Nebraskans share thoughts on property tax policy at Lincoln listening session

A standing-room-only crowd of around 300 people filled the Wick Alumni Center in Lincoln Monday evening as Nebraskans gathered to share their thoughts on property taxes with state senators.

The event is likely to be the final public forum before a special session on property taxes begins later this week.

A dozen state senators from across the political spectrum attended the event.

Around 50 people provided their thoughts on Pillen’s goal to reduce property taxes in a special legislative session, with many of them sharing stories of sharp increases in property valuations coming with high property tax bills.

One longtime Lincoln resident said she plans on moving out of Nebraska once she retires because of how high the property taxes are, and urged senators to fix the problem in the special session.

“Anybody that’s smart is going to leave the state, so I hope you guys do something," she said. "It needs to go down at least 40%, if not more. You've got to help these people.”

A majority of comments were critical of the governor’s plan, citing concerns with how eliminating sales tax exemptions to reduce property taxes benefits Pillen’s agricultural operations at the expense of lower-income Nebraskans.

“I am not a fan of this plan," another Lincoln resident said. "And I think shifting money is not the answer. I also think that the timeline is not advantageous, and it appears to be very self-serving to the public.”

The special session is expected to begin Thursday.