Nebraska
Slama pitches Colorado’s ‘Taxpayer Bill of Rights’ for Nebraska • Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who has criticized Gov. Jim Pillen’s property tax relief plan for costing many Nebraskans more while he benefits, touted her own proposal Saturday.
Slama’s 16-piece package of proposed constitutional amendments largely mirrors Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), with hard limits on state, local and school taxing and spending.
She split up the proposal to avoid running afoul of the Nebraska Supreme Court and the state constitutional rule that restricts certain new laws to a single subject.
Her proposal to let Nebraskans adopt a TABOR-style initiative at the ballot box this fall was heard Saturday by the Revenue Committee.
Slama described her proposal as a long-term fix for rising taxes linked to increased spending by local, school and state governments. She said it would let voters apply the brakes.
“This approach is unique in that it empowers the people,” she said. “It empowers the people to decide what their tax rate should be, what government should be spending money on.”
What Slama’s amendments would do
Essentially, her amendments would cap spending and taxing authority by every level of government unless overridden by a vote of the people. It would also let constituents sue the government to enforce the caps.
It would require a public vote to issue major government debt or bonding and would require a baseline rainy day fund of 3%.
Slama said her proposal, as an example, would likely prevent any future project like the City of Omaha’s modern streetcar project without voter approval.
Nobody but Slama testified in support of the idea, but State Sens. Brad von Gillern and Kathleen Kauth, both of Omaha, who sit on the Revenue Committee asked questions that seemed to express interest in the idea.
Both nibbled around how Slama’s proposal might be more lasting than others because it would be part of the constitution and not a state law that lawmakers could more easily change.
Both seemed to buy into Slama’s idea that her proposal would pair well with any short-term fix for property taxes the Legislature might adopt during Pillen’s special session.
“By any measure this is wildly popular in Colorado,” von Gillern said at one point in the hearing. “It’s hard to say the people shouldn’t have a voice in their tax policy.”
Slama, asked whether additional lawsuits could cost taxpayers more, said they wouldn’t because most would stop wayward tax increases with court injunctions.
Critics question damage caps could do
State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln and a pair of testifiers from Colorado, encouraged to testify by OpenSky Policy Institute, emphasized the potential damage to school and local funding.
Dungan questioned what role the passage of TABOR played in Colorado ranking near the bottom nationally in teacher pay and in school funding per pupil.
Representatives from the Nebraska Association of County Officials and the League of Nebraska Municipalities warned about the risks to hiring and retaining public employees.
Jon Cannon, executive director of NACO, and Lynn Rex, executive director of the League of Nebraska Municipalities, pointed to the declining condition of Colorado’s roads and said Nebraskans wouldn’t accept such poor road conditions.
Former Colorado state Rep. Brad Young and Denver-based economist Chris Stiffler said many local governments and school districts have opted out of TABOR, after public votes, because of the funding crunches it caused. (Nebraska’s version, as written, would limit the authority of local governments and schools to opt out.)
Young, who wrote a book about TABOR’s negative effects, said setting the cap for government spending growth at inflation plus population growth didn’t let local governments keep pace with their needs.
He said shrinking government relative to the economy means that the state and its local partners couldn’t pay competitive wages to teachers, health care workers or college and university employees.
“Population plus inflation does not keep up with the economy, and as a result, you end up with a constant shrinking of the government,” Young said.
Government costs don’t follow CPI, expert says
Stiffler said tying the government’s ability to purchase what it needs to the consumer price index leaves governments too little flexibility.
Governments “buy” roads, teachers and health care, he said, all of which have seen costs rise faster than the types of goods in the consumer price index. He said tying caps to a producer price index might work better.
He said some states tie spending caps to personal income growth. But he said starting teachers in Colorado now earn less than a Starbucks manager and the state is losing talent.
Some districts shortened the school week to four days during a recent round of state budget cuts that sliced $1 billion out of school funding, Stiffler said.
State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha said Colorado’s schools consistently rank well in test scores and academic offerings.
She said higher school spending doesn’t always equate with outcomes, and she said Colorado isn’t struggling to attract new residents or visitors.
Colorado has grown from about 3.5 million in 1992, when TABOR passed, to 5.8 million in 2024, based on Census estimates.
“I know this is a slightly unique approach, but it brings a unique flavor to the debate,” Slama said. “Nebraskans work hard for their money, and they deserve a direct say in how it is spent.”
Nebraska voters rejected a TABOR-style state spending lid in 2006.
A nationwide outbreak of the parasite Cyclospora has reached Nebraska, according to health experts at CHI Health.
While only a handful of cases have been identified in the state, doctors say the true number of infections may be higher because many people recover at home without being tested.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food and cause gastrointestinal illness. Health officials are still investigating the source of the current outbreak and have not identified a specific food item responsible.
Previous Cyclospora outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce, including pre-cut salad mixes, cilantro, basil, raspberries, snow peas and green onions.
Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan with CHI Health says the parasite can be difficult to remove because it can survive in small, porous areas of some produce.
“Even though you’re washing it, they can remain there,” Vivekanandan said. “Ideally, if you buy produce whole, you can wash it thoroughly yourself.”
Symptoms of Cyclospora typically appear about seven days after exposure but can take up to two weeks, making it difficult for investigators to determine where someone was infected.
Symptoms can include prolonged diarrhea, fatigue, dehydration, muscle weakness and stomach discomfort.
Doctors say most people recover without hospitalization, but young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of complications.
Unlike some stomach illnesses, Cyclospora can be treated with antibiotics. Health experts say the most common treatment is trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, also known as Bactrim.
Doctors recommend contacting a healthcare provider if symptoms do not improve and say staying hydrated is especially important.
Health experts say Cyclospora typically does not spread easily from person to person.
“If somebody else in your household has this, you’re not necessarily going to get it,” said Dr. Dave Quinby, an infectious disease physician with CHI Health. “Handwashing is always good, but this tends not to go person to person well at all.”
Until investigators identify the source of the outbreak, doctors recommend buying whole produce when possible, washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and cooking foods when appropriate.
According to the CDC, more than 843 confirmed cases and approximately 1,500 probable cases have been reported nationwide. Eighty-six people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
The recruiting industry has spoken, and Nebraska quarterback commit Trae Taylor has officially become the consensus No. 1 signal-caller in the 2027 recruiting class.
On Monday, Rivals updated its national rankings, elevating Taylor from a high four-star prospect ranked No. 71 nationally to a five-star recruit ranked No. 17 overall, a jump of 54 spots. The rise comes after an impressive stretch for the Chicago native, who is set to quarterback Millard South (NE) this fall.
Here’s what Taylor’s five-star status means for the Big Red, including what he did to reach this point.
Becoming a Five-Star
Taylor first earned a five-star rating from 247Sports shortly after being named the Elite 11 MVP following an impressive performance at the prestigious quarterback competition in May. Competing against 20 of the nation’s top signal-callers, Nebraska’s verbal pledge proved to be the best of the group.
According to 247Sports, Taylor is the nation’s No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 1 quarterback in the 2027 class. By earning MVP honors, he joined an impressive list of QBs that includes former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, 2025 Heisman finalist Julian Sayin, and several other top quarterbacks who have won the award over the years.
Taylor’s Recruitment
Taylor committed to Nebraska on May 1, 2025, and his stock has only continued to rise since then. At the time, he was regarded as a four-star prospect, but the Huskers believed they had secured a commitment from one of the nation’s top quarterbacks.
To his credit, he became just that. He followed that decision with a junior season in which he totaled more than 4,200 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns, cementing himself as one of the country’s most electrifying recruits heading into his senior year.
Despite interest from several of the nation’s top programs, Taylor has remained committed to NU. He reinforced that commitment by moving to the state ahead of his senior season, and his leadership has played a significant role in helping the Huskers assemble one of the top 2027 recruiting classes in the country.
Nebraska’s 2027 Recruiting Class
Nebraska’s 2027 recruiting class currently ranks No. 18 nationally and sixth in the Big Ten according to Rivals. Per 247Sports, however, the Huskers sit at No. 16 nationally, trailing only Ohio State and Oregon within the conference.
NU also holds commitments from four top-100 overall prospects in the cycle, its most since the 2005 recruiting class. Taylor is joined by four-star safety Tory Pittman III, four-star interior offensive lineman Jordan Agbanoma, and four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor in that group.
Currently, the Big Red hold commitments from 22 prospects in the 2027 class. While Taylor is the only five-star recruit, nine of Nebraska’s commits are currently regarded as blue-chip prospects.
Nebraska Commits in 2027 Cycle:
- Trae Taylor- Quarterback (★★★★★)
- Tory Pittman III- Safety ★★★★)
- Jordan Agbanoma- Interior Offensive Line (★★★★)
- Corey Hadley Jr.- Safety (★★★★)
- Timi Aliu- Offensive Tackle (★★★★)
- Bryce Williams- Cornerback (★★★★)
- Nehemiah Ombati- Defensive Line (★★★★)
- Jailen Hill- Cornerback (★★★★)
- Amir Brown- Running Back (★★★★)
- Matt Erickson- Offensive Tackle (★★★)
- Barrett Kitrell- Interior Offensive Line (★★★)
- Jayden Travers- Defensive Line (★★★)
- KD Jones- Interior Offensive Line (★★★)
- Antayvious Ellis- Wide Receiver (★★★)
- Brennan Drummond- Safety (★★★)
- Joey Hunter- Tight End (★★★)
- Eli Harris- Linebacker (★★★)
- Caleb Green- Linebacker (★★★)
- Errol Demontagnac- Defensive Line (★★★)
- Ma’atoe Moe- EDGE (★★★)
- Justyn Lindsay- Wide Receiver (★★★)
What Taylor’s Bump Means for the Huskers
By now, every program in the country knows who Taylor is and what he could eventually become. For Nebraska, the task now shifts from recruiting him to proving it can develop him into an NFL quarterback over the next several years. For now, Taylor remains locked in, but signing day is still months away.
The 2026 season means significantly more that getting to a certain number of wins. For Matt Rhule’s staff, though, the pressure should be viewed as a privilege. They’ll need to prove they can develop the talent they already have while also winning football games. It’s as simple as that.
NU’s current staff already had one opportunity with a five-star QB, but that partnership ended after just two years. Taylor represents an opportunity to flip the script. This time, the Huskers will need to maximize it by keeping him in Lincoln, developing him into an NFL-caliber signal-caller, and seeing him finish what he starts, all while wearing the scarlet and cream.
Plenty of quarterbacks have found success while playing football for the Big Red. Plain and simple, Taylor needs to become the next one. Rhule’s staff seems set on seeing that become true. Now, fans will have the opportunity to watch it unfold.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
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While Nebraska football fans mostly laughed at Wisconsin hiring Shawn Eichorst as their new AD, Badgers fans seem to be quite happy with the move. However, if the new athletic director’s tenure in Wisconsin echoes at least his early run in Lincoln, then Luke Fickell should know that he’s about to be shown the door, no matter what the 2026 season looks like.
One of the first things Eichorst did when he took over the program at NU was boot then-Husker head coach Bo Pelini. He did that despite the fact that Pelini was winning 9 or 10 games a season and was putting together campaigns better than any that have come since his firing.
The former Nebraska AD fired Pelini after he led his team to an emotional win over the Iowa Hawkeyes, with most of the coaches and players celebrating and seemingly poised to carry the momentum into bowl season and then the 2015 season. Eichorst had other ideas, essentially saying that beating the Hawkeyes simply wasn’t that impressive.
“In the final analysis,” he said at the time, “I had to evaluate where Iowa was.”
Shawn Eichorst’s Nebraska football tenure should worry Luke Fickell
Those words have stung Nebraska plenty since he uttered them, since Kirk Ferentz’s program has been inarguably better than the Huskers under Mike Riley, Scott Frost and Matt Rhule.
Certainly, Wisconsin fans should take that as a cautionary tale, not just because the AD overestimated where the Nebraska program would go, but also because he wasn’t very good at analyzing how to get them where he wanted them. But it’s even more a cautionary tale for Badgers’ head coach Luke Fickell.
Shawn Eichorst was essentially brought in as a clean-sweep artist in football. When he was hired, it’s clear that Pelini’s career in Lincoln was about to come to an end, unless he took the Cornhuskers on a miracle run.
The 37-34 overtime win over Iowa meant that the Huskers once again went 9-3. Two of the three losses were by five points or less. The only blowout loss of Pelini’s final season was to Wisconsin, 59-24. And yet, he was canned just two days after he finished another objectively successful season.
If Eichorst was willing (and some would say eager) to fire Pelini in that situation, is there any doubt he’s exactly as willing (and eager) to fire Luke Fickell after the 2026 season, unless he has a miracle run?
Fickell hasn’t been nearly as successful at Wisconsin as Pelini was at Nebraska. Back-to-back losing seasons put him at 17-21 in his career. He’d have to go on a 50-6 run to equal Pelini’s time in Lincoln.
Of course, it’s possible that Wisconsin fans are salivating at the idea of their new AD firing their rather mediocre head coach. The company line is they like that a former lieutenant to the longtime athletic director under Barry Alvarez is back and ready to bring the program back to glory days.
But is part of that march back to glory days expected to include a new head coach for the 2027 season? Put it this way, it wouldn’t be out of line for Luke Fickell to start putting out feelers to G6 programs this fall in case he has to update his resume quickly come December.
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