Budget advances to the final round, gas tax increase vetoed, OpenSky presenting in Kearney on Monday

The Appropriations Committee budget proposal advanced to final round debate and an increase of Nebraska’s gas tax was vetoed during the Nebraska Legislature’s fiscal debate this week.

Budget advances

On Wednesday, lawmakers advanced the $8.7 billion Appropriations Committee budget proposal to the final round of debate.

Between the first and second round, lawmakers – who previously advanced a $60 million increase in the Property Tax Credit program for the next two years — increased funding of the credit by an additional $4 million for each of the next two years. The increase means the Property Tax Credit will increase by a total of $64 million over the next two years if the budget is ultimately approved.

Gas tax increase vetoed

On Thursday, lawmakers voted 26-15 to advance LB 610 – which would increase the state’s gas tax – to be signed into law. Shortly thereafter, Gov. Pete Ricketts vetoed the measure. Lawmakers can override the governor’s veto with 30 votes.

Our research has shown that Nebraska’s gas tax has failed to keep up with inflation and that on average, Nebraskans paid nearly $1,200 more annually for gas per car in 2013 than they did in 1993 but in that same period they paid just $3 more per car in gas tax.

See OpenSky present in Kearney on Monday

OpenSky will present to the Kearney Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee on Monday from noon to 1 p.m. at 10007 2^nd Ave.

If you would like to attend the presentation, contact our communications director Chuck Brown at cbrown@openskypolicy.org or 402-610-1522 by Monday morning at 8 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

OpenSky on the air

Our executive director Renee Fry will be on air live with Steve Altmeier of KGFW at 10:10 a.m. on Monday morning.

Renee also will be interviewed by KJSK 900 AM in Columbus on Thursday so if you’re in the Columbus area, keep an ear out for the airing of that interview late next week.

Thanks to Sen. Mello, briefing attendees

Thanks to Sen. Heath Mello, chairman of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, for leading budget discussions at our recent briefings in Omaha and Lincoln. We also want to thank those who attended and participated in a vibrant discussion about the state budget and other fiscal issues.

In response to several requests, we are sharing this PDF of the PowerPoint presentation that we used at our budget briefings to give an overview of the Nebraska tax and budget debate.

We plan to do more briefings in the future and will let you know as soon as plans for these events are set!