Nebraska

Principles of good tax policy • Nebraska Examiner

Published

2 years ago

May 22, 2024

Principles of good tax policy • Nebraska Examiner

Gov. Jim Pillen is embarking on a policy campaign to sell a new plan meant to lower property taxes. He’s hitting the road making his pitch to voters and state senators in communities around the state.

If you have planned a summer vacation, you know that a great trip does not happen on its own — it takes vision, planning and strong execution. The same is true for state tax policy. Before embarking on a restructuring of Nebraska’s tax system, it’s important to set goals and map out the path to our ideal destination.

We can all agree we want to arrive at a destination where Nebraska has a tax system that allows individuals and businesses to thrive, for our state to compete with our peers, and a system that is fair and equitable for all. How we get there, and what principles we follow, are the primary questions at hand. Achieving meaningful tax reform requires more than a big goal; it must be built upon sound tax policies that will endure for generations to come.

Prior to 2023, Nebraska consistently ranked high among peer states for income tax rates and property tax burdens. Unfortunately, budgets were tight during that time, which limited fiscally responsible means for reducing these taxes. Regardless, our state leaders knew Nebraska had to perform better if it was to successfully compete with peer states for business and job growth and personal prosperity.

Finally, in 2023, Nebraska had its shot. Due to a revenue surplus, in part because ofthe COVID crisis, Nebraska was able to slash its income tax rates to 3.99% over five years and also eliminate community colleges’ ability to levy property tax. These changes significantly enhanced our state’s tax code; however, they did not happen overnight, and they did not happen by accident. Despite this reform, Nebraska still has the seventh highest property tax rate in the country. As we look forward now, we need to consider what goes into good tax policy, and how Nebraska can ensure we get the best outcome for our state.

Budgetary restraint

Foundational to any good tax policy is budgetary restraint. Although Nebraska was able to accomplish significant reforms due to excess revenue, only budgetary restraint can provide sustainable tax relief. That is, future tax reforms should not rely on a tax shift, but instead focus on capping local spending growth and promoting budget restraint.

Simplicity

Good tax policy is also rooted in simplicity. A tax code that is easy to understand and comply with reduces administrative costs and economic distortions. Nebraska’s recent reforms aimed to simplify the tax code by reducing the number of brackets and lowering rates. Eliminating the community college property tax simplified the overall property tax system. Future reforms should continue this trend towards simplicity, making the tax system as straightforward as possible while ensuring that elected officials are accountable to the taxpayer.

Transparency

Transparency is another critical principle of foundational tax reform. A transparent tax system ensures that taxpayers understand how their money is being used and can hold government officials accountable. Transparency also means keeping accountability at the level of government most accessible to the taxpayer. This means local decisions should stay in the hands of local elected officials, not bureaucrats in Lincoln. Nebraska should continue to prioritize transparency, building trust with taxpayers and ensuring that public funds are managed responsibly.

Economic growth

Lastly, economic growth should be a guiding objective. Tax policies that promote investment, job creation and economic expansion benefit all Nebraskans. By keeping tax rates competitive and reducing burdensome regulations, Nebraska can attract new businesses and retain existing ones, driving economic prosperity. Legislators should reject ideas that raise taxes on business inputs and instead focus on policies that spur economic growth throughout our state.

The principles of budgetary restraint, simplicity, transparency and economic growth form the bedrock of sound tax policy. As Nebraska looks to further improve its tax system, these principles will guide us toward a fairer, more prosperous future for all. In the next part of this series, we will explore specific policy solutions to achieve property tax reform, building on this strong and principled foundation.

In conclusion, it is wise to have a clear understanding of the objective before embarking on the journey. For Nebraska, the objective should be statewide population and job growth, business creation and personal prosperity, partnered with state and local spending controls and fiscal policies that help sustain Nebraska’s performance, even through economic turbulence.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Football Offers In-State Legacy Offensive Lineman

Published

1 hour ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Football Offers In-State Legacy Offensive Lineman

New Husker offensive line coach Geep Wade has stayed busy in his first few weeks on the recruiting trail for Nebraska football.

Nebraska extended a scholarship offer Saturday to in-state offensive lineman Barrett Kitrell. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Class of 2027 interior lineman from Ashland confirmed the offer on social media. Iowa offered him earlier in the week, and he has other Division I offers from South Dakota State, Kansas and Iowa State.

Kitrell has visited a number of schools through his junior season, stopping at South Dakota State, Wyoming, Iowa State, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

God is so good! After a great conversation with coach @GeepWade I am blessed to receive my 6th D1 offer from Nebraska! @HuskerFootball @AGBluejayFball pic.twitter.com/h3ciXeG727
— Barrett Kitrell (@BarrettK54) January 10, 2026

Kitrell has family ties to Nebraska football across two generations. His father, Barry, was a fullback for the Huskers from 1984-88. His brother Bo was a Husker fullback and tight end 2014 to 2018.

In addition, Barrett’s brother Blake was a Tulsa wide receiver, while brothers Brett and Bryce played at Ohio, having been recruited by Frank Solich.

Barrett Kitrell is a three-sport athlete for Ashland-Greenwood, competing in football, basketball, and track and field for the Bluejays. He has seen varsity action in all three seasons of his football career, playing in 33 games. The Bluejays have won a playoff game each of the past three seasons, advancing to the Class C1 semifinals this past year.

Kitrell becomes the third offensive line prospect offered by Wade and the Huskers this week, joining Grinnell, Iowa, prospect Will Slagle and 2028 prospect Wyatt VanBoening from Mundelein, Illinois. VanBoening also is the son of a former Husker, Simon VanBoening, a linebacker on the Huskers’ 1997 roster.

Nebraska offensive line coach Geep Wade | Nebraska Athletics

The Huskers are aiming for a massive overhaul of their offensive line, starting with replacing Donovan Raiola as the position coach. Wade, who came to Nebraska from Georgia Tech, has been retooling his line in early 2026 with transfer portal additions, bringing in Iowa State’s Brendan Black and South Carolina’s Tree Babalade. Nebraska has seen three linemen choose to exit via the portal: Brian Tapu, Houston Kaahaaina-Torres and Jason Maciejczak.

Kitrell could add athleticism to the offensive line, as he finished second in the Class B discus as a sophomore with a personal-best throw of 172’2 while finishing fourth in the shot put. Kitrell averaged four points and four rebounds per game for the Ashland-Greenwood basketball program as the Bluejays claimed the Class C1 championship in 2025.

Kitrell becomes the 16th interior offensive line offer for Nebraska’s 2027 class. The class is headlined by four-star quarterback Trae Taylor and in-state rising stars Tory Pittman III and Matt Erickson.

IU dominated but then ‘it was just turnovers’ to blow 16-point lead vs Nebraska

Published

13 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

IU dominated but then ‘it was just turnovers’ to blow 16-point lead vs Nebraska

Indiana men’s basketball lost to Nebraska 83-77 after leading by as many as 16 points.
Coach Darian DeVries cited a bad stretch, including key fouls on Tucker DeVries and turnovers, as the turning point.
The Hoosiers have three more opportunities for a Quad 1 win in their upcoming games.

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries thought his team played well for about 28 minutes Saturday afternoon.

In those 28 minutes, IU built up as much as a 16-point lead against undefeated Nebraska. The Hoosiers went on a 12-2 run to end the first half, then extended that lead early in the second half.

Then, the defense started crumbling. Tucker DeVries picked up two fouls in the course of 21 seconds, forcing him to the bench. The Hoosiers started turning the ball over.

And Indiana’s upset bid fell apart, as the Hoosiers dropped an 83-77 decision to the Cornhuskers (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten).

“It’s disappointing, for sure,” Darian DeVries said. “We played well for a good 25, 27, 28 minutes, whatever, and then just had a bad stretch in there, and the game flipped. That’s why the turnovers are a big piece of that. We had, (a 16-point lead) and Tucker picked up his third and fourth foul on back-to-back possessions. Then they went on a 10-0 run right after that. That was a big turning point in the game, I thought, when he picked those two up.”

It seemed like the coaching staff (and fans) didn’t agree with those fouls, either.

Tucker DeVries’ third foul came as he fell on the ground while trying to defend Berke Buyuktuncel’s shot. Buyuktuncel continued to attempt a shot after the fall, and he got tangled in DeVries’ legs, falling himself, and officials called a foul on DeVries. Both Tucker and Darian DeVries, along with the crowd of 13,000 fans, didn’t agree with that foul.

Tucker DeVries’ fourth foul, which forced him to the bench for eight minutes, came just 21 seconds after his third. On the Hoosiers’ next offensive possession, DeVries attempted to shoulder his defender to get more space, and got called for the offensive foul and the turnover.

Indiana (12-4, 3-2) turned the ball over on four of its next five possessions, Darian DeVries said, and Nebraska capitalized for a 12-2 run to tie the game.

“I just think we didn’t have the type of possessions we needed after (Tucker DeVries) went out again, and most of them, it was just turnovers,” Darian DeVries said. “We didn’t get shots at the goal. I thought there might’ve been one or two in there where I think Lamar (Wilkerson) drove it hard and tried going through contact, and we didn’t get one there, but outside of that, we just didn’t get very good possessions. Our movement wasn’t as good.”

After Nebraska went on that run, all the momentum shifted to the Cornhuskers. In ways, the Hoosiers couldn’t get out of their own head, and the mistakes kept coming.

“We’ve talked to them a lot about that next play mentality,” Darian DeVries said. “Win that next play, and not compound mistakes. I thought tonight, again, for a stretch there was a period where we let one mistake turn into two. Then, instead of digging in and really making sure we get a quality possession the next time, we compounded it with another turnover. It led to back-to-back-to-back. All of a sudden your lead is gone, and momentum is real. It shifted pretty quickly there.”

This game, especially taking into account the 16-point lead Indiana once had, was a crucial opportunity for the Hoosiers to get their first Quad 1 win of the season.

But the Hoosiers, sitting at No. 30 in the NET rankings, still have three straight Quad 1 opportunities coming up in two road tilts at Michigan State and Michigan and a home game against Iowa in the next two weeks.

Those games, much like Nebraska, will be tall tasks. But, DeVries said, if the Hoosiers can execute for a full game like they did in those 28 minutes on Saturday, they’ll have a chance at them.

“When they’re executing the way that they did the first 25 minutes, it looks really good,” DeVries said. “And they’re doing a great job, and they’re defending and getting movement and things.”

Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.

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Nebraska

$3,125 Nebraska Pick 4 winning ticket sold in York

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

,125 Nebraska Pick 4 winning ticket sold in York

LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) – One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 4 ticket for the Thursday drawing is holding a ticket worth $3,125.

The ticket was sold at Pump & Pantry #16, 109 Lincoln Avenue, in York. The winning numbers from Thursday’s Nebraska Pick 4 draw were 09, 06, 01, 02.

Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Tickets with total prize amounts of $501 to $19,999 must be claimed by mail or at a Regional Lottery Claim Center. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website, nelottery.com, or by calling 800-587-5200.

Nebraska Pick 4 is a daily Lotto game from the Nebraska Lottery. Players select four numbers, each from a separate set of digits 0 through 9, for a chance to win up to $6,000. Players decide what type of play style and potential prizes to play for by choosing from one of six bet types. The odds of winning the $3,125 prize in Nebraska Pick 4 are 1 in 10,000.

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