Nebraska has the potential to become an exemplar in using artificial technology to bridge the gap in the State’s workforce by providing employment opportunities to those currently excluded from the labor market. Nebraska boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the United States, standing at 2 percent, tied for the fifth lowest in the...
Nebraska policymakers are being called upon to address a problem that afflicts nearly every state across the country. Rapidly rising property values are stressing homeowners, particularly when property taxes rise proportionate to property values. As a result, homeowners are turning to public officials for solutions. It is fair to say that this problem exists in...
Nebraska led the states with the nation’s best tax reform in 2023, overhauling its income tax and property tax in one fell swoop. Nebraska’s individual and business income tax will both fall to 3.99% in coming years, boosting the state’s competitiveness in the nation’s most tax-competitive region. Nebraska’s fiscal accomplishments in 2023 will naturally leave...
It’s that time of year again, as the summer sun gradually fades, families across Nebraska start preparing for a new school year. As the back-to-school shopping lists get checked off, it is also the time when cities, counties, community colleges, and school districts across our state begin to unveil their budgets for the upcoming year....
Nebraska’s Opportunity Scholarships Act program, enacted in LB 753, creates a pathway for Nebraska students to learn and thrive in the education environment that suits them best. The program provides $25 million per year for roughly 5,000 students to enroll in a private school rather than a public school. Nebraska’s school choice program is funded...
The Platte Institute has focused significantly on workforce licensing reform for the last seven years. From making it easier for natural hair braiders to practice their craft to requiring reviews of every license required by the state to work on a five-year cycle, we’ve seen some successes in our efforts to make it easier for...
Property owners in southeast Nebraska should brace for sticker shock ahead of next year’s property tax bills. The Board of Governors for the Southeast Community College system (SCC) voted on Tuesday to raise property taxes by roughly 40% across the 15-county service area, according to coverage by the Lincoln Journal Star. Tuesday’s preliminary approval will...
The Platte Institute is honored to be nominated for a State Policy Network Bob Williams Award: Biggest State Win. As a part of our nomination for this award, we outlined three historic victories: Nebraska Income Tax Reform: LB754 is a tour de force of income tax reforms. The individual and corporate income taxes are...
Many Nebraskans (this writer included) took big gulps when they opened their property valuation notices this past week. In Crete, our valuations went up 23%. While we can understand the increase in valuations because property sales have risen, and property valuations are based on market value, these increased values also have the possibility to significantly...
Back in January, we told the story of Geraldine Tyler’s challenge of Hennepin County, Minnesota’s taking of her property to collect back property taxes, and her loss of any equity interest remaining. While no one denies that the government can seize property to collect back taxes and fines, the question is really about how much...
State and local governments are on the front lines of providing core government services. They are also on the front lines of competing for jobs and economic growth. Therefore, state fiscal policy should produce revenue for core government services by applying low, competitive tax rates to a broad tax base with limited exemptions. That is...
Two school bond elections in Omaha-area schools succeeded by a 2-1 margin on May 9, authorizing more than $120 million in new debt and taxes for the school districts. The bond proceeds are committed to infrastructure and construction costs for the districts. This result wasn’t unusual for a local school bond election, and is matched...
Nebraska lawmakers have laid out an ambitious goal of achieving historic income tax and property tax relief in 2023. Income tax reforms in LB 754 would accomplish Nebraska’s most significant tax improvements in generations. In addition, lawmakers are advancing property tax relief in LB 243, sponsored by Senator Tom Briese, an amendment to which incorporates...
As the glow of Nebraska’s annual Spring Game leads to dreams of hearing “We’re Number 1” at Memorial Stadium, there is one area of policy where Nebraska is “number one” in our conference/region—but being number one is not a good thing. The Archbridge Institute recently released its first State Occupational Licensing Index, and Nebraska’s position...