By Allison Peck
North Platte City Council Ward 4 incumbent Ed Rieker says the city's growth brings new opportunities but also requires careful planning for infrastructure and services.
Rieker discussed development, TIF and property taxes during Tuesday's Downtown Association candidates forum.
He said the arrival of Sustainable Beef has put North Platte on a stronger development trajectory and could bring additional businesses and jobs to the area.
Rieker said he hopes the community can also attract manufacturing and other industries, but acknowledged that new development will bring challenges that cannot always be predicted in advance.
One of those challenges is infrastructure.
As new development expands, Rieker said the city will need to provide streets, water, sewer and other utilities while keeping projects within the city's budget.
Rieker's position on TIF was more cautious.
He said he supported TIF for Sustainable Beef because he believed the project affected the broader region and would bring multiple industries and jobs to the community.
But he said he does not generally support TIF because he believes taking future tax revenue away from development can leave taxpayers responsible for repairing infrastructure later.
Rieker also addressed property taxes, saying the city has reduced its levy during each year he has served on the council.
He noted that homeowners can still see larger tax bills because of property valuation increases, which are outside the city's control.
Rieker said increased sales tax collections have helped the city manage those pressures.
He also said that substantially lowering property taxes would require reductions in city services.
Rieker is seeking another term representing Ward 4. He will face Chester Smith in the Nov. 3 general election. Smith was not present at the Downtown Association forum.