Nebraska Chamber of Commerce President stops in Sidney

SIDNEY -- The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce started its annual post-legislative session listening tour Monday with a stop in Sidney.

Bryan Slone, President of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, met with community members in at the Elks Lodge to hear concerns and share possible solutions. Slone said he tours the state after the legislative session closes.

""Every year once the legislature is done, which they adjourned last week, I start a tour around the state, and it's a listening tour," Slone said Monday.

Slone said the tour will take place all summer. During the tour, he will gather input from community leaders, which will affect the State Chamber's agenda for the next legislative session.

Slone said this year's legislative session "was one of the most successful years in the history of Nebraska." He said this year's session includes one of the largest tax cut in the history of the state.

"Individual rates are being cut down to 3.99 percent. They started at 6.84," he said.

Slone added that property taxes are also getting cut. He said economically and tax-wise, Nebraska will be among the top 15 states in the country. 

The cuts were made because the State had excess revenue, according to Slone.

"So, actually, the state had too much money. Nebraska's economy was one of the top economies per capita in the country during COVID. We actually had right around $2 billion in excess cash in the state coffers," Slone said.

He said the State will need to continue with normal diligence.

During the meeting he asked those in attendance what are the biggest challenges in the area. Comments included housing, workers and childcare.  Slone was told a recent study shows Sidney could use about 200 new homes. The problem is who will build them. 

Slone suggested people aren't not working, nor are they only relying on unemployment checks. He said the shortage of workers is a reflection of a declining birth rate in the country. He also asked the audience what brings people to Sidney, and what encourages them to stay.

He talked about the difficulty in available and affordable childcare; how some companies have resorted to building onsite child care facilities and other communities have established co-op child care centers.

He also added that changes in the immigration system will need to be made to meet the worker demand, including the visa program.