Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen told his monthly radio call-in show yesterday heard on KCSR that he wants the state to cover 100% of K-12 funding in the state, completely ending the use of local property taxes for schools.
Nebraskans paid $5.3-billion dollars in property taxes last year with about 60% going to K-12 schools, which Pillen said was wrong because the state constitution is “crystal clear” that the state is supposed to educate children, not property tax payers.
State income taxes brought in $3.7-billion dollars last year with sales taxes at $2.3-billion. Both would likely need to go up significantly if property taxes were taken out of the school funding mix.
Pillen said his plan “does nothing but strengthen [public schools],” repeating his reading of the state constitution that “It’s never been the intent that property taxes educate our kids.”
In a related development, the governor today kicks off his latest series of town hall meetings to drum up support for a special session of the legislature to pass his property tax relief plan.
Pillen will be in Holdrege and Kearney today, Columbus tomorrow, Valentine, Chadron, and Alliance on Thursday, and Ogallala, McCook, and Lexington on Friday.
The governor’s Town Hall in Chadron begins at 1:00 in the Chadron State College Student Center while his Alliance stop is at the Westside Events Center at 4:30.