Palin pushes back on tax hike to ease property taxes in Nebraska

The governor said he is working with the Legislature to find a way to reduce the amount Nebraskans pay in property taxes by $2 billion. But he admitted in a press conference after the legislative session was adjourned for the day that he had not yet found the answer.

“Whatever the plan is to get there, I support it 100%,” he said. “I’m working very hard to make sure that we’re united and that we’re able to come up with a solution that allows for 33 votes. That hasn’t exactly been made clear.”

Last week, Beilin rolled out a plan to reach the 40% goal by raising the state sales tax rate by 2 cents and increasing taxes on cigarettes by $2 per pack, along with some smaller tax changes. The plan called for using the new revenue to replace about $1 billion in property taxes levied by schools and other local governments each year.

Combined with proposed caps on property tax collections by local governments and legislation passed last year, the proposal would reduce the amount of property taxes paid statewide by an estimated $2 billion, according to a chart from the governor’s office.

The plan faced immediate opposition, especially regarding the proposed tax increases. Advertisements from the conservative group Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska noted that a 36% increase in state sales taxes would make Nebraska more like California.

On Monday, Beilein did not say whether he still wants to see a sales tax increase, though he said the items subject to sales taxes are items that “none of us Nebraskans need. It’s not anything in the grocery store. It’s not any “It’s essential for us.” “Any one of us.”

The governor also said he wants to have a conversation about ending some sales tax exemptions, which could bring in more revenue without raising prices. When asked, he did not provide any examples of exemptions he would get rid of. Previous attempts to end all or some sales tax breaks have proven futile.

Belin expressed confidence in achieving his goal this year, even though there are only six days left to draft and introduce legislation in the 2024 legislative session.

“We have plenty of time,” he said.

Meanwhile, lawmakers introduced 37 new bills Monday morning. The following are the most prominent of these measures:

education — State Sen. Lynn Walz of Fremont, a former teacher, has introduced several education-related bills for the day. Among them was Legislative Bill 1055, which calls for the Nebraska Department of Education to create a training system for teachers and early childhood educators who teach reading to students through fifth grade. Assistance to adult education organizations that teach reading, writing and other skills will also be established, and a literacy coordinator will be employed in the department.

LB 1052, another bill from Walz, would allow teachers at any charter or certified schools to apply to the department for up to $300 in reimbursement to pay for school supplies they purchased. Walz also proposed an Expanded Retention Grant to expand the teacher grant program she helped pass in 2022 through LB 1053.

LB 1050, introduced by Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, would require school districts to have free menstrual products available in all school bathrooms, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The products will be provided by the Ministry of Education.

Sen. Lauren Lippincott of Central City has introduced other education bills, including LB 1064 that would terminate faculty tenure at the University of Nebraska, state colleges and community colleges. He said he believes tenure, which was created to protect academic freedom, has outlived its usefulness and that the change will allow colleges to get rid of faculty who aren’t pulling their weight.

Two other Lippincott bills relate to religion in K-12 schools. Under LB 1065, school districts can appoint a chaplain to serve as a school counselor, regardless of whether the chaplain is certified or not. He said the idea could help fill the staff shortage.

Under LB 1066, K-12 students could take elective religion courses off school property during school hours and potentially receive credit for the classes. Lippincott compared the idea to allowing students to do career-oriented activities away from school during the school day. The bill would ban religious curricula that “unquestionably encourage immorality or practices inconsistent with school policy.”

Taxes — Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, the Appropriations Chair, introduced LB 1067 to phase out the state’s inheritance tax, a measure long championed by conservative advocates. Inheritance tax is a tax paid by a person who inherits money or property, and tax rates vary depending on his relationship with the deceased.

The measure would also restore a program under which the state would reimburse counties for holding state prisoners in their jails. Clements said the refunds would not be worth as much as the inheritance tax loss but would help counties.

Voters – Nebraska’s presidential elector appointment certificates must carry a special security feature under LB 1068, introduced by Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, chairman of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. The certificates are sent by the governor’s office after the presidential election.

The bill also eliminates the requirement that electors meet at the governor’s office to cast their ballots and would allow the governor to designate the location. Electors gathered in the hearing room at the state Capitol in 2020.

compensation — LB 1044, introduced by Senator Terrell McKinney of Omaha, would create a task force to consider proposals for reparations for African Americans as a result of slavery and ongoing discrimination in the United States. The bill would create a fund to help the group study such reparations, at least in part using dollars from the Marijuana and Controlled Substances Tax Fund.

Nebraska became a state in 1867, after the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished, but there were slaves in the state before then. McKinney said Nebraska reaped benefits from being part of a country that was built in part by enslaving people. He also said that the effects of slavery lasted longer than the influence of the institution itself.

“I believe every state in America should be held accountable,” he said. “The debt was never paid.”

Evictions — LB 1046, from Sen. John Kavanaugh of Omaha, would appoint an attorney to represent residents of a metropolitan-class city when challenging an eviction, unless that resident already has an attorney. When Douglas County saw a spike in evictions last year, many advocates pointed out that renters rarely have lawyers to represent them in eviction court, while landlords often do.