The Full Platter Archives - Platte Institute

Pole replacement and underground fund would empower broadband deployment in Nebraska

Nebraskans are more reliant on broadband connectivity now than ever. Connectivity is important for people accessing government services, online banking, education, health care, and remote work. Connectivity is important to Nebraska’s largest industry – agriculture. Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers need access to agricultural technologies to increase yields and conserve resources. Small businesses are also very...

By Nicole Fox

Priorities for the 108th Nebraska legislature

At the writing of this blog, the 108th Nebraska Legislature is entering the 7th week of its 90-day session. A massive 812 bills were introduced in the first 10 days of the new session, each receiving a public committee hearing before full-day floor debates begin. Striking this year is the attention the Governor and legislative...

By Jim Smith

Nebraska’s Surging Tax Revenues Should Accelerate Reforms

What to do with Nebraska’s surging tax revenues is a problem every policymaker would like to face. Nebraska legislative leaders have already pointed to the best solution. Senator Lou Ann Linehan, who chairs the Revenue Committee, argued that the surplus revenue “has to go back to the taxpayer.” The best way to do that, Sen....

By Michael Lucci

Nebraska’s Cottage Food Law Produces Opportunities

In 2019, the Platte Institute worked with Senator Sue Crawford to pass the Nebraska Cottage Food Law. LB304 created a registration framework allowing in-home producers of shelf-stable foods to sell their products legally beyond farmers’ markets. This opened up the opportunity for year-round sales and delivery–from the kitchen or via mail order or personal delivery....

By Laura Ebke

Nebraska Income Tax Modernization

Nebraska’s income tax was created in the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967 and has been applied to both individuals and corporations since its creation. The income tax was increased soon after it was created, and it evolved into a less competitive structure over its first few decades. Nebraska policymakers took steps to improve the competitiveness...

By Michael Lucci

Nebraska Sales Tax Modernization

Nebraska was one of the last states to adopt a sales tax, allowing the Cornhusker State to benefit from the decades of sales tax experience in other states. Nebraska policymakers can once again fuse their knowledge from decades of sales tax experience with the principles of sound taxation to update Nebraska’s sales tax for the...

By Michael Lucci

Nebraska property tax modernization

Nebraska’s property tax is older than the state itself, and old taxes benefit from being updated as the state economy evolves. Property taxation was first instituted in 1857, under a territorial legislature, and then became a statewide tax when Nebraska achieved statehood in 1867. Nebraska leaders have iteratively updated the property tax system throughout the...

By Michael Lucci

What you need to know about Truth in Taxation in Nebraska: Part 2

As a reminder, beginning this year, Nebraska’s counties, cities, school districts, and community colleges are required to directly notify taxpayers and hold joint public hearings if the budget they propose requires a more than 2% plus the real growth rate increase in property tax revenue compared to the previous year. This process is formally known...

By Elizabeth Hallgren

A Nebraska homeowner couldn’t pay $600 in property taxes, and lost $60,000 in home equity

The Pacific Legal Foundation has asked the Supreme Court to hear a case questioning the constitutionality of a Nebraska law that allows counties to sell property tax liens to private entities, who can then take the property, and any equity that the owners have in excess of the tax obligation they owed. This process is known...

By Laura Ebke

What you need to know about Truth in Taxation in Nebraska: Part 1

Truth in Taxation was passed by the Nebraska Legislature in 2021 and will be implemented for the first time in September 2022. This is the first blog in a two-part series. In this post I will introduce you to why Nebraska needs Truth in Taxation and what you can expect from the process. In the...

By Elizabeth Hallgren

Mark your calendar for Nebraska property tax hearings

In September, every taxpayer who has at least one taxing entity on their bill participating in a Truth in Taxation hearing will receive a mailed postcard with public hearing information. Legally, all hearings must be held after 6 p.m. between September 17 and 28, and postcards must be in the mail 7 days before a...

By Adam Weinberg

Make Nebraska property taxes honest with Truth in Taxation

Want a say in how your property taxes are decided? Participate in a Truth in Taxation hearing. Every year in September, Nebraska's Truth in Taxation law requires cities, counties, school districts, and community college districts to directly notify taxpayers about proposed major property tax increases and hold public hearings where taxpayers can express their views about property taxes in their community. Tune into the latest episode of Nebraskanomics, How Nebraskans Can Control Property Taxes with Truth in Taxation, to learn: Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:38 Why Nebraska created a Truth in Taxation law. 05:55 What the Truth in Taxation process will involve every September. 11:05 How Nebraskans can use Truth in Taxation to keep property taxes in check. Stay tuned until the end, when I'll share how you can receive free Truth in Taxation resources, which will help you stand up for taxpayers in your area. === If you want more economic freedom in Nebraska, please visit PlatteInstitute.org to make a donation to help fund our research and advocacy. ❌It’s time to stop the status quo. Let’s remove economic barriers and make Nebraskans proud.

By Jim Vokal

Closing Nebraska’s property tax honesty gap with Truth in Taxation

Republished from Nebraska Examiner Recent reports that Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert’s proposed 2023 budget contains no tax increase is a prime example of an honesty gap in how Nebraska leaders discuss local property taxes. In fact, the proposal would increase property tax revenues more than 6%. Even I should accept some blame for the honesty...

By Jim Vokal

Nebraska recovers to pre-pandemic jobs count

Nebraska’s economy achieved an important milestone in July, adding enough jobs to match its pre-pandemic jobs count from February 2020. The state’s economy now has 1,033,200 non-farm payroll jobs and the nation’s second-lowest unemployment rate at 2.0%. The national economy also recovered to its pre-recession jobs level in July, marking an important step in national...

By Michael Lucci