Senator Tom Brewer
43rd District
05-04-2018

“Operation Mongoose,” which was our request for a special session to address property taxes, failed. Then can you imagine how disappointed everyone was when we found out through the newspaper that the ballot initiative to lower property taxes was stopped? The organization running it announced they were unable to raise the needed money. They also questioned whether or not the “method” being used would actually work. The announcement was sudden and unexpected. The many senators, staff and other citizen and industry groups that had all worked on property tax reform for over a year were not forewarned of the announcement. This is unacceptable. I am forced to wonder if there was a political reason for killing the petition in the no-notice, abrupt way it happened.

For some reason the potential donors that were identified early in the process all dried up. Something changed their minds. A number of people and organizations were publicly opposed to the ballot initiative from the start. I’ll leave it to others to speculate.

In addition to the money drying up, they also questioned the “method” of the ballot initiative. I am at a loss because the people of Nebraska have the constitutional right to use three different tools. (1) A ballot “initiative” that enacts a new statute (the people pass a law). This was the method chosen for the property tax ballot initiative. (2) A ballot “initiative” that enacts a new constitutional amendment. (3) A ballot “referendum” which is the people vetoing a law that the legislature had passed. This happened with the death penalty a few years ago.

Some say that even if the people passed the ballot initiative to lower property taxes, it would deadlock the legislature. This means they would not be able to pass the laws needed to implement it. Another theory is 33 votes (2/3 of the body) could modify what the people just passed. With 33 votes, it could be dramatically changed and watered-down to some fraction of the people’s original intent. Any vote to change what Nebraskans’ just passed on the ballot would be on that Senator’s record. I certainly wouldn’t want such a vote on my record.

Should these concerns stop the people from performing their role as the 2nd House of government in our State? I think these theories are a ceramic vessel of fecal matter, and in no way justify frustrating the people’s constitutional right to address the most serious problem in Nebraska.

So where does that leave us? Stay tuned. I’m not done yet.

On another note, please be patient with us for the next month or so. Renovations in the Capitol are forcing a number of senators to move their offices into tower. We will soon be on the 11th floor.

Please contact my office with any comments, questions or concerns. Email me at; tbrewer@leg.ne.gov. Mail a letter to; Sen. Tom Brewer, Room #1202, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509 or call us at (402) 471-2628.