LINCOLN, Nebraska – On Wednesday, the Unicameral floor saw the first round of debate on a bill package that would help Nebraskans with their property taxes.
The tax plan that would raise sales taxes was a top concern for Gov. Jim Pillen, who called it “historical” and “transformational.”
Some state senators have said that Nebraska’s tax system is like a stool that isn’t balanced, putting too much stress on property owners. On the other hand, groups like the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce have been against putting more of the burden on customers by raising sales taxes.
Some business owners are also worried that certain tax increases, like one that would tax all CBD and hemp goods at 100%, will cause stores to close, which would mean less sales tax money.
Sarah Linden, CEO of Grateful Green, said, “A lot of our guests are low- to middle-income, hard-working people who live paycheck to paycheck.” They can’t pay twice as much for these things. A lot of them are using them to treat their health problems.
Linden said she thinks the proposed move is meant to punish people.
“When the excise tax is normally around 3% and then you get hit with a 100% excise tax, you have to think that it was done on purpose,” Linden said.
Brie Kitten, the owner of Brewsky’s Food and Spirits, said that skill machines help keep the lights on.
“These things were a gift to help us through the pandemic. They brought in money to pay our bills,” Kitten said. “We likely wouldn’t have been there during that pandemic without them.”
If the games were taxed at 20%, Kitten said he might lose that source of income.
“Things are getting worse,” he said.
The details of the bill can change on the floor, and senators will probably spend the next few days of the session changing the words.