by Mick Mines | March 25, 2019 | Advocacy
Semikaput Last week, the Legislature strolled past midpoint of their 90-day session. With 44 legislative days remaining (until June 6), and a smattering of hearings this week, we approach the time when hundreds and hundreds of completely unpassable concoctions are...
by Mick Mines | March 11, 2019 | Advocacy
QUANDARY WalletHub says Nebraska’s effective total state and local tax rate is 49th worst in the country. The Tax Foundation ranks our property taxes the 40th highest. They also say we are middle of the pack in terms of our sales taxes (#25) and business tax climate...
by Mick Mines | March 4, 2019 | Advocacy
FINAL FINAL Reading in Nebraska’s unicameral process is the third and FINAL round of floor debate. Advancing a bill to FINAL Reading is a simple step-by-step process. Step #1 Senator introduces the bill. BTW, your friendly neighborhood lobbyist can be a terrific...
by Mick Mines | February 25, 2019 | Advocacy
30 Days In the mid-2000’s, “30 Days” was a reality television series on the FX Channel. Each episode, a person was immersed for thirty days in a totally unfamiliar lifestyle, like working for minimum wage, as a prisoner, or a Christian living as a Muslim. It was...
by Mick Mines | February 18, 2019 | Advocacy
“Here’s looking at you, kid” “Unicameral, Unicameral, don’t tax me – tax that fellow behind the tree.” Valentine’s Day, the Revenue Committee hearings featured three property relief bills: LB314, LB497 and LB677. Each would lower property taxes by shifting a greater...
by Mick Mines | February 11, 2019 | Advocacy
The Iron Chancellor Dead guy, Otto von Bismarck said, “If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made.” Quaint. We can all agree that Otto was not a handsome man, but he was blessed with a truly enormous set of eyebrows. And what does Otto...
