In an attempt to create compromise between the Iowa House and Senate, Governor Kim Reynolds offered a plan on Wednesday, May 5 to cut taxes in the Hawkeye State by $400 million. How is she doing this? She has proposed shifting the funding for county mental health from local property taxes to the state’s general...
If you listened to the Nebraska Legislature debate today you would have heard the following quotes from multiple members: “Our tax code is antiquated and was written in a time before the internet existed and before people and businesses were as mobile as they are today.” “People are mad about their property taxes.” “Nebraska can...
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Nebraska District Director, Leon Milobar, joins Jim Vokal to discuss resources available to small businesses impacted by the pandemic, and even Nebraskans who are still thinking about getting into business. Mentioned on this episode: Nebraska SBA District Office SCORE Small Business Mentoring SBA Office of Advocacy GROW Nebraska Women’s Business...
Platte Institute Senior Fellow Laura Ebke joined Bud Synhorst of the Lincoln Independent Business Association to discuss Nebraska’s progress on job licensing reform and an advancing property tax transparency measure.
Sarah Curry joins Jim Vokal to discuss a week full of tax policy-related proposals in Lincoln. Mentioned on this episode: Nebraska forecasting board increases two-year revenue projections LB644: Truth in Taxation – Direct Notification of Property Tax Increase Hearings
Nebraska’s Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met today to confirm the state’s positive outlook on tax collections. Because the state of Nebraska operates under a biennial, or two-year budget, the forecasting board only holds it April meeting every other year. Their annual meetings occur in October and February. This meeting was different from most because of...
Jo Ellen Stock, Assistant Vice President of State and Local Taxes for Union Pacific, and Lori Scott, an Omaha-area philanthropist with a background in education and health care, have been elected to the Platte Institute’s board of directors. The board of directors currently has 11 members who are responsible for overseeing the organization’s mission and...
A recent study published by The Center for Public Integrity suggests that licensing restrictions for Professional Engineers in many states may be disproportionately limiting the opportunities for Black engineers. Take the story of Ida Habtemichael, who has spent 14 years working as an engineer for Micron Technology, but who would have difficulty getting licensed as...
The U.S. Census Bureau has announced the final figures for apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next decade. As expected, Nebraska is retaining its 3 House seats, the number of representatives the state has held since the 1960s. The 2020 Census reports Nebraska’s population was 1,961,504, which is a 7.4%...
Nebraska Extension’s Cindy Brison joins Jim Vokal to discuss a training program that helps Nebraskans start businesses under the state’s expanded cottage food law. Mentioned on this episode: Nebraska Extension Cottage Food Law Training Home Baking Law Gives Rise to New Cottage Businesses
Last week, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts’ administration announced a new method for “credentialing” journalists to participate in gubernatorial press conferences. The new policy would require those who wish to have credentials to submit answers to questions about their organization’s business model, as well as a notarized letter from their manager. The policy was apparently in...
April is a very important month in the government world. Typically, that is when the tax filing deadline occurs, and budget writers get to see if the state collected as much tax revenue as they anticipated. However, this has been slightly altered for 2021, with Nebraska electing to extend the filing deadline to May 17, 2021...
The Nebraska Legislature has unanimously passed a bill supported by the Platte Institute which makes pandemic emergency changes to telehealth regulations permanent. LB400 had previously been advanced out of the Health and Human Services Committee and prioritized by its sponsor, Sen. John Arch. Prior to the pandemic, accessing telehealth services meant that individuals had to...
Today, the first of 3 bills supported by the Platte Institute making temporary regulatory changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic permanent was passed by the Nebraska Legislature. LB83 was introduced by Sen. Mike Flood on January 7, 2021. The Platte Institute submitted a position letter of support for the bill’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs...