Juanita Johnson

HOUSING

Q1: Do you believe housing is a right?

Not necessarily a right but I do believe that society has an obligation to be sure that everyone has safe, decent and affordable housing.  Public funds should be used to ensure this happens.

Q2: Should TIF continue to be used for market rate housing construction?

Yes

Q3: What percentage of TIF expenditures should be spent on affordable housing?

It depends on the availability of affordable housing and the need to develop more.  Expenditures should be based on need.

Q4: Should non-compliant landlords face criminal charges rather than citations? 

Yes if they are repeat violators of housing laws, codes etc.  The more they violate the more severe the penalty.  Citations can be effective if fines are imposed accordingly.  It would eventually reach a point where being in the rental business will be too expensive to continue renting..

Q5: In an effort to halt the negative and displacing effects of gentrification, should homes and residential rental properties in areas of clustered commercial and residential TIF funded projects be subject to higher tax valuations based on proximity to improvements rather than having real improvements to the property?

There are pros and cons to TIF funding projects.  I think they balance out.  I believe as long as housing is again, Safe, Decent and Affordable tax rates are not an issue.

POLICING

Section A

Q1 : Should the historically Mayoral appointed position of Chief of Police continue to remain appointed or should the position become an elected one? 

My preference is to have this position be an elected position.  The Chief of Police would have to demonstrate performance just as some judges.  This would remove the Mayors shield of the Chief’s position by either party..

Q2:  For the first time in Omaha municipal elections the labor union for OPD, the Omaha Police Officers Association, as well as the current Police Chief Todd Schmaderer have endorsed candidates in the Mayoral and City Council elections. Do political endorsements by OPOA and the Chief open the department to further scrutiny for bias from the community? Can fairness be expected with the politicization of the police department? 

Yes I believe it makes the Police more partisan as jobs are on the line.  The more accountable police are to the public, the fairer the process will be. More public input will make the process fairer.

Section B

Q3: Should footage of in custody deaths from law enforcement officers and jailers in Omaha be made public immediately upon incident? If not, when do you feel it should be released or why not. 

The sooner information is released to the public, the fairer the process will be perceived by the public.  Whether footage is release the day after or six month later the film will not change unless it is edited.  Only more time held from the public will allow that to happen.  Release immediately.

Q4: Currently according to Nebraska law footage from police body-worn cameras and dashcam footage can only be released by the county prosecutor. The Omaha Police department can not release video footage, only stills of footage. Does the ability to selectively release footage of deaths in police custody solely through the discretion of one prosecutor give undue influence towards prosecuting possible homicides by police?

It is my belief that all deaths that occur while in police custody should be given to an independent prosecutor to investigate. When prosecutors work too close with police, friendships occur.  Someone outside of that link should look at these cases.  Most positions of authority have to recuse themselves if a friend comes before them i.e.;  bankers can’t approve loans for friends or relatives without another officed being involved.

Q4 LINK Nebraska Legislature 

Link to Grand Jury Results Defined Nebraska Legislature

Q5: Should the turning off of a body-worn camera or cruiser dashcam and destruction or deletion of any footage by an officer result in an automatic termination as well as lead to felony criminal charges of evidence tampering? 

Yes, I agree if cameras are turned off or destruction of footage, severe punishment should be imposed.  Maybe first time a lesser penalty next time more severe punishment, termination included.  The more severe the incident the more rapid and severe the punishment.

Section C

Q6: In 2013 local police oversight advocacy groups and citizens presented a plan for independent police oversight in the form of a police oversight board which was implemented in 2014 by executive action from Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert called the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Should the duties of the CCRB be expanded to include independent review of in custody deaths and assaults for public dissemination?

Review Boards are like Grand Juries.  The public does not know what evidence is being presented to the board, this is why I believe and outside prosecutor should review all of these cases.

Q7: The CCRB only reviews complaints made against police officers retroactively after the offense has taken place. In an effort to increase monitoring and curtailing police abuses of power and people, should the CCRB's functions, budget, and facilities be expanded to include a real time monitoring and forensic center where police can be monitored 24/7 independent of the police department? Should an expanded CCRB include a forensic auditor to determine causes of death from in custody fatalities? 

This may be overkill and very expensive.  However poker dealers have a camera on the during their whole shift.  I believe stronger prosecution of police officers will result in a drastic correction of questionable police cases.