In early October, a coalition of business owners, farmers, ranchers, homeowners, state senators and other stake holders organized to urge voters to vote against Southeast Community College's (SCC) $369 million bond issue in November.

At a press conference on Monday, coalition members announced the results of a recent poll on the bond measure within SCC's 15-county service area. The poll of 1,900 registered and likely voters in Lancaster County shows 54% opposed the measure, while 31% supported it. In a second sampling of 408 registered and likely voters across the other 14 counties, 60% opposed, and 20% supported. The polling was conducted via phone on behalf of the coalition on Oct. 25-26.

POLLS INDICATE OPPOSITION: At a press conference on Monday, coalition members, including Ansley Mick (pictured at podium), director of Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation-Political Action Committee and State Governmental Relations, announced the results of a recent poll on the $369 million bond measure within SCC's 15-county service area. The poll of 1,900 registered and likely voters in Lancaster County shows 54% opposed the measure, while 31% supported it. In a second sampling of 408 registered and likely voters across the other 14 counties, 60% opposed and 20% supported.

"I think it's important to note there's a strong correlation between our survey and registered voters in Lancaster County and the surrounding areas," said Ansley Mick, director of Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation-Political Action Committee and State Governmental Relations. "Forty-one percent of likely voters in Lancaster County are registered Republicans and 36% are Democrats. In our Lancaster County, survey, 42% of our respondents were registered Republican and 39% were registered Democrats. So our poll really is reflective of the entire voting population in Lancaster County," Mick said. "This isn't a Republican or Democrat or Independent issue, this is going to impact everyone equally."

Coalition members say burden too big
In addition to sharing these polling results, the Vote No 369 coalition announced the Realtors Association of Lincoln as the newest partner in the coalition opposing SCC's $369 million bond. Connie Burleigh, president elect of the Realtors Association of Lincoln, noted if approved, the bond issue would result in an increase in property taxes of about 52%.

"A property tax increase of that significance would deter first-time homebuyers and could really adversely affect growing families that are trying to step up in the housing market. One thing that's hard for me to see is a senior that calls me up, someone I sold a house to 25 to 30 years ago, and has now paid off their mortgage that can't afford to stay in their home are asking what to do because property taxes are so high," said Burleigh. "We need to make sure we're keeping people moving into Lincoln and keeping them here, and I'm afraid this would have the opposite effect."

Aaron Kavan, a sixth-generation farmer from York, said the bond measure would result in higher property taxes for Nebraska farmers and ranchers, who are already dealing with high property taxes.

"Things aren't very good in agriculture right now. Commodity prices are way down. If you've followed the news this weekend, our state is facing a $1 billion shortfall in tax revenues. That's a direct result of the weakened ag economy," Kavan said. "Increasing property taxes on farmers isn't going to help the situation, just like increasing property taxes on homeowners doesn't help the economy either."

Impact on agriculture
If approved, the measure would increase the tax levy an estimated 3.9 cents per $100 of property valuation over the 25-year life of the bond. According to the SCC website, the bond proceeds would be used for facilities renovation and construction.

Nebraska Farm Bureau recently conducted an analysis to estimate the increase in property taxes on farm property in the 15-county area if the bond issue is approved. The analysis uses 2015 valuation and tax data from the Nebraska Department of Revenue and estimates the increased taxes on ag land, ag machinery and equipment, and outbuildings and farm sites — but does not include increased taxes on farm homes or home sites. According to the analysis, the bond measure would add a cost of $1.52 per acre per year on average across the 15 counties in the SCC district over the 25-year life of the bond.

However, Kavan noted the opposition to the bond measure doesn't mean the group is opposed to SCC or education. "SCC is a good school, but we have to send a message as taxpayers that we are not an endless supply of money," Kavan added. "SCC has increased their property tax collections by 103% over the last 10 years, and they're now looking at adding $369 million more in new taxes. That's not sustainable for us as families, as small business, and as farmers. I encourage everyone to vote 'no' on this massive tax increase."

Partners in the Vote No 369 coalition include former Gov. Dave Heineman; state Sens. Laura Ebke, Jerry Johnson and Dan Watermeier; Lincoln City Council member Roy Christensen; the Lincoln Independent Business Association; the Home Builders Association of Lincoln; the Nebraska Farm Bureau; the Nebraska Cattlemen; the Nebraska Soybean Association; and most recently, the Realtors Association of Lincoln, including campuses in Beatrice, Milford and Lincoln.