LINCOLN- Major tax breaks passed by the State Legislature two years ago are not being claimed by Nebraska residents, and there is almost $200 million left in the pot.

Around 40% of Nebraskans have failed to claim the property tax refund on their state income tax forms. Gov. Ricketts joined a variety of state leaders on Thursday to urge citizens to claim their money. "It's major money," the Governor announced.

Owners of $250,000 homes in Lincoln can claim up to $1,137 in refunds this year, but many are unaware of this. "That's a house payment. That's a big deal," stated Gov. Ricketts during the press conference.

The Governor also claimed that Nebraskans may see a 30% reduction in their property tax bill if they take advantage of the income tax refund.

These refunds and credits come from two programs, the automatically applied Real Property Tax Credit, and the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act, which must be manually claimed.

State Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton stated that, because the program is now new, it will take time for a majority of the population to become aware of it. "It takes time for it to sink in," said Fulton.

Some in the crowd asked the Governor why, like the Real Property Tax Credit, the new tax reductions aren't automatically applied. Gov. Ricketts stated that the way it's done now is "the best way to do it."

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