Nebraska Public Media
Governor Jim Pillen made clear his legislative priority for this year: reducing property taxes across the state of Nebraska.
During a snowy Monday press conference, and on his monthly state-wide call in show hosted on KLIN, Governor Jim Pillen said he’s aiming to reduce in state property taxes by 40% in 2024.
Pillen called on Nebraska Lawmakers and chambers of commerce to partner in achieving that goal, “Property taxes are so out of whack, you don’t even need to own property to be adversely affected,” said Pillen. “We need to do this for the countless Nebraskans who have worked, raised a family, and educated their kids here, by giving them the opportunity to retire in Nebraska. Our current property tax structure is taxing lifelong Nebraskans out of their homes – it is unacceptable.”
According to Pillen, 2023 state property taxes exceeded $5 billion and property tax collections have jumped $1.3 billion since 2017.
Pillen said his goal is to bring property tax collections to around $3 billion annually. Apart of this effort, the Governor convened a 40-person workgroup of state senators, State/City Chamber of Commerce representatives, agriculture industry groups and others this summer, to study the issue of property taxes and home valuations. The group agreed it was not enough to keep property taxes static, but a significant reduction would be required.
Gov. Pillen wants to work with the Legislature to determine the right path forward. He made clear that any plan would incorporate a hard cap on county and city spending. The state, he said, would be leading by example.
“We will reduce state spending by 3% this fiscal year, followed by another 6% in fiscal year 2025, while ensuring that state services improve through efficiencies and technology,” said Gov. Pillen.
Proposals also include front-loading property tax credits instead of requiring taxpayers to claim them, to further provide state aid to schools and reduce state spending. It would also require expanding the state’s tax base.
“Everything is on the table.” said Gov. Pillen.