Nebraskanomics: Growing Nebraska’s Workforce with Mike Beyer
Nebraskanomics: Growing Nebraska’s Workforce with Mike Beyer
With more than 50,000 jobs currently available in Nebraska, Jim discusses ways to remove barriers to welcoming more workers to Nebraska with Navy veteran and Nebraska-licensed electrician Mike Beyer. A transcript of the discussion can be found below. You can watch the video on YouTube or listen to the podcast episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Jim...
Nebraska state revenues continue positive trend in September 2021
Nebraska state revenues continue positive trend in September 2021
Nebraska’s September state tax revenue collections continue to be positive, as all major tax types (sales, personal income tax, and corporate income tax) are posting above forecast. The only tax type not to meet its expected forecast are miscellaneous taxes. This tax category includes cigarette and tobacco taxes, the state tire fee, mechanical amusement device...
By Sarah Curry
Nebraska has a foreign tax with a local impact
Nebraska has a foreign tax with a local impact
There have been a lot of tax changes at the state and federal level in the last few years, one of which is the taxation of foreign income, otherwise known as GILTI. GILTI stands for Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income. It’s a category of income that is earned abroad by U.S.-controlled foreign corporations and is subject to special treatment under...
By Sarah Curry
What should Nebraska do with more federal money?
What should Nebraska do with more federal money?
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented amount of money sent to the state of Nebraska from the federal government. First, the CARES Act sent $1.25 billion directly to the state. However, when you include all the money sent to the various agencies and operations, the total was closer to $10 billion. Then, the...
By Sarah Curry
Nebraska’s unemployment trust fund is now above pre-pandemic levels
Nebraska’s unemployment trust fund is now above pre-pandemic levels
During the height of the pandemic and directed health measures that caused businesses across the state to close, Nebraska saw its unemployment rate jump to 8.3%, or 86,300 people actively looking for work. This was the most people filing unemployment claims ever in the history of recording unemployment data. Nebraska paid a total of $1,423,551,932...
By Sarah Curry
What’s the status of property tax relief?
What’s the status of property tax relief?
For 2021, the Nebraska Legislature increased funding for the Property Tax Credit Fund by $25 million, to a total of $300 million. The state distributes the money from the fund to local taxing subdivisions. Then, your county treasurer credits your property tax bill based on your valuation. However, it has no bearing on how much...
By Jim Vokal
August general fund revenues exceed expectations
August general fund revenues exceed expectations
Nebraska August tax revenues have been reported by the Department of Revenue, and the result continues to be positive, as all tax types are posting above forecast figures. For the month of August, net revenues were 9% above forecast, or in excess by $46 million. Personal income tax collections for the month posted double-digit percentages...
By Sarah Curry
Nebraskanomics: Taxes That Lose Money for Nebraska
Nebraskanomics: Taxes That Lose Money for Nebraska
Tax attorney Tom Yamachika of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii explains how the types of taxes states have, or the way they are designed, can cause states to lose revenue or to impose higher tax rates than necessary. A transcript of the discussion can be found below. You can watch the video on YouTube or listen to...
Nebraskanomics: A GAAP in Nebraska Budgeting Practices
Nebraskanomics: A GAAP in Nebraska Budgeting Practices
William Glasgall and former New York Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch of the Volcker Alliance join Jim to discuss why a major influx of federal money might be mismanaged under current local government financial practices. A transcript of the discussion can be found below. You can watch the video on YouTube or listen to the podcast episode...
Blueprint Nebraska’s Report on the Economic and Fiscal Impact of Tax Modernization
Blueprint Nebraska’s Report on the Economic and Fiscal Impact of Tax Modernization
The complete economic and fiscal impact report on the Blueprint Nebraska tax modernization plan by Regional Economic Models, Inc. is available in PDF format at this link. This page provides Blueprint Nebraska’s summary of that report. Nebraska has an outdated tax system that features relatively high taxes and inefficient and unpredictable funding of essential government services....
Nebraska should invest in its accounting infrastructure
Nebraska should invest in its accounting infrastructure
The news of the latest federal infrastructure bill, which follows the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act, has some people worried about the amount of debt and spending our country is taking on. And while that is happening far away from Nebraska, many of us don’t think about the impact these spending plans...
By Sarah Curry
Making Cents: Why Nebraska Should Modernize the Sales Tax, Pt. 2
Making Cents: Why Nebraska Should Modernize the Sales Tax, Pt. 2
In our last episode, we discussed some of the practical and economic reasons why Nebraska should eliminate more of its sales tax exemptions. Now, let’s talk about crafting a vision for a better tax system, and how modernizing the sales tax fits into any plan to make bold changes in our state. You can watch...
By Jim Vokal
Blueprint Nebraska’s Tax Modernization Plan Explained
Blueprint Nebraska’s Tax Modernization Plan Explained
Blueprint Nebraska, a campaign dedicated to increasing Nebraska’s economic growth and competitiveness over the next decade, has released its proposed framework for bringing Nebraska’s tax system into the 21st century. Blueprint Nebraska’s Taxation & Incentives Industry Council took insights from surveys, public forums, and tax policy research to develop a plan that gives Nebraska a...
By Jim Vokal