Columbus
Nebraska Examiner
Nebraska, Iowa AGs part of 11-state push for EPA rule on farm chemicals
OMAHA — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird joined two farmers and state agricultural officials Wednesday in drawing a line in fertile soil. The two ag-led states were among 11 states urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to stop a patchwork of state labeling efforts on farm chemicals. Attorneys general […]
Residential electricity in Nebraska could be sales-tax exempt, while other exemptions could fall
LINCOLN — Residential electricity could be a rare example of a service to become tax-exempt, as more than 70 goods and services appear ready to lose their tax-exempt status to make way for Nebraska property tax relief. The Legislature’s Revenue Committee considered an amendment Wednesday to Legislative Bill 9 that would exempt the purchase and sale […]
Third attempt made to prohibit state-led ‘unfunded mandates’ on Nebraska’s local governments
LINCOLN — A Nebraska lawmaker hopes the third time will be the charm in letting voters decide whether to prohibit future state-created unfunded or underfunded mandates on local governments. Legislative Resolution 1CA, a constitutional amendment proposed by State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, would prohibit future lawmakers from passing on the cost of a new program […]
What is the cost of government and what should it be?
Tax policy is not a thrilling topic at the barbecue, but the taxes we pay are perennial subjects of conversation in Nebraska. As recipients of the property tax, we (counties, municipalities and schools) are as sensitive as anyone to the issue. With a special session called explicitly for property taxes, we offer our perspective on […]
Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn criticizes Kellogg’s closure
OMAHA — Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn, who led a strike in 2021 against Kellogg’s, expressed frustration Tuesday that 600 cereal plant workers he helped negotiate better pay and benefits for had learned the Omaha factory would close. The company announced the decision to close the Omaha plant in a press release Tuesday, with […]
Omaha council adopts code of conduct for its members, despite public objections
OMAHA — A “code of conduct” for the city council of Nebraska’s largest city was established Tuesday with a 6-1 vote by the council. In a related action, the council also voted 6-1 to place on the November election ballot an amendment that would change the City Charter by adding three more reasons City Council members […]
Oral tobacco tax, residential electricity exemption to be considered at Wednesday hearing
LINCOLN — The Legislature’s Revenue Committee will host two final hearings Wednesday morning, to consider adding a new tax on flavored nicotine pouches and to exempt residential electricity from taxes. The impromptu public hearing will begin at 9 a.m. on two possible amendments to Legislative Bill 9, the final destination for the committee’s property tax relief […]
Olsson to build new home at west Omaha’s Heartwood Preserve, kicking off activity at ‘The Row’
OMAHA — A four-story building anchored by engineering firm Olsson is set to rise at the sprawling Heartwood Preserve in west Omaha, launching a section within the preserve envisioned as its pedestrian-centric town center. The broader Heartwood Preserve site spans 500 acres near 144th Street and West Dodge Road. It has been in the making since […]
Special prosecutors plan to charge police chief who led Kansas newspaper raid
TOPEKA, Kansas — Special prosecutors plan to charge former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody with a low-level felony for his actions following the raid he led last year on the Marion County Record and the homes of the newspaper publisher and a councilwoman. But the special prosecutors also concluded that police — despite their misunderstanding […]
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has rural Nebraska roots
LINCOLN — No matter which state claims him now, Kamala Harris’ choice for a running mate has rural Midwestern roots that stretch into the Nebraska Sandhills and up into the Pine Ridge. Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday as her vice presidential running mate. Walz, 60, is […]
Cattle ranchers deserve a break on onerous property taxes
As Nebraskans we’ve been spoon-fed buzz words such as “pro-business economy,” “strong economic climate” and of course the idea of “an even better Nebraska for future generations” from lawmakers who are championing policies that will inevitably harm our state’s top economic driver – the beef cattle industry. There is no reality where Nebraska’s economy can […]
Pillen pivots from his own property tax plan to embrace emerging legislative plan
LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen pivoted Monday from his own property tax relief proposal to embrace a hodgepodge plan emerging from a broad swath of special session bills. Pillen acknowledged the shift during a news conference with law enforcement leaders and firefighters announcing that the new plan would not cap local spending on public […]
Proposal could could open door to Omaha City Council ousting one of its own
OMAHA — A Nebraska lawmaker and a statewide civil rights organization have joined the chorus raising a red flag on a proposal that could empower the Omaha City Council to oust one of its own from an elected seat. The Omaha City Council is to vote Tuesday, Aug. 6, on whether to establish a “code […]
Nebraska early voting applications hitting mailboxes this week
LINCOLN — Nebraskans, check the mail this week if you regularly vote early in Nebraska elections and filed a standing request with your county election commissioner to do so again. Election commissioners in Douglas, Lancaster and many other Nebraska counties recently mailed ballot request cards to people on their regular early voter lists. Douglas County […]
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Missouri AG push to delay Trump sentencing in hush money case
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s efforts to delay sentencing in former President Donald Trump’s hush money case in New York were rejected Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision comes a day before Bailey will face off in Missouri’s Aug. 6 primary election against Will Scharf, a member of Trump’s legal team. In a […]
State auditor accuses former housing authority head of ‘bizarre abuse of the public trust’
LINCOLN — The former head of a northwest Nebraska public housing agency faces possible criminal consequences for what the state auditor described Monday as a “not-so-clever and bizarre abuse of the public trust” that he said purloined tens of thousands of dollars. “Just when you think you’ve seen it all…,” State Auditor Mike Foley said, […]
Property valuations freeze could be ‘backup plan’ during Nebraska’s tax-focused special session
LINCOLN — Freezing property valuations or increasing income tax credits could be a “backup plan” should Nebraska lawmakers fail to pass significant property tax relief this summer. State Sens. Tom Brewer of north-central Nebraska and Tom Brandt of Plymouth each has legislation he has described as a “fail-safe” in case the special session falls short of […]
Visitors flowing in to kayak and tube at Norfolk’s new North Fork Whitewater Park
NORFOLK, Nebraska — One Nebraska community can finally answer the question: where can I surf? That’s because Norfolk has recently opened a three-mile-long “whitewater park” through the center of this northeast Nebraska city that has seven engineered rocky rapids, including one that provides enough of a wave for “river surfing.” Since the North Fork Whitewater […]
Study says undocumented immigrants paid almost $100 billion in taxes
A new study shows that undocumented immigrants paid nearly $100 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue in 2022 while many are shut out of the programs their taxes fund. The findings run counter to anti-immigrant rhetoric that undocumented immigrants are “destroying” social programs. In 40 states, undocumented immigrants paid higher tax rates than […]
Nebraska Examiner
4K+
Posts
17M+
Views
Nebraskans want accountability from their elected officials and government. Are their tax dollars well-spent? Are state agencies and local governments responsive to the people? Are officials, programs and policies working for the common good and a better future for our state? The Nebraska Examiner was established to provide a hard-hitting, daily flow of important news, scoops and reports to help us better understand our community. Our website is free — free of ads, free of paywalls, free of paid subscriptions. The Nebraska Examiner is independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan, dedicated to producing a vigorous news report about the Cornhusker State. We also provide a forum for commentary. Opinion pieces are labeled as such, and Examiner reporters do not contribute to our commentary. We invite commentary from the community. We make our work available to your community newspapers and other media outlets with proper attribution. The Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Examiner retains full editorial independence.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.