A bill to raise the state sales tax by a penny found few friends at a legislative hearing Wednesday, despite the promise of using the resulting revenue to cut property taxes.
Legislative Bill 1315 would boost the tax rate to 6.5 cents, up from the current 5.5 cents, and bring in nearly half the money needed to achieve Gov. Jim Pillen’s goal of reducing property taxes by 40%.
State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area, who introduced the bill, said it is intended as part of a package aimed at rebalancing the state’s “three-legged tax stool.”