Nebraska bill takes aim at gas station scams, includes vague language

In their “Around the Rotunda” column, Lincoln Journal Star reporters Nancy Hicks and JoAnne Young write that “Attorney General Jon Bruning may soon have a new tool to stop gas stations from advertising a very low, enticing price for fuel on a big sign, then offering that fuel at only one pump.”  According to the column, “language about deceptive advertising is part of a bill (LB155) now headed toward final reading and passage.  … It adds language to the deceptive advertising law that would include any promotion that: “advertises the price in any manner calculated or tending to mislead or in any way deceive a person.”  The State Chamber has reviewed the amended version of LB155 and has expressed concerns regarding this provision – specifically, its vagueness and how it could be interpreted to impact Nebraska businesses.

Nebraska leaders mulling unemployment insurance stimulus funding

JournalStar.com reports that state leaders are still pondering whether to accept a portion of available federal stimulus funding — “about $43.6 million that could be used to help pay for unemployment benefits.”

The drawback? Accepting the federal funding comes with a federal mandate to expand unemployment insurance benefits, which would almost certainly lead to “higher future costs” — all of which would be shouldered by Nebraska businesses. According to the Journal Star, “the state can get the money by improving the state’s unemployment benefits in two of four specific categories.”

The article notes that “labor leaders support the improved benefits and don’t see any reason to dawdle. … State business interests are still weighing the options, looking for a route that won’t lead to higher unemployment taxes in the future.”

According to the story, “Gov. Dave Heineman, who must ask for the money, says he’s not interested in this stimulus funding if it requires an eventual tax increase. … (L)abor and business interests have at least another year to come up with a solution.”

Ron Sedlacek, General Counsel for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry told the Journal Star, “It would be a simple decision if the only issue was putting money into the unemployment trust fund.” But accepting the federal money with strings attached “could lead to a permanent tax increase. And seeking the money will require changes in state law, he noted.”

Several other states have said they don’t want the federal unemployment money “because of the potential future cost of raising benefits.

Nebraska leaders mulling unemployment insurance stimulus funding

JournalStar.com reports that state leaders are still pondering whether to accept a portion of available federal stimulus funding — “about $43.6 million that could be used to help pay for unemployment benefits.”  The drawback? Accepting the federal funding comes with a federal mandate to expand unemployment insurance benefits, which would almost certainly lead to “higher future costs” — all of which would be shouldered by Nebraska businesses.  According to the Journal Star, “the state can get the money by improving the state’s unemployment benefits in two of four specific categories.”  The article notes that “labor leaders support the improved benefits and don’t see any reason to dawdle. … State business interests are still weighing the options, looking for a route that won’t lead to higher unemployment taxes in the future.”  According to the story, “Gov. Dave Heineman, who must ask for the money, says he’s not interested in this stimulus funding if it requires an eventual tax increase. … (L)abor and business interests have at least another year to come up with a solution.”  Ron Sedlacek, General Counsel for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry told the Journal Star, “It would be a simple decision if the only issue was putting money into the unemployment trust fund.”  But accepting the federal money with strings attached “could lead to a permanent tax increase.  And seeking the money will require changes in state law, he noted.

New study reveals Nebraska tourism numbers

KHAS in Hastings reports that, last year, $2.3 billion was spent on travel in Nebraska — “a 5.8% increase from the year before.”  The statistic is from a new report from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s Travel and Tourism Division that highlighted local travel statistics, including economic impact.

Nebraska lawmakers may wrap up work early

Omaha.com reports that “talk is swirling in the State Capitol that the Nebraska Legislature might wrap up its business early and adjourn the 2009 session three days sooner than anticipated. … That would mean sine die Friday, May 29, instead of the scheduled end of the 90-day session Thursday, June 4.”  State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, speaker of the Legislature “emphasized it was too soon to tell whether the session could adjourn early.”  According to the story, “that could be determined only after seeing the progress remaining on the major issues.”  Bills dealing with abortion and the death penalty are still awaiting debate and could consume a large amount of floor time.

Three Nebraska employers semifinals for Guard award

JournalStar.com reports that three Nebraska employers “have been named semifinalists for the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.”  According to the story, the Nebraska semifinalists are the Nebraska Public Power District, the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper and Omaha television station KETV.  “The award is the federal government’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of their employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve.”

Nebraska’s budget package approved

The Unicameral Update reports that “lawmakers gave final approval May 13 to the 2009-11 biennial state budget,” which provides $6.9 billion for state government operation and aid during the two-year period, an average annual spending growth rate of 1%.  According to the story, the budget package now goes to Gov. Dave Heineman for his consideration.  “The governor must sign, veto or line-item veto the budget within five calendar days, excluding Sunday.”

Tax Foundation: Nebraska’s Property Taxes Comparatively High

According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, Nebraska is one of the 37 states that collect property taxes at both the state and local levels.  “As in most states, Nebraska’s local governments collect far more” than the state government.  (In 1966, Nebraska voters adopted a constitutional amendment that abolished property tax as state revenue source.  The tax base for most local entities – county governments, school districts, etc. – has remained primarily property taxes, while state government now must depend mostly upon sales and income for its revenue.)  The Tax Foundation notes that in 2006, the latest year available from the Census Bureau, “Nebraska’s localities collected $1,268.72 per capita in property taxes.”  All told, Nebraska’s combined state/local property taxes were $1,270.13 per capita in 2006, ranking 17th highest nationally.  More than $3,200 in property taxes were collected for each Nebraska household – accounting for roughly 32.50% of total state taxes, according to the Tax Foundation.  This compares to $2,882 in state and local property taxes per household in Colorado; $2,469 in South Dakota; $2,820 in Iowa; $2,174 in Missouri; $3,021 in Kansas; and $4,785 in Wyoming.

Bill combating organized crime, ID theft advances in Neb. Legislature

The Unicameral Update reports that “Nebraska lawmakers gave first-round approval May 7 to a bill aimed at addressing organized crime, theft schemes and identify theft.”  LB155, introduced by Tekamah Sen. Kent Rogert, would adopt the Public Protection Act — modeled after federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statutes.  Omaha Sen. Pete Pirsch offered an amendment, adopted 34-0, “that would incorporate provisions from LB76, which would allow the total amount of multiple checks forged during a single forgery scheme to be used for penalty classification.”

While the U.S. economy struggles, ten states — including Nebraska — are doing OK

The Christian Science Monitor reports that “the economies of 10 states are outperforming the U.S. economy as a whole, according to a just-released study by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, an independent research group in Albany, NY.”  According to the magazine, “the two biggest reasons, say the authors of the report, are that most of these states have economies that benefited through much of 2008 from high and rising oil and natural gas prices, and their real estate markets have not suffered the bust to the extent seen elsewhere.”  Donald Boyd, co-author of the report, and other analysts say that the ten states (Alaska, Wyoming, Louisiana, Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma, and South Dakota) did not enjoy the real estate boom seen in places like California, Arizona, and Nevada – and therefore have not gone bust to the same degree.  The Monitor reports: “That’s because banks did not practice what Bob Denk of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) calls the ‘grotesque deterioration of lending standards’ which fueled housing demand and produced rapid price increases