Removing Barriers for Nebraskans

New York lawmakers seek to license “shampoo assistants”

New York lawmakers seek to license “shampoo assistants”

It would appear that lawmakers around the country haven’t gotten the word that more regulation doesn’t help the economy. Take for instance this legislation (sent to me via this link today) moving through the New York Assembly. While it doesn’t appear that the legislation is moving quickly, one has to wonder what motivates the introduction...

By Laura Ebke

LB607 is bad for already hard hit businesses

LB607 is bad for already hard hit businesses

It’s no secret that many Nebraska businesses are hurting as a result of forced shutdowns during the pandemic. But a bill set for Select File debate this week would add insult to injury for a number of small businesses that were required to close this year. LB607 is a bill that proposes to redefine what...

By Nicole Fox

Legislature advances property tax relief, not reform

Legislature advances property tax relief, not reform

On August 5, Nebraska lawmakers debated and advanced LB1107, a comprehensive tax and economic package including new property tax relief measures. The Legislature previously debated a separate plan, LB1106 in July, which failed to receive the required 33 votes to overcome a filibuster. LB1107 is a compromise in every sense of the word. Both Republicans and...

By Sarah Curry

Bill seeks increased housing options in Nebraska cities

Bill seeks increased housing options in Nebraska cities

The Nebraska Legislature has given first-round approval to a bill that would require large and medium-sized Nebraska cities to take more action to reduce barriers to affordable housing options. Sen. Justin Wayne’s Legislative Bill 866 advanced on a 28-5 vote and contains provisions of Sen. Matt Hansen’s LB794, also known as the Missing Middle Housing...

By Adam Weinberg

Southeast Nebraska voters split on property tax reform issues

Southeast Nebraska voters split on property tax reform issues

Participants in the Platte Institute’s Southeast Nebraska Virtual Property Tax Town Hall voted in five online straw polls on property tax issues. The totals below may not add to 100% due to rounding. While these voters expressed similar sentiments to previous respondents on the impact of COVID-19 on their priorities, and a desire to see...

By Adam Weinberg

What you haven’t heard about the federal HEALS Act

What you haven’t heard about the federal HEALS Act

When Senate Republicans released their next relief package, called the HEALS Act or CARES 2, on July 27, a flurry of news stories were published about the contents. The new proposal is a $1 trillion package as a follow up to the CARES Act and a response to the House Democrats’ $3 trillion HEROES Act. Most...

By Sarah Curry

Property tax transparency measure gets 89% support at Northeast town hall

Property tax transparency measure gets 89% support at Northeast town hall

Voters and taxpayers from Northeast Nebraska joined the Platte Institute’s third Virtual Property Tax Town Hall of summer 2020, and like participants in the previous online events, they had the option to vote in five online straw polls about various property tax issues. While participants expressed similar levels of support for cutting government spending to...

By Adam Weinberg

Analysis: Property tax reform depends on economic recovery

Analysis: Property tax reform depends on economic recovery

Lawmakers are set to hold a hearing today on decoupling the state’s tax code from federal CARES Act tax policies that provide emergency economic relief to those most impacted by COVID-19, which will reduce business and employee Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) in one way or another. Because these CARES Act policies will reduce many Nebraskans’...

By Sarah Curry

Poll shows more voters oppose blocking COVID-19 business tax relief

Poll shows more voters oppose blocking COVID-19 business tax relief

NET’s Fred Knapp reported on Twitter this week about a tax issue poll conducted by the campaign committee of Nebraska state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who is also the chair of the Revenue Committee. According to the documents provided by the campaign, the poll was a telephone survey of 509 Nebraska voters conducted from July...

By Adam Weinberg

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