Podcast: Jim Vokal Previews 2021 Legislature on KFAB
Podcast: Jim Vokal Previews 2021 Legislature on KFAB
Occupational board reform act reports submitted as scheduled
Occupational board reform act reports submitted as scheduled
December 15 was the statutory deadline for committee submission of final reports of reviews in compliance with the Occupational Board Reform Act (LB299, 2018). Although two committee reports have yet to be uploaded on the Legislature’s website, it appears that the change in the scheduling of the legislative session (as a result of COVID) and...
PPP loans are forgiven under new federal legislation, along with a second round of support
PPP loans are forgiven under new federal legislation, along with a second round of support
On 12/27 President Trump signed the legislation (H.R. 133) that sent businesses and individuals with additional COVID-19 relief. The enactment of this legislation not only created another round of PPP money, but more importantly it ensures tax deductibility for business expenses paid with PPP loans. This clarifies that loan forgiveness is not considered taxable income...
Nebraska’s economy returned to growth in 2020’s third quarter
Nebraska’s economy returned to growth in 2020’s third quarter
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis has released state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures for the third quarter of 2020, with the welcome news that every state experienced a return to growth. Nebraska registered an annualized 33.2% GDP growth rate. The country as a whole saw a similar percentage increase, at 33.4%. GDP is a...
Nebraska gas tax to decline 4.5 cents a gallon in 2021
Nebraska gas tax to decline 4.5 cents a gallon in 2021
The Nebraska Department of Revenue announced that Nebraska’s gas tax, formally known as the motor fuels tax, will be declining in the new year. The total tax will decrease from 33.2 cents a gallon to 28.7 cents a gallon. The reduction follows a previous hike in the excise, which took effect in July. At the...
KC Federal Reserve: Small business in Nebraska still at risk
KC Federal Reserve: Small business in Nebraska still at risk
Economists with the Omaha branch of the Kansas City Federal Reserve suggest that at year-end, there are still challenges ahead for small businesses in the Cornhusker State. The analysis points out the strength of Nebraska’s COVID recovery thus far: relatively low employment throughout the year, with even the increased numbers that were seen in April,...
November jobless rate up only slightly, but workforce challenge remains
November jobless rate up only slightly, but workforce challenge remains
In November, Nebraska’s state unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.1%, according to the Nebraska Department of Labor. The jobless rate still ties Nebraska with Vermont for the country’s lowest rate. In October, Nebraska had a 3% unemployment rate. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics would say that the difference between 3% and 3.1% is not...
Presidential executive order calls for more licensing reform efforts
Presidential executive order calls for more licensing reform efforts
On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order which urges the continued work of states and localities in the area of occupational licensing. This would include states like Nebraska and Iowa, who have been toiling for several years in this arena. While most occupational licensing takes place at the state level (and, so, problems with...
Webinar Video: Measuring Prosperity in Nebraska
Webinar Video: Measuring Prosperity in Nebraska
Here are additional resources from this webinar: Contact Shaun Flanagan Contact Ed Wickstead Presentation slides Video: “What is prosperity? Video: “USPI Key Findings” United States Prosperity Index website Reports and data Nebraska Index profile
Podcast: Build More Housing with Emily Hamilton
Podcast: Build More Housing with Emily Hamilton
Emily Hamilton, a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University joined Adam Weinberg to discuss her new Plate Institute policy brief, Build More Housing: Land Use Reform Opportunities for Nebraska’s Cities.
November tax revenues remain strong as 2021 Legislature approaches
November tax revenues remain strong as 2021 Legislature approaches
Nebraska’s November General Fund tax revenues are in, and the good news is that revenue forecasts were both exceeded by actual collections for both the month and the fiscal year. According to a press release from the Nebraska Department of Revenue, the month of November saw revenues 14.3% above the certified forecast and revenues for the...
Build More Housing: Land Use Reform Opportunities for Nebraska’s Cities
Build More Housing: Land Use Reform Opportunities for Nebraska’s Cities
Introduction Across the U.S., local zoning ordinances limit the amount of housing that can be built within their jurisdictions and drive up costs for housing that is permitted. These regulations are particularly burdensome for low-income households.1 The effects of land use regulations on housing costs are largest in high-cost coastal regions, but the ubiquity of...
December 16 webinar: Researchers to discuss measurements of prosperity in Nebraska
December 16 webinar: Researchers to discuss measurements of prosperity in Nebraska
On December 16, the Platte Institute will host researchers Shaun Flanagan and Ed Wickstead of the Legatum Institute for our latest webinar. You can register at PlatteInstitute.org/Events. The Legatum Institute is based in the United Kingdom and has built a niche in the area of studying relative measures of prosperity between countries and even U.S....
Licensing recognition can help launch projects like Space Command in Nebraska
Licensing recognition can help launch projects like Space Command in Nebraska
This article from the Lincoln Journal Star popped up in my notifications a bit ago, and while the first section talks primarily about COVID-19 response and plans at the University of Nebraska, here’s one excerpt that struck me as the most interesting. Ted Carter, the University of Nebraska president, is also a retired U.S. Navy...