Tax Policy

Nebraska is in a relatively good revenue position compared with other states

Nebraska is in a relatively good revenue position compared with other states

Today is the new tax filing deadline in Nebraska. Today is also when the Department of Revenue released the state’s tax revenue figures for the month of June and for the last fiscal year (FY2019-2020). It is important to note that Nebraska’s phase 3 of directed health measures went into effect on June 22. So,...

By Sarah Curry

62% say voters should decide property tax issue

62% say voters should decide property tax issue

Voters and taxpayers from Western Nebraska shared their perspectives in the Platte Institute’s first Virtual Property Tax Town Hall. Similar programs are scheduled for other regions of the state through July and August. Throughout the town hall, participants were invited to vote in live online polls for five property tax-related questions. Of course, these are...

By Adam Weinberg

Linehan discusses property tax reform on Platte Institute webinar

Linehan discusses property tax reform on Platte Institute webinar

Nebraska Legislature Revenue Committee Chair Sen. Lou Ann Linehan joined Platte Institute CEO Jim Vokal on unresolved tax policy issues facing the Unicameral in its scheduled return later this month. On a webinar last week, Speaker Jim Scheer emphasized that property tax reform would be a key focus area before the legislative calendar came to an...

By Jaliya Nagahawatte

Nebraska PPP loan data show CARES Act tax policies are essential

Nebraska PPP loan data show CARES Act tax policies are essential

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is one of the largest parts of the federal government’s CARES Act relief legislation. The PPP provides loans intended to help small businesses—those with 500 or fewer employees—maintain their payroll, hire back any employees who were laid off, and cover applicable overhead expenses such as rent and utilities. Detailed data...

By Sarah Curry, Jaliya Nagahawatte

Nebraska’s emergency grace period on vehicle registration and driver licenses ends August 31

Nebraska’s emergency grace period on vehicle registration and driver licenses ends August 31

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has rescinded an emergency executive order that effectively allowed some drivers and vehicle owners to continue operating their vehicles with expired licenses or unpaid registrations during the state of emergency declared for the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Order 20-05 provided a grace period for permits, licenses, and registrations that expired on or...

By Adam Weinberg

Scheer: Legislature hasn’t reached consensus on major tax issues

Scheer: Legislature hasn’t reached consensus on major tax issues

Nebraska Legislature Speaker Jim Scheer and Executive Board Chair Sen. Mike Hilgers were guests on today’s Platte Institute Webinar. The focus of the webinar was the upcoming return of the Legislature on July 20, and what can be expected in the remaining 17 days of the legislative calendar. The Legislature’s session was suspended in March...

By Jaliya Nagahawatte

States are sticking with most CARES Act tax provisions

States are sticking with most CARES Act tax provisions

Just last week, the Nebraska Legislature’s Revenue Committee held a hearing on the impact conforming with federal tax provisions in the CARES Act would have on the state’s tax revenues. Revenue Committee Chair Sen. Lou Ann Linehan ended that meeting by stating that decoupling from CARES Act tax regulation was not out of the question....

By Jaliya Nagahawatte

More businesses may close if Nebraska rejects CARES Act tax changes

More businesses may close if Nebraska rejects CARES Act tax changes

This week, senators on the Nebraska Legislature’s Revenue Committee met in Lincoln to discuss the impact of tax changes included in the federal CARES Act. Many of the federal relief plan’s tax provisions are designed to help businesses increase their cash flow during the recession, including expanding the net operating loss (NOL), which will allow...

By Sarah Curry

Nebraska gas tax set for automatic increase July 1

Nebraska gas tax set for automatic increase July 1

Prices at the pump in Nebraska could be about 4 cents a gallon higher, thanks to an automatic increase in the state’s gas tax set to take effect July 1. Today, the Nebraska Department of Revenue issued the latest figures for the gas tax, which is recalculated twice a year in accordance with state law....

By Adam Weinberg

Nebraskans to vote on property tax issues in online town halls

Nebraskans to vote on property tax issues in online town halls

Nebraska voters and taxpayers can make their voice heard on the state’s top tax issue in a series of online events on property tax reform. The Platte Institute’s Virtual Property Tax Town Halls will be held on Zoom. The events are scheduled to run through July and August, as the Nebraska Legislature returns for the...

By Adam Weinberg

Senator’s Twitter poll asks about sales tax on streaming services

Senator’s Twitter poll asks about sales tax on streaming services

A recent online poll result on the Twitter account for Nebraska state Sen. Machela Cavanaugh showed overwhelming opposition to the idea of paying sales tax for online streaming subscription services like Netflix, Hulu, and Apple TV. Would you support a Nebraska state 7% sales tax on digital entertainment services? (i.e. Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, etc)...

By Adam Weinberg

Hall County property taxpayers discuss impact of rising valuations

Hall County property taxpayers discuss impact of rising valuations

The Grand Island Independent and NTV both reported on Tuesday’s meeting of the Hall County Commissioners, where taxpayers and community advocates expressed their concerns with proposed increases in local property assessments. Property valuations are conducted by county assessors. Their assessments are then multiplied by property tax rates, often called levies, set by locally elected boards...

By Adam Weinberg