Chamber Leader Weighs In On Future Tax Relief Plan Discussions

LINCOLN–(KFOR Apr. 23)–A special session of the Nebraska Legislature seems inevitable for later this summer to further discuss a property tax relief bill that failed to get enough support to pass on the final day of work last week.

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce president Jason Ball says the chamber didn’t lobby against the final version of LB 388 because a statewide sales tax increase was not included. But he told Lincoln’s Morning News on KFOR on Tuesday if a special session is called by Governor Jim Pillen for this summer, there need to be discussions over which industries have sales tax exemptions removed and become subject to sales tax.

“If we’re going to expand that base (sales tax collection), we need to also lower the sales tax rate.  Not increase it,” Ball said.

A sin tax, or excise tax, on certain goods like pop and candy and removing tax exemptions for things like digital advertising also caused concerns for the Chamber.

Last Thursday, on the final day of the 60-day Legislative session, Nebraska lawmakers came up short of a final round vote to pass the property tax relief bill.  Ball said while it may be a long shot to make everyone happy, there was a lot of good work accomplished this session and there are some consensus items in the final version of LB 388 he hopes will come back.