As her reelection decision looms Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert’s new budget comes with a tax cut.

In addition, as the city struggles to hire more police officers, the budget raises the pay for new hires from $51,000 to $71,000 a year, the highest in the state.

NCN’s Joe Jordan goes further inside the numbers including just how much, or little, that tax cut will save Omaha homeowners.

[View our full video report above]

Mayor Jean Stothert is once again proposing to cut the city’s property tax rate, all part of the city’s 2024 $507 million budget, a nearly 7 percent increase (6.97%) over last year.

Mayor Jean Stothert, Omaha (R): “Our proposed budget for next year includes our fourth property tax rate reduction of two percent.”

Joe Jordan News Channel Nebraska: Mayor Stothert’s proposed tax cut comes less than two years before the next mayoral election, 2025. Stothert has not said if she’s running or not. But some City Hall insiders believe the tax cut is an indication she will be running again.

Joe Jordan: “You haven't said if you're going to run for mayor again. But would you agree that if you do it's nice to have a tax rate cut recently before the voters?”

Stothert: “You know this will be my 4th and so I think if I run again, I think people look at your whole body of work. And that's what I hope they'll look at. I hope they'll look at the entire time, the 12 years I was mayor rather than just right before the election. So, I think this is our 4th and like I said we've reduced the property tax rate over 8%. I think that should speak for itself.”

The city council now has its hands on the mayor’s budget and will take a look at the tax cut.

By the way, as for Stothert’s proposed 2 percent tax cut, a  $200,000 Omaha home would save $20, that’s right $20, for all of 2024.