Two words, “reckless” and “lie” punctuate a surprising letter from Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle to Omaha State Senator Tom White.

According to several State Capitol insiders, who spoke with Nebraska Watchdog, what makes Suttle’s letter surprising is the fact that both Suttle and White are Democrats. In addition the letter comes in the middle of White’s congressional campaign against Republican Congressman Lee Terry.

Suttle’s letter obtained exclusively by Nebraska Watchdog (click here to read it) accuses White of trying to bust the city budget and forcing city officials to raise property taxes by an estimated three cents.

White is backing a bill that short circuits what White and a dozen other lawmakers believe is an unfair tax tied to Omaha’s upcoming $1.6 billion dollar sewer project.

White says the project is an unfunded federal mandate and he wants to exempt Omahans from paying an estimated $600 million in sales taxes related to the project over the next 20 years.

In his January 18th letter Suttle asks White to kill the bill. According to the Mayor, White knows the legislation amounts to a “…tax shift that will undoubtedly place a greater burden on the property taxes paid by Omahans.” The Mayor adds, “…language from state politicians who suggest Omahans need to pay higher property taxes is reckless in this economy.”

In a January 21st rebuttal letter to Suttle (click here to read White’s letter) White says he won’t pull the bill.  White goes on to write that nothing in the bill, “…would require a property tax increase unless you (Mayor Suttle) have already planned to use the sales tax windfall to pay for increased government spending.”

When Nebraska Watchdog asked a spokesman for White about Suttle’s letter, Nebraska Watchdog was sent a copy of White’s letter.

Nebraska Watchdog forwarded White’s letter to Suttle’s spokesman Ron Gerard. Gerard tells Nebraska Watchdog he could not comment until the Mayor had a chance to review White’s letter.

Not only does Suttle’s letter push back at White’s legislation, it also finds the Mayor upset with how the bill has been handled. Suttle writes, ”…this ill-advised legislation was being sold around the Unicameral with the false impression that the bill was being crafted with the knowledge and insinuated cooperation of the Mayor’s office…I don’t know who is responsible for this boldfaced lie, but I would appreciate your (White’s) cooperation in correcting the record.”

In his letter White says, “At no time did I or any member of my staff indicate that this bill is supported by your administration.” White ends his letter, “With Warmest Regards, Tom White.”

Editor’s note: On 1/25/2010 Mayor Suttle issued a response to the White letter. Click here to read Suttle’s statement.

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Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org