Nebraska ranks #4 in the nation for property tax rates. Your home values continue to increase yet they say they are keeping the millage rate the same…property tax increase continue to rise erratically and unpredictably. No business (or even household) budgets in this manner. In fact, they use escalation for labor costs, machinery costs, production, etc. and it’s usually comparable to the CPI or some reasonable (and predictable) percentage increase. It’s time to get results and address this burgeoning crisis that is personally affecting my district. It also uniquely affects us more because LD20’s close proximity to our “competitor”, Iowa. It’s time for a hard cap.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room that every family in District 20 knows, but our incumbent has failed to fix and in fact, has stood in the way of property tax reform.
Nebraska ranks #4 in the entire nation for property tax burden at 1.43% of home. This is not a ranking of which to be proud. It means a family with a $300,000 home — the median in much of our district — is paying over $4,300 a year just for the privilege of owning it. This problem is perpetually worsening and the belt tightening is pervasive in LD20. I plan to address it, apply my 15 years of private sector, publicly-traded corporate experience managing budgets and $1B+ orders pipelines coupled with 31 years of military experience to achieve measurable, near-term results for the customers: you, the taxpayers…customers of the government (and shareholders of the government incidentally).
Digest this:
- This year, Douglas County property taxes increased 7.3%. Let that sink in.
- Inflation was 3.2%.
- Wage growth was 3.6%.
But your property tax bill? Up 7.3%. That’s not a rounding error — that’s a policy failure.
I’ve talked to seniors on fixed incomes across the district who are genuinely afraid they’ll have to sell the homes they raised their families in because they can’t afford the tax bill due to the relatively low homestead exemption income level for 65s and older. I recognize that lowering this threshold then incurs a cost to the state as exemptions are not a county liability. This would lead to a fiscal responsibility discussion where we have to make decisions on other mandates, but the focal point is to ease the burden on those that want to remain in the home they worked so hard to pay off…and stay in LD20. I’ve spoken with young couples across the district who delayed buying their first home because the carrying costs are too high. This isn’t abstract — this is happening to our neighbors right now.
John Fredrickson, has been in office since 2022. In that time, Douglas County property taxes have risen over 22% cumulatively. He’s had his chance to fix this. He hasn’t. He tells people verbally and in literature that he is fiscally conservative and will lower your property taxes—Google his voting record and you will not see ONE bill where he introduced anything related to fiscal responsibility or lower taxes. To be sure, his priority bill for the last session was to eliminate Medicaid copays—who will pay for this? You will…and after discussing issues with thousands of households, public events, radio show interviews, etc.—elimination of Medicaid copay was raised by, wait for it…NOBODY from our great district. He is simply out of touch and this is understandable with zero profit and loss business experience. Finally, check his record and you will see a worrisome pattern of Present Not Voting. I am an action guy…and I believe in decisiveness.
Here’s what I’ll do on Day One: I will work with other fiscal conservative partners to introduce legislation to cap annual property tax growth at the rate of inflation or 3%, whichever is lower. No more 7% shocks. No more surprise bills that blow up your family budget. I’ve managed $1B portfolios in the private sector — I know how to build a budget that works without endlessly (and unpredictably) raising the bill on the people paying for it and I know how to be collaborative to get things done.
Property tax reform is not a partisan issue, but is a survival issue for Nebraska families. And District 20 deserves a representative who will fight for it like their home depends on it — because it does.
CALL TO ACTION:
Share this post with a neighbor who also is feeling the property tax squeeze. Ask your State Senator, John Fredrickson, about this issue when he (or a representative of him) comes to your door—and also, ask him why he chose not to never attend the Pledge of Allegiance during the last session. Together, we can demand change.
#PropertyTaxRelief#NE20#AndersonForNebraska#TaxReformNow