Town Hall · Colon

How Colon is run

Colon spent $177,000 in the year to July 31, 2022, about $1,624 per resident.

Photo: Ammodramus

City budget

$177,000

spent, year to July 31, 2022

Per resident

$1,624

Below typical Nebraska cities ($3,940)

Long-term debt

$408,000

$3,743 per resident

City staff

full-time · 8 part-time

Typical tax bill

$2,300

a year · NE $3,549

What stands out about how Colon is run

Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.

A lean budget$1,624 per resident a year, vs $3,940 for a typical Nebraska city.Lower tax billsThe typical homeowner pays $2,300 a year in property tax, vs $3,549 across Nebraska.Runs its own water & sewer25% of spending goes to water, sewer and trash, paid largely by users’ fees.A shared school districtShares Wahoo Public Schools with 6+ other towns.

★ What stands out · Your share of the budget

About $1,624 per resident a year, or $4.45 a day

The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 32% of spending.

COLONYour share · per resident · year to July 31, 2022

Administration & buildings$56,000 · 32%$514

Roads & transportation$55,000 · 31%$505

Sewer & trash$44,000 · 25%$404

Interest on debt$16,000 · 9%$147

Police$4,000 · 2%$37

Fire$2,000 · 1%$18

Total per resident$1,624

Whole budget $177,000 · 109 residents
Thank you for being a neighbor

Where the money comes from

Fees & charges 44%From the state 23%Property taxes 22%Other taxes & licenses 5%Interest, fines & other 4%From other local governments 1%

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,300 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.38% of the home’s value, vs 1.49% across Nebraska.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Nebraska$3,549

Colon$2,300

$2,300

typical bill a year

1.38%

effective rate

$166,100

typical home value (Census)

Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Colon’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

The school district

Wahoo Public Schools

Colon’s K–12 school district, shared with Malmo, Wahoo, Weston, Ithaca, Stocking and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Colon →

$15,809

per pupil · NE $15,602

1,088

students

$1.9 million

long-term debt

Of the $15,809 per pupil, $9,653 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from

Local 65%State 27%Federal 8%

Nebraska districts overall: 56% local, 34% state, 10% federal.

Also serving Colon

Cedar Bluffs Public Schools · $18,290 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Colon

Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Colon yet. Neighbors can add them.

Who works for Colon

0 full-time staff

On the payroll in March 2022.

By department full-time, plus part-time

Administration & buildings0 + 6 pt

Roads & transportation0 + 1 pt

Sewer & trash0 + 1 pt

full-time

part-time

Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it’s approximate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

Who represents Colon

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Colon.

Politics & elections →

1
Your cityMayor & council

Local officials aren’t on record yet.
3
Nebraska SenateState senator

Jared Storm
4
GovernorStatewide

Jim Pillen
5
U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress

Don Bacon
6
U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Nebraska

Deb Fischer Pete Ricketts

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Colon’s government

Numbers and hours come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A new one goes live once two neighbors confirm it.

The Handbook →

Questions about how Colon is run?

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →

Weigh in

Does Colon get good value for its tax dollars?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. School district: Census school finance survey. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates. Representatives: Open States, the Census and congress-legislators.