Sen. Tom Briese of Albion has introduced a proposal in the Legislature to decouple Nebraska's state tax system from some provisions of the federal income tax system in order to preserve an estimated $250 million in state revenue over the next three years to help fund property tax relief.
The federal coronavirus aid package provides Nebraska taxpayers with an estimated $1 billion in federal income tax relief over the next three years, reducing state revenue by $250 million in the process because the state's income tax law is tied to the federal income tax system.
"Opponents of property tax relief have pointed to revenue uncertainty as they attempt to dial back our efforts" for property tax relief, Briese said. "We cannot allow this uncertainty, real or perceived, to become the excuse for failure to deliver on needed reform."
Some opponents of his proposal "will claim that state income tax relief to a limited swath of Nebraska taxpayers, when those same taxpayers will receive federal tax relief roughly four times as great, is more important than property tax relief for everyday Nebraskans," Briese said. "I couldn't disagree more."
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Briese said "unreasonable and unsustainable over-reliance on property taxes to fund local government is choking off economic growth across our state."
A proposal that would fund property tax relief through decreased property valuation and increased state aid to schools is pending in the Legislature but does not appear to currently have the support to clear a filibuster by its legislative opponents.