LINCOLN- The president of Southeast Community College and a member of its elected board are pushing back against criticism from 23 state senators, who argue that the college's proposed tax rate increase rungs counter to the Legislature's goal of reducing taxes all across Nebraska. The proposed change would raise SCC's tax levy from 9.37 cents per $100 valuation to 11.25 cents, the maximum amount allowed by state statute. Lawmakers argued that such a change would raise local taxes to support SCC by up to 40%.

SCC President Paul Illich and Arlyn Uhrmacher, the vice chair of the college's board, argued that the change would not result in a tax increase, since all property taxes paid to the community college are 100% refundable via a state income tax credit. Despite this, the coalition of lawmakers, in a letter to the college, argued that not all taxpayers take advantage of the credit. Illich and Uhrmacher went on to say that the change would be necessary to sustain the college into the future.

Illich also added that, because of a new law passed this year that shifts community colleges off of property tax payrolls, the college had to increase its "baseline" to avoid a steep tuition increase and a shortage of funds for staff salaries. Uhrbacher also argued that the SCC Board is adhering to the new law passed this year in the Legislature, which gave community colleges the power to raise their tax levies to the highest allowed rate. "We aren't doing anything that was not written into that bill," he said.

For the full article click HERE