LINCOLN - Lincoln Alderman Buzz Busby sent a message at Monday night's City Council meeting to residents who complain about their real estate taxes. Busby said he hears every year from constituents who believe real estate taxes in the city are too expensive. "I disagree, though," Busby said.

In other business, the council tabled action on selecting a bid for security updates to City Hall. The city is looking at upgrading security at the building by installing security cameras, extra locks and bulletproof windows.

The council's grounds and buildings committee was expected to discuss the security upgrades at a meeting Monday, but it decided to postpone until more information could be gathered.

Busby said he wasn't interested in raising taxes at this point, but he felt the residents of Lincoln should know that nearly half of the money the city receives from property taxes is used for state mandates, mostly in the form of pension fund contributions.

"Let's say you pay $3,000 in taxes. A total of $378 of that goes to the city and $188 of that goes to the pension fund, which is mandated by the state. So, in actuality, the city would only get $190 of that money to use.

Busby said the Lincoln-Logan Park District receives the most benefit from tax money. The district receives $256 worth of taxes but only $18 goes to the pension fund, he estimated.

"So that leaves them with around $238 to use, and that is nearly $50 more than the city gets," Busby said.

He also noted local school districts collect more than half of the property taxes, and the Heartland Community College district's taxes just went up 14 percent.

"So when people say their city taxes are too high, well, I doubt it," he said.

Lincoln Mayor Beth Davis-Kavelman agreed with Busby's assessment.

"I agree and people just don't realize where their tax dollars go," she said. "I get approached about the taxes being too high as well."