Reference: See hereGov. Jim Pillen addresses attendees at a property tax town hall in Plattsmouth on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
LINCOLN — Some Nebraska lawmakers working with Gov. Jim Pillen on property tax reforms this summer said Monday if lawmakers do move to take over most K-12 school funding, it would be a multiyear process.
A group of 17 lawmakers has been meeting with Pillen regularly since the Legislature adjourned in April. The governor has spoken publicly as those meetings have progressed. But senators confirmed to the Nebraska Examiner that many details remained to be ironed out before a special session could begin July 25 .
The 17 lawmakers who have been part of the property tax working group discussions with Gov. Jim Pillen are State Sens. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, Rob Clements of Elmwood, Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, George Dungan of Lincoln, Steve Erdman of Bayard, John Fredrickson of Omaha, Ben Hansen of Blair, Teresa Ibach of Sumner, Mike Jacobson of North Platte, Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Mike McDonnell of Omaha, Fred Meyer of St. Paul, Dave Murman of Glenvil, Merv Riepe of Ralston and Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn.
Among Pillen's most ambitious ideas is the state assuming control of most local K-12 funding, the "operational" side of school funding. Property taxes would remain a "backstop" if approved by a vote of the people, including for bonds and two other funds .
With school budgets already in motion for the upcoming school year, lawmakers who were briefed on the closed-door meetings said they would likely need to clean up the proposals, if enacted this year, in the 2025 legislative session.
The model would be similar to how the state began funding community colleges after 2023 legislation was passed. However, the state has six community colleges, which have tuition power, compared to 244 school districts, which don't have such a funding option.
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