LINCOLN- Along with his gubernatorial duties, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen is one of the state's wealthier businessmen as an owner of the hog producer Pillen Family Farms and over 30 other limited liability companies in Nebraska. Pillen paid almost $2 million in property taxes in 2023, but analyses point to that bill being reduced by around $1 million if the governor's tax plan is passed. Pillen remains one of the state's most aggressive land buyers with his Columbus-based companies, and critics are pointing out what he has to gain from his reform ideas.

The governor's investment in this issue has been heavily criticized by opponents who state that he is only looking out for his interests. After failing to get his plan passed during the 2024 Legislative Session, Pillen toured the state promoting his tax reform ideas before calling a special legislative session to implement those ideas. Opponents claim that his town halls were filled with false promises to people genuinely in need of relief.

Pillen looks to lift $2.61 billion off of the property tax burden by cutting spending and frontloading existing property tax relief programs. The rest of the lost revenue will be made up by new taxes on previously exempt items and increases on what the governor describes as "sin taxes," or sales taxes on nicotine, alcohol, or hemp products. Pillen believes that to be an economically prosperous state, sales, property, and income taxes must be balanced.

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