The president of the Nebraska Chamber says there is no silver bullet to solve property tax problems, but Nebraska leaders can find a smart way to solve that and related issues confronting the state.
During a recent stop in our area, Bryan Slone told KNEB News multiple issues must be confronted at once to find a fix, including economic development, housing needs, spending and recent spikes in property valuations.
Slone says one of the key drivers is solving the workforce crisis. “Every time we look at the data, it’s still the same. People follow great jobs. And so as we attack taxes, as we attacks other things, we have to continue to attract great jobs to all our communities in the state because that’s what young people are looking for, and young families, and so economic development still is at the forefront,” Slone said
He says one problematic aspect in the current environment is the inflation we’re currently facing, which is unlike any he’s ever seen, and is compounding the issue.
“In K-12, our classes in Nebraska get smaller, not bigger. I don’t see any end to this wage inflation until we address the workforce issue. So these things go hand in hand; if we want to address property tax and tax burdens, we’ve got attract young people, and keep young people at our state,” said Slone. “Ultimately, we can increase government spending, education spending, but not faster than we’re growing our economy. Otherwise, we are increasing taxes on people, and those are the numbers we have to watch.”
Slone says the Chamber is working on gathering data over the summer to try to see how all the pieces fit together, and everyone from politicians and business leaders to school officials and taxpayers need to be at the table during the work to find a solution.
