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Property tax relief has been talked about many times in the last decade in the Nebraska Legislature. The current tax levy and spending lids that cities, school districts and all other political subdivisions live under are an effort from 1989 to reduce the increases in property tax askings. In exchange for accepting these limitations, some relief was promised in other ways. Jail reimbursement was one of the mechanisms chosen as a vehicle for this relief but when the budget needed cut in 2002, jail reimbursement was cut and capped.
Hall County Commissioners have voiced concerns over many jail issues in the last few years and specifically over jail reimbursement. Their concern is why I prioritized LB 587 to remove the cap on the appropriation for jail reimbursement. Senator Abbie Cornett, Bellevue, introduced the bill in 2007. I knew I was jeopardizing my priority designation by choosing this bill but I felt strongly that this issue needed revisited.
It doesn't make sense to me that prisoners who are considered state responsibility are paid for by county taxes for at least part of the year. The daily reimbursement rate of $35 doesn't cover the full cost to house a state prisoner for one day. So, on a daily basis counties "loose" money when housing state prisoners.
I was successful at getting the bill advanced from committee and at getting the issue revisited by the full Legislature in debate. Because we are nearing the end of this year's legislative session, the bill was stopped but not before negotiation with the Chair of Appropriations extracted a promise to revisit the issue of property tax relief and jail reimbursement to counties over the interim. Progress.
The State Fair will be coming to Grand Island by 2010 as advanced in the first round of debate on LB 1116. In cooperation with Senator Annette Dubas' column, please see her column this week for details.
As always, please contact me with your support, opposition or questions on any legislative bill or issue. Thank you for allowing me the privilege to represent you in the Unicameral.
Senator Ray Aguilar
District 35, P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
402-471-2617
raguilar@leg.ne.gov
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