Tracking Waste, Fraud & Abuse in Nebraska with Addie Costello & Deputy Auditor Craig Kubicek
Tracking Waste, Fraud & Abuse in Nebraska with Addie Costello & Deputy Auditor Craig Kubicek
City clerks in 17 small Nebraska towns have been caught stealing from taxpayers in recent years. Addie Costello of the Flatwater Free Press and Nebraska Deputy Auditor Craig Kubicek discuss ways Nebraskans can trust but verify what government is doing with your money, and what to do if you see something that might be wrong.
How’s Nebraska’s jobs recovery going? It depends on who you ask.
How’s Nebraska’s jobs recovery going? It depends on who you ask.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly jobs report shows Nebraska retained the nation’s lowest jobless rate in May at 1.9%. That’s an indicator of a tight labor market, which can make it hard for businesses to hire and expand. Indeed, businesses across the country are experiencing a labor shortage due to a confluence of factors...
By Michael Lucci
Nebraska is losing taxpayers. See where they’re moving.
Nebraska is losing taxpayers. See where they’re moving.
When taxpayers vote with their feet, policymakers should listen. Nebraska endured one of the nation’s largest migration-caused losses of income between 2019 and 2020, according to taxpayer migration data released by the Internal Revenue Service. Nebraska’s net loss of annual income due to outmigration was nearly $500 million. The Wall Street Journal described the new...
By Michael Lucci
A Flurry of Fraud: City Clerks Have Recently Stolen Money from 17 Nebraska Towns
A Flurry of Fraud: City Clerks Have Recently Stolen Money from 17 Nebraska Towns
By Addie Costello Flatwater Free Press Over and over again, Steve Sharp told the village clerk that she deserved a raise. When Sharp was elected chairperson of the village board in 2010, Mary Terry had already worked as Cedar Creek’s village clerk and treasurer for nearly a decade. Terry controlled Cedar Creek’s finances, records, utilities...
Report rewards Nebraska’s peers moving to flat income taxes
Report rewards Nebraska’s peers moving to flat income taxes
Nebraska ranks 36th in economic outlook according to the 2022 Rich States, Poor States report. The annual report ranks states for economic competitiveness using a comprehensive analysis of economic policy factors. While public policies aren’t the only factor for economic growth, they are some of the most controllable factors for states. Nebraska’s current ranking is lackluster,...
By Michael Lucci
Nebraska’s Primary Problem, with Unite America’s Tyler Fisher
Nebraska’s Primary Problem, with Unite America’s Tyler Fisher
Election policy expert Tyler Fisher, from the nonpartisan reform group Unite America, joins Jim Vokal to discuss why state and federal election systems often incentivize policy outcomes that leave most Americans dissatisfied, and what Nebraska can do to give the majority of voters more say in who represents them in Lincoln and Washington. A transcript...
Nebraska unemployment rate dips below 2%
Nebraska unemployment rate dips below 2%
Nebraska picked up 1,900 non-farm payroll jobs in April according to new monthly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state jobless rate fell to 1.9%, keeping Nebraska tied with Utah for the lowest jobless rate in the nation. Overall, Nebraska showed gains on both surveys that make up the monthly jobs report, and...
By Michael Lucci
Strong revenues give Nebraska fuel for more tax reform
Strong revenues give Nebraska fuel for more tax reform
A gusher of tax revenues poured into Nebraska state coffers in April, creating an unexpected revenue bump for the month when most Nebraskans file their annual tax returns. Revenues were strong across the board, with a surge in personal and corporate income taxes more than covering a slight underperformance in sales tax revenues. Nebraska’s surprisingly...
By Michael Lucci
Nebraska’s 2022 tax cuts: What’s good & what’s not
Nebraska’s 2022 tax cuts: What’s good & what’s not
Nebraska entered the 2022 legislative session with its tax code ranked 35th in structural competitiveness, according to Tax Foundation’s 2022 State Business Tax Climate Index. The state will likely improve its position over the coming years as a result of tax changes made in LB873. However, projections show the state may only edge closer to...
By Michael Lucci