The Omaha city council heard from the public on Mayor Jean Stothert’s 2017 proposed budget.
The public forum lasted just over a half-hour, with over a dozen people speaking their minds.
Topics ranged from the quality of roads to limiting police department expansion to put money into other law-enforcement needs.
The group OTOC, or Omaha Together One Community suggests spending more money to deal with vacant properties.
While the proposed budget suggests a 5-percent increase in the library budget, Catherine Hohman warned that budget reduces library full-time employees to part-time.
“It's difficult to run a business if you have a whole bunch of part-time people.”
Hohman said some people will see libraries as an employment turn-off, with a bunch of turnover.
“A lot of people work because the love their jobs but they also need the benefits,” said Hohman.
The city council have until next Wednesday to propose amendments to the budget.
