Two political groups that don't reveal their donors are encouraging rank-and-file Nebraskans to weigh in on proposed tax cuts being considered by the state Legislature.
Reform for Nebraska's Future, a group led by Lincoln attorney Mark Fahleson and City Councilman Trent Fellers, has waged a months-long campaign to pressure state leaders to focus on lowering property taxes this year.
And this week, the conservative group Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska launched a radio ad supporting income tax cuts and a property tax measure put forth by Gov. Pete Ricketts.
The blitz comes as Revenue Committee members attempt to craft a package of proposed cuts to bring before the full Legislature in the coming weeks.Â
"We've been doing calls and emails and letters to state senators since the beginning of the session," Fellers said Friday. "We've done town hall meetings across the state. We're planning some radio."
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Reform for Nebraska's Future also issued a statewide mailer Wednesday encouraging people to contact Revenue Chairman Jim Smith about property taxes.
The group has pushed raising state sales taxes or eliminating tax exemptions to help lower local property taxes.
Americans for Prosperity's ad takes a poke at that proposal.
"We want Nebraska to be top-tier for football, not taxes," a man's voice says, a country fiddle playing in the background. He urges people to contact Revenue Committee members: "Tell them you want lower taxes, not a sales tax hike."
The radio ad is only airing in Lincoln for now, said Matt Litt, state director for Americans for Prosperity. Online advertising will appear statewide, he said.Â
"As circumstances change down at the Capitol, we'll adjust accordingly."
The Revenue Committee agreed Thursday to include personal and corporate income tax cuts in the package, as well as proposed changes to the valuation process for agricultural land designed to limit property tax increases.
Those components come from three bills: LB337 and LB338, sponsored by Smith and Sen. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft on the governor's behalf, and LB452, sponsored by Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha.
But a fourth component, an amended version of LB640 from Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, is still under discussion and appears to be the most controversial piece.
Groene said his goal is to trigger an immediate lowering of school district property tax levies across the state by increasing state aid to schools.Â
Groene wants to pay for his measure by redirecting all $221 million from the state's fund for property tax credits. The question is whether Smith and other urban conservatives will approve.Â
Some of that money might be needed to cover part of the approximately $40 million fiscal impact of Lindstrom's income tax bill, Smith said Thursday.
Fellers said he's still reviewing Groene's proposal, but that his group wouldn't support using the credit fund to pay for income tax cuts. A host of agriculture and education groups agree, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau and the Nebraska State Education Association.
"We would be completely opposed to it," Fellers said. "We're really concerned about using the property tax relief fund to fund anything other than property tax relief."