Revenue Committee could forward tax relief plan this week to the legislature

BEATRICE – It remains to be seen what property tax relief plan will come out of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee. Monday was a check-in day, with the session resuming at one p.m. State Senator Myron Dorn says there doesn’t appear to be enough support for a specific proposal at this time…..yet most lawmakers agree about the seriousness of the property tax impact in Nebraska.

"I know there are a very strong group of senators that really want to get something done. As I talk to some of the people who are running, who are candidates this year...without a doubt, most of them all say property taxes, when they're knocking on doors....it doesn't matter if I talk to some of them running in Omaha or talk to somebody running, out west...it's the same general theme. Property taxes, and can you get something done. We know that's very much a concern. Definitely right now, there's not enough votes to get this package across."

Last week, lawmakers advanced a bill to pay for the special session’s expenses. At the time, the expenses were said to be $116,000 over ten days. But Monday is the tenth day, with some uncertainty about how many more days will remain.  Dorn says if no agreement can be reached, he doesn’t see the special session lasting much longer.

"I don't know if we're going to go much past another week....for sure not another two weeks, because if there's not enough communication, enough working with different senators to come to a resolution...we don't need to sit there for another month and just run up a bill of extra costs for us."

There is the potential for a specific property tax relief plan to be advanced by the Revenue Committee this week, with floor debate starting as early as Tuesday.