LINCOLN- On Thursday, state lawmakers, in anticipation of day eighty, when the budget is due, passed a slew of budget packages after several days of debate. The two-year budget calls for around $5.3 billion in spending over the next two years, with an average increase of 2.2% per year. Among many other things, the budget sets aside a generous amount of funding for cuts in state income taxes, and an increase in tax credits for property taxes, around $366 million for the new 1,500-bed state prison, and $574 million for the Perkins County Canal, despite concerns.

The final budget passed by the Legislature changes very little of Gov. Pillen's original plan, with the only major changes being an increase in the budget for the University of Nebraska and an extra $80 million for increased pay for providers of social services. Certain lawmakers, including Sens. Terrell McKinney, Justin Wayne, and George Dungan, called on their colleagues to include funding that would help reduce Nebraska's prison overcrowding and recidivism rate, but were only able to introduce small concessions to the budget, including a state prison system study on rehabilitation.

Having passed, LB818, the major budget package, leaves around $780 million in the state's cash reserve, as well as $891 million to be spent by senators for their priority bills. Additionally, around $10 million was earmarked for a sewer project in Sarpy County, $20 million for Metropolitan Community College to prepare for a potential chip manufacturer coming to Nebraska, and $30 million in shovel-ready infrastructure funds for Creighton University to build a new health sciences building and expand the baseball fields utilized during the College World Series.

For the full article click HERE