Budget & Budget Process

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.

If Nebraska lawmakers follow through on a proposal to eliminate the state’s inheritance tax, many counties will find it hard to keep roads safe and support businesses, and property tax increases will be highly likely in many counties, according to… (read more)

To help Huskers decode how Nebraska makes budget decisions and creates tax policy, OpenSky Policy Institute has created Looking for Clarity: An Overview of Nebraska Budget and Tax Policy. This easy-to-read primer takes the confusion out of Nebraska’s laws and tax… (read more)