Grand Island special election votes certified, city officials look to implement Good Life program

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Grand Island officials are working on the next steps to formally implement the Good Life District Economic Development Program after the results of the special election have been certified.

On August 13, unofficial results showed 5,044 residents voted for the creation of the program, while 2,415 voted against. During the finalization process, an additional eight votes were counted. Five of the new votes were in favor of the program, and three were against.

According to the city, council members need to bring a series of ordinances in future meetings to approve the program and create the tax ordinances to implement it.

Once those are passed, the city will begin the process of considering future developments within the district boundaries. 

City Administrator Laura McAloon says public input will be taken into consideration.  

“We’re going to make sure that there are opportunities for citizens to tell the city council what their vision is," said McAloon. "We have an initial vision that we need to meet, we have to bring in the tourism, we need to build that Regional Sports complex to do that. But how we do housing, how we do anything else we really want to hear the public’s input on that.”

Good Life Districts were authorized by the legislature last year. Starting October 1, the state sales tax rate within the district will be reduced from 5.5% to 2.75%. Grand Island voters approved a plan to replace the reduced rate with a city tax to fund public infrastructure in the Good Life District.