Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Pleasure to see PJ. Morgan again, former Omaha mayor, is
in the studio with EJ. Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Let me join you.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Mike on there we go. Welcome back, current county board
member for many years. But you were mayor in the
late late eighties or early to mid nineties nine. Yeah, yeah,
I remember. And now here we are in the city
primary in the coming up three weeks from today. And
when Mike McDonald rolled out his campaign, I know I
(00:28):
couldn't help, but notice that you were there with him
and are supporting Mike McDonald. So the basic question I
think people are interested in a former Republican mayor is
not supporting a current Republican mayor and is instead supporting
who has been a lifelong Democrat. What can you tell
us about your choice.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I'm a lifelong Republican.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Yes, you know.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
The mayor's ship is a nonpartisanship. Is Ed Zarinski, former mayor,
said there's not a Republican our Democrat way to remove
snow or fix the streets. And so I look at
the people. I as a supporter of Mike Fahee and
felt he did a very good job in business like way.
And I've known Mike McDonald for fifteen years with fire
(01:12):
chief and some other things he's done in the legislature,
and I just felt he was the right person at
the right time. I think it's important to thank Gene
for service, but I think three terms that is probably
time for a change and a greater FISCO responsibility, is
(01:33):
my feeling, and I did like it. Mike Boyle and
I worked together to try to get something done at
the county level with the legislature to have property taxes
only can be increased on residential property only five percent
a year. Now, if you buy a home that's assessed
(01:54):
at four point fifteen, you buy it for six hundred,
it would go to six hundred, and then on it
would be a max of five percent if it's justified.
And Mike did introduce as in the legislature that bill.
There's another bill again this year that I'm supportive of.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
So it's policy for you. And you suggested in your
comments a second ago that you don't think she's been
fiscally responsible. Am I hearing that right? No?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I said, I think that he will be very fisically responsible,
and I think listen to the people, and I just
think it's time to.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Your complaint PJ is that she's been there too long?
Is that your big issue with her?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I don't know that she's been there too long, but
I think she's been there a good amount of time.
And I think, you know, term limits. I think the
legislature has two terms, and as a former state senator
a long time ago, my feeling is the legislature should
be at least three terms because it takes a while
(02:57):
to read and learn all about that. I think that
the governorship is a two term thing, and I think
the changes is good, and I think there's some things
that he can improve upon.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
What about the streetcar issue, which is kind of the
elephant in the bathtub or the boil and the bathtub
issue in this race. All the former Roman mayors, I
think all of them famously signed an editorial supporting the
streetcar You among them, Yes, Mike McDonald is opposed to
the way it's being done. Now, where are you on that?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
You know, I've stayed out of that, truthfully, you know.
I know Warren Buffett, who doesn't get involved in local
politics at all, commented on that. You know, I think
there's some other issues that are important.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
I think.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Public safety is a big issue and I know when
as mayor and the reporting your station does a great job,
and I thank you for what KFAB does do and
that's not a paid advertisement. I really respect what you're doing.
But I know that when I was mayor, it was
a different time. The reporting on what happened. If I
(04:12):
was out of town, they said he left town for
two days or whatever it was. And if we were
low on police by twelve it was a pretty good story.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Why is that?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
And today we've been down two and a half years,
probably over one hundred officers, which is a saving some
ten million. And I know when the mayor ran one
of the big issues, if you recall twelve years ago,
was the restaurant tax. Well, that was something she really opposed.
(04:47):
We haven't seen any change in that, and I think
it brings in somewhere close to forty million dollars. And
by being short one hundred and some officers for at
least more than two years, you're saving ten million a
year right there. And I think it we needed full staff.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
So you think it's not a recruiting issue, which is
famously has been for a lot of these agencies. They
can't find qualified people, are enough of them, and Gary,
Phil the ranks. Gary.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
The thing I'd say to that is, we've had the
same problem at the county on correction officers up and
we were shot down sixty five. The board came together
and we worked hard and we're fully staffed. You have
to make some changes and do some things, and we
did them, and I think you can take those steps
our sheriff department and I work closer there and Hanson.
(05:40):
I'll be there tomorrow in fact, for a Merit Commission
meeting with the sheriff, and he's fully staffed and they
work hard at it.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
What kind of changes would that involve? Because Aaron has
told me personally that they're very close, they've got people
close to retirement and they're going to have staffing issues.
What kind of change which were made at the county
level that you think the city could do.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
We looked at the pay in that schedule. We did
not do the drop program, which the city does have,
but we will look at that. But we've been very fortunate.
I think Aaron does an excellent job in that role.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
He does.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Now PJ, let's get back to the street car for
a second, because really this is it. As you know,
Mayoral elections are a referendum on how the mayor performed
over the previous four years. Political ideologies, they are not
as much a deal in local elections as they are
in DC. Here's did you shovel the streets, did you
(06:42):
cut the grass, did you fill the potholes? And am
I safe walking downtown? That's pretty much it, and you've
got to give her credit. Now, this city, on every
mayoral metric is better than it was twelve years ago. Development, employment,
cultural opportunities, public safety. So it boils down to the
(07:03):
street car. She's been the biggest cheerleader on the street car.
It's a seven hundred million dollar deal. Now people say, Jim, no,
it is because I include the garages and the interest,
but that doesn't get reported much. So it really is
about the streetcar. And Mike McDonald says this should have
come up for a vote. This is the pivotal issue
(07:24):
in the mayoral race. And yet you're taking this issue
and saying it's not that big a deal. I'm not
saying that. I'm just saying, you know, it's an issue.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I have a family member that has been involved in
helping with the Black STU and that development. So I've
stayed away from that issue. Honestly, I think there's other issues.
I think public safety is one. I think our street
conditions is another.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I think.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
The city and county should be working closer together. I
think the city should have been involved in trying to
help us with that five percent increase on property taxes.
That's one of the biggest issues. And the homeless situation.
The sheriff has worked very diligently in that area, and
not just in the county, but it's seventy seventh in
(08:17):
cast when the people and that's not my district, but
I've been involved in it because it calls. So I
think we've got a lot of other issues. I think
Kellogg's moving out of Omaha. And if you recall Gary,
you've been here like I have, and it's great to
be in your studio. I think the last time was
with Mike Boyle. But you look at what Campbell's Soup
(08:40):
was doing. If you go back to about ninety one
and Campbell's Soup was leaving Omaha. I found out and
I called asked him if I could come back east
to visit with him in his office. He said, no,
I'll come see in Omaha, and he did come to Omaha,
and there's a newspaper story from page We're after we met,
(09:02):
talked and we didn't build him a parking garage or
do anything special or a new building. He said he's
staying in over because of the mayor and the city.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Kellogs worked at that and Kegs refused to meet with her.
Refused Kelloggs wouldn't meet with her. Now, they sent Heath
mellow One up there and he was basically showing the door,
as I understand, at the head of the chamber. I mean,
but I'm not taking anything away from what you did there.
Don't get me wrong. I got to move on here.
But just a quick question before we go. We know
there's personal animus between Mike McDonald and Jeans Douthor in
(09:34):
your case, Is there is that any part of this decision?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
No, I just I really think it's time. I think
three terms is a pretty long period of time, and
I think he'll be listening to the people and out
as I was every month on town hall meetings during
my time in office, and I think we need that
kind of listening and this citizens need to be more involved.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Well, you were a very very good mayor. I was
very lucky we needed you to stick around another four
years instead of going down to Lincoln and working for Duncan.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
PJ. Thanks again, great to see you, it always always you. Bet.
Board meeting today right, yes, onward to the County board meeting.
Former mayor of PJ. Morgan here
Pleasure to see PJ. Morgan again, former Omaha mayor, is
in the studio with EJ. Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Let me join you.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Mike on there we go. Welcome back, current county board
member for many years. But you were mayor in the
late late eighties or early to mid nineties nine. Yeah, yeah,
I remember. And now here we are in the city
primary in the coming up three weeks from today. And
when Mike McDonald rolled out his campaign, I know I
(00:28):
couldn't help, but notice that you were there with him
and are supporting Mike McDonald. So the basic question I
think people are interested in a former Republican mayor is
not supporting a current Republican mayor and is instead supporting
who has been a lifelong Democrat. What can you tell
us about your choice.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I'm a lifelong Republican.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Yes, you know.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
The mayor's ship is a nonpartisanship. Is Ed Zarinski, former mayor,
said there's not a Republican our Democrat way to remove
snow or fix the streets. And so I look at
the people. I as a supporter of Mike Fahee and
felt he did a very good job in business like way.
And I've known Mike McDonald for fifteen years with fire
(01:12):
chief and some other things he's done in the legislature,
and I just felt he was the right person at
the right time. I think it's important to thank Gene
for service, but I think three terms that is probably
time for a change and a greater FISCO responsibility, is
(01:33):
my feeling, and I did like it. Mike Boyle and
I worked together to try to get something done at
the county level with the legislature to have property taxes
only can be increased on residential property only five percent
a year. Now, if you buy a home that's assessed
(01:54):
at four point fifteen, you buy it for six hundred,
it would go to six hundred, and then on it
would be a max of five percent if it's justified.
And Mike did introduce as in the legislature that bill.
There's another bill again this year that I'm supportive of.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
So it's policy for you. And you suggested in your
comments a second ago that you don't think she's been
fiscally responsible. Am I hearing that right? No?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I said, I think that he will be very fisically responsible,
and I think listen to the people, and I just
think it's time to.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Your complaint PJ is that she's been there too long?
Is that your big issue with her?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I don't know that she's been there too long, but
I think she's been there a good amount of time.
And I think, you know, term limits. I think the
legislature has two terms, and as a former state senator
a long time ago, my feeling is the legislature should
be at least three terms because it takes a while
(02:57):
to read and learn all about that. I think that
the governorship is a two term thing, and I think
the changes is good, and I think there's some things
that he can improve upon.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
What about the streetcar issue, which is kind of the
elephant in the bathtub or the boil and the bathtub
issue in this race. All the former Roman mayors, I
think all of them famously signed an editorial supporting the
streetcar You among them, Yes, Mike McDonald is opposed to
the way it's being done. Now, where are you on that?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
You know, I've stayed out of that, truthfully, you know.
I know Warren Buffett, who doesn't get involved in local
politics at all, commented on that. You know, I think
there's some other issues that are important.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
I think.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Public safety is a big issue and I know when
as mayor and the reporting your station does a great job,
and I thank you for what KFAB does do and
that's not a paid advertisement. I really respect what you're doing.
But I know that when I was mayor, it was
a different time. The reporting on what happened. If I
(04:12):
was out of town, they said he left town for
two days or whatever it was. And if we were
low on police by twelve it was a pretty good story.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Why is that?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
And today we've been down two and a half years,
probably over one hundred officers, which is a saving some
ten million. And I know when the mayor ran one
of the big issues, if you recall twelve years ago,
was the restaurant tax. Well, that was something she really opposed.
(04:47):
We haven't seen any change in that, and I think
it brings in somewhere close to forty million dollars. And
by being short one hundred and some officers for at
least more than two years, you're saving ten million a
year right there. And I think it we needed full staff.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
So you think it's not a recruiting issue, which is
famously has been for a lot of these agencies. They
can't find qualified people, are enough of them, and Gary,
Phil the ranks. Gary.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
The thing I'd say to that is, we've had the
same problem at the county on correction officers up and
we were shot down sixty five. The board came together
and we worked hard and we're fully staffed. You have
to make some changes and do some things, and we
did them, and I think you can take those steps
our sheriff department and I work closer there and Hanson.
(05:40):
I'll be there tomorrow in fact, for a Merit Commission
meeting with the sheriff, and he's fully staffed and they
work hard at it.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
What kind of changes would that involve? Because Aaron has
told me personally that they're very close, they've got people
close to retirement and they're going to have staffing issues.
What kind of change which were made at the county
level that you think the city could do.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
We looked at the pay in that schedule. We did
not do the drop program, which the city does have,
but we will look at that. But we've been very fortunate.
I think Aaron does an excellent job in that role.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
He does.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Now PJ, let's get back to the street car for
a second, because really this is it. As you know,
Mayoral elections are a referendum on how the mayor performed
over the previous four years. Political ideologies, they are not
as much a deal in local elections as they are
in DC. Here's did you shovel the streets, did you
(06:42):
cut the grass, did you fill the potholes? And am
I safe walking downtown? That's pretty much it, and you've
got to give her credit. Now, this city, on every
mayoral metric is better than it was twelve years ago. Development, employment,
cultural opportunities, public safety. So it boils down to the
(07:03):
street car. She's been the biggest cheerleader on the street car.
It's a seven hundred million dollar deal. Now people say, Jim, no,
it is because I include the garages and the interest,
but that doesn't get reported much. So it really is
about the streetcar. And Mike McDonald says this should have
come up for a vote. This is the pivotal issue
(07:24):
in the mayoral race. And yet you're taking this issue
and saying it's not that big a deal. I'm not
saying that. I'm just saying, you know, it's an issue.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I have a family member that has been involved in
helping with the Black STU and that development. So I've
stayed away from that issue. Honestly, I think there's other issues.
I think public safety is one. I think our street
conditions is another.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I think.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
The city and county should be working closer together. I
think the city should have been involved in trying to
help us with that five percent increase on property taxes.
That's one of the biggest issues. And the homeless situation.
The sheriff has worked very diligently in that area, and
not just in the county, but it's seventy seventh in
(08:17):
cast when the people and that's not my district, but
I've been involved in it because it calls. So I
think we've got a lot of other issues. I think
Kellogg's moving out of Omaha. And if you recall Gary,
you've been here like I have, and it's great to
be in your studio. I think the last time was
with Mike Boyle. But you look at what Campbell's Soup
(08:40):
was doing. If you go back to about ninety one
and Campbell's Soup was leaving Omaha. I found out and
I called asked him if I could come back east
to visit with him in his office. He said, no,
I'll come see in Omaha, and he did come to Omaha,
and there's a newspaper story from page We're after we met,
(09:02):
talked and we didn't build him a parking garage or
do anything special or a new building. He said he's
staying in over because of the mayor and the city.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Kellogs worked at that and Kegs refused to meet with her.
Refused Kelloggs wouldn't meet with her. Now, they sent Heath
mellow One up there and he was basically showing the door,
as I understand, at the head of the chamber. I mean,
but I'm not taking anything away from what you did there.
Don't get me wrong. I got to move on here.
But just a quick question before we go. We know
there's personal animus between Mike McDonald and Jeans Douthor in
(09:34):
your case, Is there is that any part of this decision?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
No, I just I really think it's time. I think
three terms is a pretty long period of time, and
I think he'll be listening to the people and out
as I was every month on town hall meetings during
my time in office, and I think we need that
kind of listening and this citizens need to be more involved.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Well, you were a very very good mayor. I was
very lucky we needed you to stick around another four
years instead of going down to Lincoln and working for Duncan.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
PJ. Thanks again, great to see you, it always always you. Bet.
Board meeting today right, yes, onward to the County board meeting.
Former mayor of PJ. Morgan here
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