Mayor breaks 4-4 tie as Hastings City Council approves 2026-27 property tax request, passes budget

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - A divided Hastings City Council approved the city’s 2026–2027 property tax request Monday night after Mayor Jay Beckby stepped in to break a 4-4 deadlock.

Council members were evenly split on Resolution 2026-52, which establishes a revised property tax request to fund municipal operations and liabilities for the upcoming fiscal year.

Council members Brad Consbruck, Maggie Esch, Brian Hoffman, and Matt Fong voted in favor of the measure. Council members Steve Huntley, Michael Anderson, Larry Consbruck, and Marc Rowan voted against it.

With the council deadlocked, the deciding vote fell to Mayor Beckby, who voted yes to pass the resolution.

“For $4 a month we can’t put our city in a deficit like that, so I would vote yes,” Beckby said when called upon to break the tie.

City Administrator Mark Funkey addressed council members during the discussion, emphasizing that rising municipal operating expenses, including recently approved utility rate hikes that also impact city-owned facilities, made the tax request necessary to prevent budget shortfalls.

“The reality is is we approved rates for the utilities, rate increases from the last couple of weeks. The city pays those rates too,” Funkey said. “When we make those kinds of decisions, when we increase those rates which the utility needs to operate at the level that they determine they need, that also affects the city’s budgets. Every one of these departments just got a 1.5% increase on water and electricity.”

Following the split vote on property taxes, the council found unanimous consensus on the city’s updated service rates, voting 8-0 to approve Resolution 2026-53, the 2026–2027 Annual Fee Resolution.

Council members then voted 5-3 to approve Ordinance No. 4844, the Annual Appropriation Bill, officially adopting the necessary funds and expenditures to operate city government for fiscal year 2026–2027.

The council also voted unanimously, 8-0, to approve Resolution 2026-54, amending the city’s expedited redevelopment review process, known as Micro-TIF, from 60 years down to 25 years to align with Nebraska Revised Statute 18-2155.

Ward 4 Councilmember Brian Hoffman voiced support for the financing tool during the meeting.

“I appreciate the micro TIF funding process. We’ve been using it for businesses for years but now we’re able to go to the residents and save them some money on their projects,” Hoffman said.

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