OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (9/6/24)
$100,000 Indiana is the latest to join the list of states with outrageously expensive school voucher programs that attract primarily affluent students already enrolled in private schools. The average recipient of a state-funded scholarship to attend a private school in the state of Indiana is part of a family earning about $100,000 annually, according to […]
OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (8/16/24)
$122 Billion School districts across the country are facing budget crunches as ESSR, a $122 billion federal cash infusion targeted to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, sunsets next month. This, combined with declining enrollment and inflationary pressure is causing budget shortfalls that tee up difficult decisions for local governing bodies. In Nebraska, $546,290,147 […]
Holding the Line for Nebraska’s Future
After days of deliberation and a weekend of intense negotiations to seek to secure the necessary number of votes to overcome a filibuster, the Revenue Committee advanced AM 73 to LB 34 Monday afternoon, mere minutes after receiving a draft of the bill. This sets up a General File debate on a property tax relief […]
Halftime Report: Special Session Hearings
Special session hearings are halfway completed, with additional hearings scheduled today, tomorrow and Saturday in a variety of committees. The OpenSky team has been busy testifying and sending letters to highlight the need for careful consideration of a variety of measures, from luxury taxes to a cacophony of new sales taxes. The Education Committee begins […]
Substantial Bills to Have Public Hearings Today
Tuesday will see a busy lineup of hearings in the Legislature’s Revenue and Appropriations committees, including LB 1, which contains most of the components of the Nebraska Plan outlined by Governor Jim Pillen. OpenSky will be testifying on three key pieces of legislation. All hearings are open to the public and scheduled to begin at 9:30 […]
Special Session Hearings Underway
The Nebraska Legislature convened in special session last week and began bill introduction, which will continue through Monday. Also beginning Monday will be hearings in the Revenue committee to gather public input on proposed legislation. OpenSky has begun analyzing legislation, and we will be prepared to offer in-person testimony. LB 7 LB 7 would create a […]
OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (7/26/24)
Welcome to OpenSkyLIGHTS, with our special edition highlighting key numbers related to the Nebraska Legislature’s Special Session. 113 LB1, introduced by Senator Lou Ann Linehan, outlines elements of Governor Jim Pillen’s Nebraska Plan. It includes 113 current sales tax exemptions slated to be removed, creating a new tax ranging from 2%-7.5% on items ranging from […]
Understanding the Concept of “Hard Caps”
During the upcoming special session, Governor Jim Pillen has shared that he plans to introduce the concept of “hard caps” as a means to provide property tax relief for Nebraskans. Whether the caps in the plan would include cities, counties, school districts or other government subdivisions remains to be seen when specific legislation is introduced. […]
OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (7/19/24)
11 Beginning this weekend, 11 state senators will hold town hall meetings in Omaha and Lincoln to hear feedback from the community on the Governor’s recently-released Nebraska Plan and any other topics related to the pending special session. For residents of Omaha and Lincoln, this will be a great opportunity ensure to your views are […]
3 Things We Know About a Special Session (So Far)
Governor Jim Pillen has announced his intention to call the Legislature into special session starting July 25, with the goal of lowering property taxes in Nebraska. While a specific call has not been issued yet and specific legislation is pending, the OpenSky team has been laying the groundwork to understand the potential impact of the […]
It’s time to Give to Lincoln!
May is finally here, which means we are kicking off our annual Give to Lincoln campaign! Over the next month, you will hear about the crucial work we have been doing at OpenSky to create equal opportunities for all Nebraskans — and we have been busy! This legislative session, our team worked tirelessly to: Bring […]
OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (4/26/24)
33% In a world without racial inequality, 20% of each race or ethnicity would be represented in each quintile of income earners. But 33% of Black households fall in the bottom 20% of income earners in Nebraska compared to 6% in the highest-income quintile. Among Hispanic households, 31% land in the lowest 20% compared to […]
