ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Tax reform is long overdue. Nebraska’s 1967 tax code is not competitive. It’s not attractive to people who want to call Nebraska home, and it does not incentivize our current or future economy.

My plan will eliminate the three lowest Nebraska individual income tax brackets through a phased-out approach, making Nebraska more competitive for the people who live here as well as the people who want to live here. These tax code changes will make it easier for all Nebraskans to make and keep a living wage.

• 1) 0% rate on incomes from $0-49,999 for single filing individuals, and $0-$99,999 for married filing jointly.
• 2) 5.60% rate on all income above $50,000 for single filing individuals, and above $100,000 for married filing jointly.
• 3) Once fully implemented, a rate reduction in the second bracket to 4.99%.

Tax cuts drive economic growth. Last session, we passed my priority legislation, LB 64, to cut taxes on social security benefits, and this session we are working hard to speed up implementation with LB 825. This important tax reform will put more money into the pockets of over 80,000 Nebraskans and drive consumer spending for businesses.

Nebraska’s property taxes put our agricultural producers at a competitive disadvantage, and they stifle growth throughout our state. By reducing the Local Effort Rate and increasing the Allocated Income Tax, we can facilitate significant property tax relief rapidly. Nebraska currently ranks 49th in the United States for state aid to education, with 87 of 244 school districts receiving state aid. This results in drastically different funding amounts for rural and urban schools. My plan creates a fair funding model for education, while making Nebraska more competitive for growth.

Infrastructure investment is long overdue throughout Nebraska, and the next Governor will have a unique opportunity to invest in our state. Every Nebraska business relies on safe roads, reliable utilities, and a comprehensive infrastructure backbone that connects Nebraska to the world. These resources need to be modernized and upgraded to be competitive in a global economy. I’m ready to get to work on Day 1 investing in Nebraska’s infrastructure. The time to act is NOW.

Rural broadband is imperative to ensuring growth and stability in rural portions of the state. Extending and strengthening Nebraska’s broadband network will help to ensure small businesses can compete on the world stage and will help secure better educational opportunities for all Nebraskans.

I am a proud supporter of the Rural Development Projects Act – which will support critical transportation infrastructure throughout rural Nebraska and encourage businesses to expand, creating opportunities and leading to a more competitive Nebraska.

Strong communities are great places to raise families and grow businesses. We must encourage community building in all parts of Nebraska. My priority legislation, LB 39, will bring youth sports complexes to Grand Island, Kearney, and communities throughout our state in the coming years.

Nebraska’s main streets are where our communities began, and they are where commerce and opportunities thrive. By investing in our main street businesses through a modernized tax code, the Business Innovation Act, targeted entrepreneurial programming, and programs like the Rural Workforce Housing Act, we will strengthen the hearts of our communities and ensure that Nebraska’s main streets remain competitive places to live and to do business.

Nebraska’s communities are facing a unique set of challenges. Many communities struggle to provide adequate housing and childcare to sustain the community and its workforce needs. We must create a bigger tent and bring all Nebraskans to the table to allow collaboration around our state on Housing, Childcare, and Quality of Life needs. This will facilitate collaboration to replicate programs that are working across the state.

We must expand education funding in the state through the TEEOSA formula. At the same time, we must continue to take an active role in aligning the needs of our state’s best employers with the work of our schools by supporting career pathways.

Workforce development is essential for Nebraska to reverse the brain drain of our best and brightest young people. Focusing on developing educational opportunities for critical industries, like the healthcare and manufacturing, will ensure access to opportunities and services in all parts of Nebraska.

There are currently more than 60,000 available jobs in Nebraska. Without a plan, without immediate action, Nebraska will face a critical shortage of medical personnel by 2025 and numerous other sectors of Nebraska are already facing shortages that are decreasing their competitiveness. We simply cannot wait to act!

Nebraska is well suited to expand our manufacturing and other skilled sectors with high paying, highly skilled jobs with the right advocate leading our state. We must encourage and invest in more partnerships between K-12 schools, community colleges, and our state’s colleges and universities to prepare our young people to enter the workforce, skilled and ready to earn a competitive wage. We will continue to develop world class programs to encourage internships and apprenticeships. When we invest in Nebraskans, we cannot lose.