by Mick Mines | May 8, 2017 | Advocacy
Mother of All Bills LB 461, the grand tax reform MOAB, turned out to be a dud. Governor Ricketts and Revenue Committee chair, Jim Smith, were all over this one. But, when put to senators for a vote, their count was six noses short. Who didn’t vote for MOAB? All...
by Mick Mines | May 5, 2017 | Advocacy, Association News
Budget “It’s clearly a budget. It’s got a lot of numbers in it.” – George W Bush. Proponents of LB 337, the $8.9 billion main line budget bill, overcame a snarky filibuster and advanced the bill from General File to Select File. To be...
by Mick Mines | April 24, 2017 | Advocacy
Tax Reform Anyone? LB 461 is a tax reform bill upon which Governor Ricketts and Revenue Committee chairman, Jim Smith, have expended some serious political capital. The bill cuts income and property taxes. Good thing, right? Well, it’s not the tax panacea as...
by Mick Mines | April 17, 2017 | Advocacy, Association News
Making Soup Lawmaking is not supposed to be easy. Love the analogy about making soup. This 104th Legislature, 1st Session is contentious and far from easy. Much like our nation’s capitol. The Right holds the majority, the Left is in the minority, and a few...
by Mick Mines | April 10, 2017 | Advocacy
Must be April Three bills intended to restructure Nebraska’s tax code have caused quite the hubbub. Without going into detail (you are welcome), the principle tax bill is LB 461. The bill would cut individual and corporate tax rates, value agriculture land on...
by Mick Mines | April 3, 2017 | Advocacy
Kumbaya Jupiter aligned with Mars following the Legislature’s four-day recess. With committee hearings in the rearview mirror, the agenda moved to all-day floor debate. And just when no-one was looking, a 49-senator GROUP HUG broke out (followed by the checking of...
