Removing Barriers for Nebraskans

Typical Douglas County property valuation hike nears 13%

Typical Douglas County property valuation hike nears 13%

If you are concerned about property taxes in Douglas County, the latest news isn’t the best. First, we learned that the Douglas County Assessor increased the valuations of existing residential properties by 7%. But the overall increase understates the impact on property owners. According to an Omaha World-Herald analysis of property valuations, a nearly 13%...

By Jim Vokal

Central Nebraskans enthusiastic about consumption tax, but mixed on ballot initiative

Central Nebraskans enthusiastic about consumption tax, but mixed on ballot initiative

Participants in the recent Central Nebraska Virtual Property Tax Town Hall voted in five online polls about a variety of property tax-related questions. As with all of the Virtual Town Halls the Platte Institute is hosting this summer, the polls from these events are only the opinions of participants who made an effort to attend...

By Adam Weinberg

Louisville voters reject a property tax increase amid the pandemic

Louisville voters reject a property tax increase amid the pandemic

As Nebraska legislators head back to Lincoln and into the last 17 days of their suspended regular session, they should keep in the back of their minds what happened in a Louisville special bond election on July 14. Louisville voters rejected a bond issue that would have allowed the district to build a new elementary...

By Sarah Curry, Laura Ebke

Nebraska’s June unemployment rate increases to 6.7%

Nebraska’s June unemployment rate increases to 6.7%

The Nebraska Department of Labor is reporting that the state posted a preliminary unemployment rate of 6.7% in June, a significant uptick from May when Nebraska posted a revised unemployment rate of 5.3%, which was the lowest in the country at the time. The department says the greater volatility in unemployment rates can be attributed...

By Adam Weinberg

Nebraska is in a relatively good revenue position compared with other states

Nebraska is in a relatively good revenue position compared with other states

Today is the new tax filing deadline in Nebraska. Today is also when the Department of Revenue released the state’s tax revenue figures for the month of June and for the last fiscal year (FY2019-2020). It is important to note that Nebraska’s phase 3 of directed health measures went into effect on June 22. So,...

By Sarah Curry

62% say voters should decide property tax issue

62% say voters should decide property tax issue

Voters and taxpayers from Western Nebraska shared their perspectives in the Platte Institute’s first Virtual Property Tax Town Hall. Similar programs are scheduled for other regions of the state through July and August. Throughout the town hall, participants were invited to vote in live online polls for five property tax-related questions. Of course, these are...

By Adam Weinberg

Linehan discusses property tax reform on Platte Institute webinar

Linehan discusses property tax reform on Platte Institute webinar

Nebraska Legislature Revenue Committee Chair Sen. Lou Ann Linehan joined Platte Institute CEO Jim Vokal on unresolved tax policy issues facing the Unicameral in its scheduled return later this month. On a webinar last week, Speaker Jim Scheer emphasized that property tax reform would be a key focus area before the legislative calendar came to an...

By Jaliya Nagahawatte

Nebraska PPP loan data show CARES Act tax policies are essential

Nebraska PPP loan data show CARES Act tax policies are essential

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is one of the largest parts of the federal government’s CARES Act relief legislation. The PPP provides loans intended to help small businesses—those with 500 or fewer employees—maintain their payroll, hire back any employees who were laid off, and cover applicable overhead expenses such as rent and utilities. Detailed data...

By Sarah Curry, Jaliya Nagahawatte

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