workforce and simply be good people to our neighbors, then we must end discrimination against our LGBTQ friends and family. No one should have to endure a vote on their civil rights; however, if efforts to pass statewide legislation fall short, then — with the LGBTQ community’s leadership and support — Lincoln should work to ensure success at the ballot box.
Some Lincoln residents, including members of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence, believe the City Council should pass a safe gun storage ordinance. Do you think the city should require gun owners to lock up guns in their homes?
I support responsible gun ownership, and I am pleased that a task force that includes mental health providers, law enforcement, gun owners, parents and community members of diverse viewpoints on this issue is examining how to prevent child access to firearms and to promote responsible storage of firearms. This is an important process to undertake before making any decisions on a safe storage ordinance, and I look forward to having a community conversation about their recommendations.
The city has banned cardboard from the city landfill and required local haulers to provide curbside recycling service. Should the city go further, by banning other recyclable products (paper, plastic) from the landfill? What changes, if any, would you propose for the recycling program?
Recycling diverts waste and extends the life of our public landfills, reducing pressure on taxpayer dollars. Every year that we can put off the expense of a new landfill, we have more money available in our city budget for other important infrastructure. Recycling is not only good for our environment, it’s also good for our city’s bottom line. Should we recycle more? Yes.
What role should the city take in planning and paying for bike paths (on streets or wider sidewalks) and bike trails (separate paths for bikes and walkers)?
While cars are our primary means of transportation, Lincoln should plan for bike paths and trails – alternatives that relieve pressure on parking, reduce traffic and air pollution, and make our city a more attractive place to live. Bike facilities comprise the smallest portion of our city’s transportation budget, and Lincoln should continue to secure grants to help pay for them. By combining implementation of the bike network with other street projects, we can create efficiencies that reduce costs.
Is climate change real and what are its likely causes? Does the city have any role in trying to help curb climate change?
Our accelerated rate of climate change is real and man-made, and we must do our part to mitigate the risks posed to our economy, environment and quality of life. I voted for Lincoln’s partnership with UNL to create renewable energy systems at Innovation Campus; Greenlight Lincoln to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution; biogas to fuel city buses; community solar projects; and an Environmental Action Plan that’s currently moving us toward citywide LED streetlights — saving energy and taxpayer dollars.
Winter weather has created an abundance of potholes. Do you think the city does enough to address the problem? Is there anything it should change?
The Citizens’ Transportation Coalition determined Lincoln has a $21 million gap in funds needed to adequately maintain our streets, including pothole repair work. I have voted for increases in road maintenance funding every year I have been in office. In 2017, I supported buying equipment that sped up pothole repair by 50 percent with increased effectiveness. As long as Nebraska has freezing winters and cold temperatures, we’ll be fighting against potholes. It is an ongoing responsibility that I take seriously.
Cyndi Lamm
Age: 60
Address: 5310 Walker Ave.
Occupation: Attorney
Political party: Republican
Education: Bachelor of Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Juris Doctor, University of Nebraska College of Law
Website:
Experience: Lamm, a city councilwoman representing northeast Lincoln for four years, spent time as a homeless teenager in Lincoln and graduated from law school here. She says personal adversity combined with experiences as a working mother, small businessperson, attorney and legislator have influenced her perspective.
Why are you running and what do you want to accomplish in office?
I am running for mayor because I am committed to restoring the people’s confidence and trust in city government. As mayor, I will prioritize transparency. We will open the books, open new doors and open our minds to what takes our city from good to great.
A mayor must be responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses alike. Every stakeholder in this city can be assured that my door will open to everyone with an idea on how we can improve our policies and practices to better serve the people.
I will work every day to give our citizens a break through meaningful and sustainable tax reform and relief. I will continue the work I have already begun to implement policies and standards that open development opportunities, reduce land costs, and remove barriers to greater economic growth. Most urgently, I will be a mayor committed to fixing our city streets and neighborhood roads that have been neglected for far too long. The solutions are there to fix our roads – we need a mayor with the will to get it done.
Every candidate includes public safety and streets as their top priorities. In lean financial times how would you budget for parks, libraries and other city services?
Taxpayers have every right to expect more from government services like public safety, road maintenance and repair, snow removal and public services. These must be top priorities in any budget to maintain a high quality of life. Regardless of the city’s financial health, the budget process must become more collaborative. As mayor I will bring all stakeholders, including the City Council, to the table early in the process to help prioritize what’s important to every corner of the city.
Should voters approve a quarter-cent hike in the city sales tax with proceeds earmarked for streets? Why or why not?
The funding already exists to fix roads without squeezing taxpayers for more, and I will build a road maintenance policy that doesn’t constantly require higher taxes. The city already charges the highest wheel tax in the state, yet less than $3 million of the $19 million generated is spent on residential street maintenance and repair. That’s why I oppose the quarter-cent tax increase and, as a member of the City Council, I opposed placing it on the ballot.
Ensuring that everyone has access to decent housing that they can afford has become a national topic. What is your definition of affordable housing? What should the city do to encourage or provide for more affordable housing?
Housing affordability is a key component to attracting a young and growing workforce. The most important thing city government can do to provide affordable housing is to eliminate the red tape and regulations that make new housing projects more expensive for developers and tenants. Increasing government influence through subsidies or land trust policies that compete with the private sector are not sustainable ideas for growth. Instead, we must reduce government interference and empower developers to finish projects efficiently and affordably.
With the rise in home values, the city and other local governments could bring in more revenue by not reducing the property tax rate. The additional tax revenue coming from the increase in appraised value has been called a windfall. How should the city respond?
A windfall created by higher property valuations is usually bad news for property owners stretched to their limits. City spending has been rising faster than revenue for a number of years, and it is past time that government learn to take less and live within its means like families and small business owners do. Instead of using the windfall to irresponsibly increase spending as others have done, I would lower the tax rate and let taxpayers keep their hard-earned dollars.
In 2012 the City Council passed an ordinance protecting people from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. A referendum petition stopped the ordinance from going into effect. The council has not rescinded the ordinance nor put the issue on the ballot. If the state does not pass discrimination protection based on sexual orientation and gender identity this session, should the City Council put the proposed fairness ordinance on the ballot for a citywide vote? Why or why not?
Discrimination is wrong and everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally under the law, as I have done in my practice as an attorney. I share the view of those who supported the referendum petition that there should be a fair discussion among all in our community who would be impacted by the ordinance about whether city government is the appropriate means to implement or enforce these kinds of anti-discrimination policies, followed by a vote of the people.
Some Lincoln residents, including members of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence, believe the City Council should pass a safe gun storage ordinance. Do you think the city should require gun owners to lock up guns in their homes?
I support freedoms and protections afforded our citizens under the Second Amendment. Many in our community maintain a firearm for self-defense. While we can agree that gun education and safety should be practiced by all, city government should not be responsible for arbitrary restrictions that could potentially impede the ability of gun owners to protect themselves, their families or their property. I will oppose gun storage ordinances that place an undue burden on the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners.
The city has banned cardboard from the city landfill and required local haulers to provide curbside recycling service. Should the city go further, by banning other recyclable products (paper, plastic) from the landfill? What changes, if any, would you propose for the recycling program?
My family chooses to recycle and do our small part to keep materials from the landfill, and it’s clear the city-imposed ban on cardboard has also helped. However, these mandates create hardships on local businesses, and taxpayers are paying more as trash hauler fees increase to keep up with recycling policies. I would not make any changes or ban any other recyclables from the traditional stream until the city is ready to absorb the costs of a more substantial program.
What role should the city take in planning and paying for bike paths (on streets or wider sidewalks) and bike trails (separate paths for bikes and walkers)?
Bike trails add to the quality of life in our city, and undoubtedly help us compete for the next generation of university students and workforce talent. While government focuses on basic priorities, I believe there is a real opportunity to build partnerships with major employers, developers, and community leaders to sponsor improvement projects like these. We should allow for more ownership from these stakeholders in a bike trail plan that could help them attract and retain people in our city.
Is climate change real and what are its likely causes? Does the city have any role in trying to help curb climate change?
Every person wants clean air to breathe and clean water to drink, and should work to be a good steward of our environment. Regardless of an individual’s personal belief on climate change, the solutions generally proposed are incredibly complex and expensive, calling for participation and leadership on a larger scale. As mayor, I will prioritize the immediate needs of our taxpayers and businesses first, and work with state and federal leaders to ensure our voice is heard on these issues.
Winter weather has created an abundance of potholes. Do you think the city does enough to address the problem? Is there anything it should change?
The pothole problem has grown worse over time, and I believe the entire process must change – from prioritization of funding to materials we use to decision-making and planning. As mayor, I will make sure wheel tax revenue is directed to street maintenance where it belongs. I will make sure we’re using high-quality materials for joint sealing and repairs. And I will change the process and protocols so decisions can be made in real-time for the safety of our citizens.