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OpenSky PowerPoint available for download

Download the PowerPoint presentation we used on our tour around the state this week.

Senate votes for retail fairness

U.S. Sens. Mike Johanns and Deb Fischer were among a strong bi-partisan Senate contingent that voted on Monday to pass the Marketplace Fairness Act – which gives states the ability to collect online sales taxes.
Nebraska loses an estimated $98 million[1] every year to untaxed online and catalog sales. While Nebraskans are legally required to remit use tax through their… (read more)

Appropriations budget: Appropriations up, funding restoration slow

A decade-long decline in state spending will come to an end if the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee budget is adopted. The committee’s recommendations call for a 5.2 percent average annual increase in General Fund appropriations this biennium, but it’s important to note that appropriations only grew at a 1.1 percent average over the previous four years. As such, the budget would be a small first step toward restoration of support in key budget areas such as education, transportation and infrastructure, and health and human services.

Forecasting board gives nod to state’s strong economy

A sign of Nebraska’s strengthening economy came from the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board on Thursday as it predicted a $53 million increase over February’s 2013-15 biennium revenue projections. The board also anticipated a $125 million increase in the state’s Cash Reserve Fund – or “Rainy Day Fund” due to a one-time increase in personal income tax receipts, a phenomenon that this Rockefeller Institute report shows many states will experience this year. But the news should be met with cautious optimism.