Senator Tom Brewer
43rd District
5-3-2019

This week has felt like a long one, but it has been very productive. My office saw five of my bills advance in the legislative process. But the biggest tasks of the session are still ahead: passing property tax relief and passing a budget. A heavy orange book was laid on my desk at the end of this legislative work week. It is the Biennial Budget proposed by the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee. We fund the operation of the State of Nebraska one “biennium” (two years) at a time. Nebraska’s Constitution requires the legislature to do only two things: we have to meet, and in the odd-numbered years, we have to pass a balanced budget. That is it. We don’t “have to” do anything else. Technically, we do not need to pass a single bill.

Normally, the Speaker sets aside ten legislative days on the agenda—often with late nights planned—to navigate the contentious process of passing a budget. The legislative rules say the budget has to be introduced by the 70th legislative day and passed by the 80th legislative day, which will be the 22nd of May.

When important bills are not up for debate until late in the session, sometimes we run out of time. Waiting until the end of the session to debate property tax relief virtually guarantees its defeat. I am pleased to report that Senator Linehan, Senator Groene, and many others have been able to advance a property tax proposal from committee, and we will take it up on the floor for the first time before we debate the budget. This proposal, LB 289, with Senator Linehan’s new amendment, AM 1572, is on the Speaker’s agenda for debate on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 7th.

This bill is our best hope for real property tax relief this year. It limits school levies, controls over-spending, reduces taxable valuations for all property owners, broadens the sales tax base, and guarantees that a third of local school costs will be paid for with state funds. It contains spending controls, and long-term plans for keeping property taxes down. Concerns about the impact of the sales tax changes are addressed with an increase to the earned income tax credit.

This legislation is a product of a lot of hard work and compromise. It’s not perfect. It does not cut government spending the way I would prefer. It does not offer as much tax relief as I would like, but it has real, immediate property tax relief. Half the taxes paid in Nebraska are property taxes; almost the highest of any state. This bill brings more balance to how we fund K–12 public schools in Nebraska. I remain hopeful the legislature can continue to make progress on this critical issue yet this year.

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 #1423, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509, or call us at (402) 471-2628.