Ricketts ready to try again to cut Nebraska property taxes

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts isn't giving up his push to lower property taxes even though lawmakers rejected several proposals this year.

With the 2019 session now over, the Republican governor says he plans to meet with key lawmakers this summer in search of a new property tax compromise before the Legislature reconvenes in January.

But Ricketts is standing firm in his opposition to any proposal that lowers one tax by raising another.

The main plan championed by lawmakers sought to lower property taxes by raising the state's sales tax and eliminating dozens of sales tax exemptions on a variety of goods and services.

Ricketts praised lawmakers for adopting his budget recommendation to boost the state's property tax credit fund by 23%, for a total of $275 million.