Bellevue voters are weighing a third term for Mayor Rusty Hike against a first-time bid from challenger Kevin Pflager, with the two men agreeing on what the city needs but sharply disagreeing on how to get there. Hike points to a fully staffed police department and major development projects as proof the city is moving in the right direction, while Pflager argues Bellevue's commercial core has been neglected and wants term limits to shake up city hall.
Hike, who according to KETV has already served two terms as mayor, is seeking a third, framing his pitch around the idea that Bellevue is getting a lot done. A separate report from 3 News Now described Hike as coming off his first term rather than his second, a discrepancy that remains unresolved between the two accounts. Both Hike and Pflager are lifelong Bellevue residents, according to KETV, and the race has come down to a contest between continuity and change with the election set for Nov. 3.
Development Projects at the Center of Hike's Pitch
Hike says Bellevue's development is taking shape and could generate additional revenue for the city, pointing specifically to the Bellevue Bay waterpark and the REACH project as developments that could eventually help lower property taxes, per the same KETV report. Bellevue Bay's construction officially kicked off in March 2025 within a 550-acre district northwest of U.S. Highways 75 and 34, according to the Nebraska Examiner. That outlet reports the project is projected to add more than $1 billion in value to the city's tax rolls, with the indoor water park expected to open by 2027.
Hike has also cited 1,800 platted lots in Bellevue as evidence the city is attracting businesses and growth along the Highway 34/75 corridor, per 3 News Now. He plans to keep those development projects progressing as envisioned if voters grant him a third term, the KETV report notes. In the 2022 race, Otmar “Buz” Stephens argued that Bellevue should strengthen its downtown core and grow upward rather than outward, per 3 News Now.
Pflager's Case for Commercial Revitalization
Pflager, for his part, told KETV he is tired of the direction Bellevue is heading and wants to focus on improving the city's commercial core along Fort Crook Road, Galvin Road and Old Towne Bellevue. He wants to assist established businesses with building repainting and facade repairs, and argues that revitalizing those businesses could increase sales-tax revenue in a way that helps bring property taxes down — a goal he's framed as getting sales tax up instead of relying on new development to ease the tax burden.
Pflager has also leaned on his day job, saying his work in Papillion's planning department makes him more informed and qualified, and that his experience could help create safer roads in Bellevue through measures like painting crosswalks, fixing intersections and improving street landscaping. Hike has raised concerns about Pflager's planning job in Papillion and possible conflicts of interest, per KETV; Pflager has responded that he anticipates no conflicts from the position but would publicly disclose any conflict at a city council meeting and recuse himself if one arose.
Term Limits and a 'Good Old Boys' Dispute
Central to Pflager's platform is a push for term limits — 12-year terms for city council members and eight-year terms for mayor — which he says would generate new ideas and prevent what he calls a good old boys club from forming at city hall. He noted that such limits would require assistance from the state legislature and said he has discussed the idea with several state legislators who expressed support, according to KETV. Hike has pushed back directly on the characterization, saying no good old boys club exists in Bellevue and that he does not try to influence city council members' votes.
Pflager has also emphasized Bellevue's size in making his case for change, noting it is Nebraska's third-largest city. He told KETV that the final eight months of his life would not matter if he did not give voters another option and a reason to vote for him — a line underscoring how personally he has framed the stakes of the race.
Police Staffing and Fire Department Records
On public safety, Hike told KETV that Bellevue's police department has grown from about 82 officers to 115 sworn officers and is now fully staffed, and that the fire department is operating under national response times. Those current figures could not be independently verified against the department's full staffing history, and an earlier KETV report on Bellevue's 2023 budget cited different numbers altogether — noting the department had grown from 82 uniformed officers to 105 at the time, with a proposed increase to 111 under that year's budget. That 2023 budget totaled $109 million, about 1% more than the prior year, and included an 18% increase for the fire department while other city expenditures stayed flat, the same KETV report shows.
Hike has also noted that Bellevue's fire department was all part-time and volunteer when he first took office and is now a fully established department, according to KETV.
Pressure From Rising Local Tax Bills
The tax debate playing out between Hike and Pflager comes as other local entities are also moving to raise revenue. Sarpy County, La Vista and Bellevue Public Schools have said they are proceeding with revenue increases for the next fiscal year to meet the demands of a growing community, according to 3 News Now, adding another layer of financial pressure for Bellevue residents regardless of who wins the mayor's race.
With the Nov. 3 election approaching, Hike says he is contacting early voters with postcards highlighting his accomplishments in office and has asked for their support at the ballot box, per KETV. Pflager, meanwhile, is betting that voters frustrated with the city's current trajectory will choose a change in leadership over four more years of Hike's development-driven approach.
