LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – On Monday, Governor Ricketts signed Nebraska’s two-year budget bill. This happens after the legislature has unanimously approved it.
With the budget approved on Tuesday, lawmakers say it will take some pressure off homeowners.
Lincoln Senator Anna Wishart said, “The more state aid we give to schools, the less local communities will have to invest to lower property taxes.”
The budget is over $ 1 billion for K-12 funding.
Governor Pete Ricketts said it was the largest education funding the state has ever provided.
“While we continue to urge local governments to control their spending, it is also important that we continue to invest in education,” said Governor Ricketts.
A priority for Governor Ricketts at this meeting is property tax relief.
He called on lawmakers to provide $ 1.36 billion in his country address over the biennium. He signed $ 1.45 billion on Tuesday for property tax relief.
Governor Ricketts said, “We’ve been working on this for a long time.”
“You will see a portion of your property tax credit, which is a reduction in what you will be paying on your bill,” said Sen. Wishart.
Governor Ricketts said the final budget was roughly 95% of what he asked lawmakers to do. This includes the next steps towards a new state prison.
“It is important that we replace this state prison. This budget allows us to move this process forward by starting the design work, ”said Governor Ricketts.
For Sen. Wishart, she focuses on research within the prison system.
“We work a lot with federal coaching from the judicial institute over the summer to find out how we can carry out comprehensive prison reform,” said Sen. Wishart.
She adds that next year will be a big year for criminal justice reform and analysis of overcrowded prisons in Nebraska.
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