News
Gov. Pillen open to options on lowering property taxes
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen says he’s open to discussing solutions for lowering the state’s property tax burden.
His proposal that would remove sales tax exemptions on some ag inputs has faced pushback because of how the plan could impact young farmers who rent property.
“If we would end up with inputs being a part of taxing seed corn, chemicals and fertilizer at 2% and it’s $200, that’s eight dollars an acre,” he says. “I’d be an advocate of a tax credit for young farmers.”
Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue says the organization doesn’t support taxing inputs.
“If you start taxing all the different steps in agriculture, then all of a sudden you have a pyramiding or compounding of taxes that happen,” he says
Pillen says his plan would reduce property taxes from $100 an acre to $40.
“If the plan goes away from inputs and goes to taxing new equipment, I’m ok,” he says. “We’ve just got to find the revenue.”
The legislature will convene a special session on July 25.
AUDIO: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen
