Nebraska Legislature convenes for a special session to ease property taxes, but with no solid plan

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have convened for a special legislative session called by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen with a directive to slash soaring property taxes in half, but no concrete answers on whether the Legislature will be able to agree on how to do that.

Convivial lawmakers showed up Thursday for the start of the special session, greeting each other warmly with hugs and smiles. But the congeniality belied a brewing storm of clashing proposals and ideologies on how to best approach Pillen’s plan to slash property taxes in half. One thing most agree on is that there aren’t currently the 33 votes needed for the governor’s plan to pass.

Sen. Danielle Conrad, a Democrat from Lincoln in the officially nonpartisan, one-chamber Nebraska Legislature, said she has gotten a clear consensus from her 48 colleagues.

“The governor’s plan is dead on arrival. So the Legislature needs to quickly pivot to other ideas that can provide relief for Nebraskans that are realistic, responsible and reasonable,” she said.

Pillen promised to call the special session after lawmakers were unable to agree on Pillen’s less ambitious proposal during the regular session earlier this year to cut property taxes by 40%. Pillen’s newest plan would vastly expand the number of goods and services subject to new taxes, including candy, soda, cigarettes, alcohol and CBD products, and to services like pet grooming, veterinary care and auto repairs. Most groceries and medicine would remain exempt.

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