If Nebraska wants to “move the needle” on its graduation rates, it needs to focus on high-needs students, those who are economically disadvantaged, living with disabilities, experiencing homelessness or have limited English [...]
Two measures on the Legislature’s Tuesday agenda -- LB 132 and LB 454 -- seek to address Nebraska’s historical overreliance on property taxes to fund K-12 education. LB 132: A commonsense approach to addressing property-tax reliance As we [...]
A measure on today’s Legislative agenda, LB 132, would create the School Finance Review Commission. LB 132 presents a common-sense solution to Nebraska’s high reliance on property taxes. The issues contributing to our high [...]
Under LB 364, a bill before lawmakers today to create a tax credit for donations to private school scholarship programs, those who give to scholarship granting organizations would get a 14.5 times greater [...]
LB 408, a revenue measure that has received a senator priority designation, will be debated by the Legislature tomorrow. The measure, with committee amendment (AM 371), would limit local government property tax [...]
Economic development and growing Nebraska’s economy is a common refrain every legislative session and this year is no exception. Economic growth has been cited as a reason to advance legislation related to [...]
As mandatory closures and social distancing guidelines caused by COVID-19 continue to wreak havoc on nonprofit organizations and businesses across almost every sector of the economy, the federal government has taken important steps to provide support in the form of grants, loans, and tax credits. As the Small Business Association (SBA) began accepting loan applications pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on April 3, this brief highlights important pieces of the federal coronavirus legislation and acknowledges steps taken at the state and local levels to provide additional support to small businesses, which make up the vast majority of Nebraska businesses.
Congress recently passed important changes regarding paid leave that will help many Nebraskans amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal and state leaders, however, can further mitigate the effects of the virus on Nebraskans by taking additional actions to extend paid leave benefits to more workers.
Read more about LB 865 and LB 1042 -- two bills that relate to employer contributions to the Nebraska educational savings plan.
In a special feature for OpenSky, freelance journalist Robert Matteson writes about some of the unique factors and challenges that affect school spending and property taxes in Nebraska's bedroom communities.