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We all know that school funding in Nebraska can be complex. With the Legislature committing additional funding to K-12 education in 2023 while implementing a new cap on school district revenues, OpenSky sought to provide a tool to help taxpayers to better understand the state’s education finance system.
A new webpage features profiles of all of Nebraska’s 244 public school districts plotted on an interactive map. Users can see financial information, student demographics and achievement data. A few numbers:
- 3.65%: Across all 244 school districts, budgeted general fund expenditures grew by 3.65% from 2022-23 to 2023-24
- 40: A total of 40 school districts received less in state aid in 2023-24 than they received in 2022-23
- 14: Only 14 school districts had general fund levies of greater than $1.00 in 2023-24, compared to 40 the previous year
View OpenSky’s School District Profiles
79%
Nearly four in five Americans support raising taxes on the rich, including 94% of Democrats, 78% of independents and 63% of Republicans, according to a new report from Navigator Research. Support for raising taxes on the wealthy and big corporations spans income levels, with 79% backing among those making less than $50,000 per year and 72% support from those living in households earning more than $100,000 per year.
In Pennsylvania, policymakers are considering a proposal that would decrease the personal income tax on wages and interest and increase the tax on passive income from wealth. Currently, the 20% of the state’s families with the lowest incomes pay 15% of their income on state and local taxes, while those in the top 1% only pay 6%.
View poll results from Navigator Research
More on Fair Share Tax Plan from Pennsylvania Capital-Star
Number crunching
- $169,000: For every 1% increase in participation in WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, $169,000 in federal funding would go toward food security in Nebraska. In 2021, only 58.2% of eligible people in Nebraska participated in WIC.
- $245 million: The Appropriations Committee’s proposed budget adjustments call for $245 million in new cash fund transfers to the state’s general fund. The last time the Legislature agreed to a cash fund transfer of a similar magnitude was in FY18 when the state had to contend with a significant budget shortfall. This year, the Appropriations Committee proposal leaves an estimated $575 million budget surplus.
Come work with us
OpenSky has begun hiring for a Development Manager/Director (depending on experience) to further our mission of providing clear thinking for a stronger Nebraska.