Omaha suburbs complaining about potholes, city converts them to dirt roads. No money to fix roads.

[vinny9698]

Residents do not want to raise taxes to pay for roads. So dirt roads are what they get.
GOP cut taxes cut government spending. How is that working our for you?
http://www.klkntv.com/story/32770311/omahas-answer-to-pothole-complaints-a-new-dirt-road

[deminks]

1. We have grass growiing in our streets.

I assume they will be dirt soon on their own. In Topeka. Same government story, maybe worse.

[raccoon]

2. Yep, you cut taxes, you have to make up the revenue elsewhere, or cut services. nt

[TwilightZone]

3. I lived there for 20 years - the general population is quite vehemently anti-tax.

They want services, services, services, but don't want to pay for them and don't seem to understand the connection. They'd vote down school bonds, road bonds, pretty much anything that would improve services and infrastructure, but would also raise taxes, even if the increase was minor. The people they elect to office have to pretty much promise to lower taxes at every opportunity to get elected.

Be careful what you wish for - you might just get it.

The funny thing is that there's a massive amount of money in Omaha - some of the wealthiest people in the country live there.

[brush]

5. The "Republican Devolution" coming to a community near you . . .

or to yours if the dunces elect dunces who don't get that roads and infrastructure and all that has a cost — taxes we all pay to maintain roads or we get dirt roads.

Third world status here we come.

[imanamerican63]

4. Maybe?

If they would not have spent the money for a new multi million dollar baseball stadium and a convention center? We would be fix the roads? We had a few mayors who sold out to big money & taxes are skyrocketing!

[B Calm]

6. What my county has spent on gravel over the past 30 years on my country road,

they could have black topped it several times over.

[Yavin4]

7. Must be lovely when it rains

Who wouldn't enjoy pushing your car out of the mud on your way to work in the morning. Think of it as a good workout.

[ThoughtCriminal]

25. And clouds of dust when it doesn't.

> Cough <

[snooper2]

8. looks pretty good to me, great for drifting :)

Not like anybody visits Omaha

[tanyev]

9. I'm sure it's Obama's fault.

Somehow, some way.

[closeupready]

10. Deadliest Journeys should do an episode there, in about 5 years or so.

If they want to live like this without the magnificent scenery, fine with me:

[Clouseau2]

11. Suburbs are expensive to maintain

I googled a bit and couldn't find the article, but I remember reading somewhere an article where the author had analyzed the cost of maintaining the roads in suburbs (more expensive than in urban areas due to lower population density) and determined that taxes were far too low to cover the costs.

His conclusion was that what's happening (I don't remember the logic he used to come to this) is tax money from newly built areas is being used to maintain existing roads. This will eventually collapse on itself and depends on ever more roads being built to keep everything from falling apart because people do not want to pay the taxes to maintain expensive suburb roads.

[hatrack]

24. The low-density shell game . . .

As long as the suburbs keep expanding, it works, more or less.

However, to all things there comes a point of diminishing returns.

[B Calm]

12. Gravel roads are expensive to maintain too.

[GeorgeGist]

13. Building the New Third World ...

one step at a time.

[Javaman]

14. oh they will love that come the winter then the thaw. nt

[B Calm]

20. Ruts and mud. Dust the rest of the time. Rock chips on their

new automobiles another plus too.

[Downtown Hound]

15. Tax cuts and small, limited government really are great aren't they, Republicans?

[hibbing]

16. I hope we aren't headed towards being the next Kansas

With our inherited money governor who is a colossal delta bravo.


Peace

[Stonepounder]

17. This is what happens.

First you dumb down public education.
Then you saturate the airwaves with the likes of Faux News, Limbaugh, and Beck.
Then you pitch snake oil about trickle down economics and how our taxes are too high.

And you end up with a citizenry that simply does not understand what taxes are used for. They somehow think (if they think about it at all) that gubmint is just 'taking their money'. They don't understand where the money to fix roads, fill potholes, hire cops and firefighters,drive snow plows, and the like comes from. And if you try and explain it to them they get hostile and figure you are some sort of lbrul effete jerk who just doesn't understand what it takes to make Murica Grate again.

And the assholes in the State Capitol are perfectly content with that.

[SCVDem]

18. Success!

They've taken America back.

Right to the 30s.

[Omaha Steve]

19. Just to explain this a little

These areas were built before being annexed years ago. They were rural and outside Omah's 3 mile zoning limit, beyond the city limits. The streets were substandard. No (they were blacktop) concrete, not wide enough, no proper sewer inlets, no curbs, etc.

Blame the contractor for substandard streets to keep the cost per home down.

OS

Omaha's answer to pothole complaints: a new dirt road: http://www.omaha.com/news/nation/omaha-s-answer-to-pothole-complaints-a-new-dirt-road/article_976e04fa-c35f-5027-9d4f-0475fdbc8d6f.html

[citood]

21. This has nothing to do with taxes

Omaha tax revenues are actually up.

This is a POLICY FAILURE.

The city allowed streets to be built by developers, which were not up to city standards. The city controls the right of way, and should have never allowed this. I have no doubt that the homeowners on these streets pay taxes - and in 2015 valuations and taxes EXCEEDED budget expectations. But they are now screwed, because they trusted a) the developer b) Their elected leaders.

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/city-residents-at-a-crossroads-over-who-should-pay-to/article_ef906c08-83e6-505e-9636-e2736fe51f9f.html

[B Calm]

22. Republicans idea of going back to the good ole days.

[Initech]

23. See Republicans? A perfect example of what your no government government gets you.

Absolutely nothing!

[whatthehey]

26. You'd think some of the residents would have mentioned that Omaha has very HIGH taxes

They are ranked in the top 100 counties in the nation in property taxes.