4-year term, $61,310 (2026)The county operates under the board of commissioners-administrator form of government. Policymaking and legislative authority is vested in the Board of Commissioners, which consists of seven members. The Board of Commissioners is responsible, among other things, for passing resolutions, adopting the budget, appointing committees and hiring the county's chief administrative officer. The board is elected within their respective districts.
Other Social Media
https://instagram.com/chrischappelear
They are right to be concerned. Douglas County has expanded beyond its core, state-mandated responsibilities at significant cost. We need to focus on mandated services, and stop spending beyond what taxpayers can afford.
The downtown facility was a terrible idea and should be decommissioned, and the 42nd Street facility should be improved. I won’t pretend that spending $5-7 million a year to both two facilities is feasible.
To reduce the property tax rate, cut spending, and make the county budget process more transparent with annual budget hearings for every department and a line-item budget provided sooner than a few days prior to the vote.
Current Public Office
Douglas County Commissioner, District 4
Past Public Office, dates held
Nebraska State Senator, 1971 - 1973; Mayor of Omaha, 1989 - 1994; Douglas County Commissioner, 2011 -
Volunteer experience
Board of Governors, UNMC; Board of Governors & Division Chairman, United Way; Education Chair, Nebraska American Cancer Society; President, Independent Free Appraisers; Board Member, Salvation Army; Board Member, Omaha Chamber of Commerce
Property taxes are definitely too high. In fact, they're the fourth highest in the country! When I ran for re-election to this office four years ago and had no challenger, I still made a promise to never raise taxes. I have kept that promise. Moreover, I have volunteered to help hundreds of individuals and small business owners reduce their unfair property valuation, thereby reducing their due taxes. Lastly, I believe the state legislature should cap property taxes at 5% or less per year, similar to 20 other states. I worked with former state senator Mike McDonnell to introduce a bill to do this in the legislature. I will continue to serve as a voice for sound fiscal policy.
I supported building the new youth correctional facility, but I advocated for adding an additional floor to make it a smarter investment able to handle future expansion. Today, the facility is too small to properly serve its purpose. The cost to operate both is roughly $400,000 per month, which is a huge sum of money. In order to properly operate both facilities, we need to figure out how to afford it without raising taxes. Ultimately, I believe we need to properly staff the facilities and provide care for the incarcerated.
My first priority: be a good steward of the taxpayer dollars entrusted to us. As Chairman of the Finance Committee, my goal is to run the county as efficiently as possible while providing outstanding county services and not raising taxes.
