Nebraska Budget

[BigRedBuster]

I heard a report on this on NPR while driving to work this morning.

 

Nebraska's budget gap projected to grow by $153 million

 

So....we are sucking big time at balancing the budget which is a legal requirement for the state. I keep hearing Nebraskans ranting about how high our taxes are...bla bla bla....

 

We happen to be right in the middle as far as rankings at 21st in the country. LINK and LINK

 

At the same time, I'm hearing proposals to cut even more funding to the University system which would cause tuition to go up even farther.

 

Much of this is being blamed on the lower ag commodity pricing which has put the ag economy into a recession. However, I see this possibly getting much worse if Trump starts certain trade wars around the world. Our commodity pricing is heavily dependent on exporting those commodities.

 

I wish I were more optimistic about our budget issues in the state.....but.....this isn't looking good. Yes, we are ranked 21st in the country which isn't bad. BUT...it isn't great either. That's not a situation that is going to promote companies moving here. I see ag commodities getting worse before they improve. We have a balanced budget amendment that will require either more cuts on spending or increases in taxes.

 

Thoughts???

 

 

[StPaulHusker]

Keep voting Republicans into office and you get low taxes and high budget shortfalls.

[BigRedBuster]

OK...as an independent....I'm open to that.

 

Tell me what solutions Democrats would have for this situation? What would Hassebrook be doing differently?

[BigRedBuster]

Since the 2009-2010 school year, the state has increased funding to UNL on average about 10,000,000 per year which is roughly 2%. Not far from what the inflation rate has been. Their expenditures have grown roughly 24,000,000 per year.

 

LINK

 

I know this is just one small part of the budget.

[Mavric]

I heard a report on this on NPR while driving to work this morning.

 

Nebraska's budget gap projected to grow by $153 million

 

So....we are sucking big time at balancing the budget which is a legal requirement for the state. I keep hearing Nebraskans ranting about how high our taxes are...bla bla bla....

 

We happen to be right in the middle as far as rankings at 21st in the country. LINK and LINK

 

At the same time, I'm hearing proposals to cut even more funding to the University system which would cause tuition to go up even farther.

 

Kind of nit-picky - and you might have meant it kind of as a joke - but the budget is balanced. What actually happens is a different story.

 

A lot of the complaints about taxes are with property taxes which don't have anything (directly) to do with the state's budget.

 

Sounds like it's pretty much a forgone conclusion that UNL will take a pretty good hit.

[Danny Bateman]

I'm a student in the University system right now, so I'm pretty wary of this.

 

To me, the budget shortfall is largely due to the effects the Ag market is going through right now, but also reflects poorly on Rickett's ability as governor. As if I needed more reason to dislike that guy.

 

Re: Trump's policies, the US is the world's #1 grower/exporter of corn, and Mexico is the #1 importer of US corn. Nebraska is the third-highest corn producing state, and with Iowa first and the rest of the Midwest rounding out the top 15.

 

It's going to REALLY hurt the Midwest if NAFTA blows up and our relationship with Mexico worsens. There could be reciprocal tariffs, or they could start growing their own corn. Trump should tread lightly there or we're all going to hurt.

 

Also, I was interested one day not too long ago about Nebraska's public schools. I found this report from US News & World Report stating our high schools finished second to last in front of SD in terms of achievement. The only reason we weren't dead last? Get this - South Dakota didn't send them the requisite info to be judged correctly and wound up with zeroes.

 

Is that accurate? Our Nebraska public schools that poor, or is this a misleading reflection?

[BigRedBuster]

I'm a student in the University system right now, so I'm pretty wary of this.

 

To me, the budget shortfall is largely due to the effects the Ag market is going through right now, but also reflects poorly on Rickett's ability as governor. As if I needed more reason to dislike that guy.

 

Re: Trump's policies, the US is the world's #1 grower/exporter of corn, and Mexico is the #1 importer of US corn. Nebraska is the third-highest corn producing state, and with Iowa first and the rest of the Midwest rounding out the top 15.

 

It's going to REALLY hurt the Midwest if NAFTA blows up and our relationship with Mexico worsens. There could be reciprocal tariffs, or they could start growing their own corn. Trump should tread lightly there or we're all going to hurt.

 

 

 

I spent some time on the phone town hall meeting last night with Adrian Smith. I didn't hear the entire call. But, I was surprised this wasn't a major topic of discussion. If I wasn't doing something else at the time, I would have asked this question. I don't think Republicans in the midwest are fully grasping the enormous damage this could do to our states.

 

 

 

Also, I was interested one day not too long ago about Nebraska's public schools. I found this report from US News & World Report stating our high schools finished second to last in front of SD in terms of achievement. The only reason we weren't dead last? Get this - South Dakota didn't send them the requisite info to be judged correctly and wound up with zeroes.

 

Is that accurate? Our Nebraska public schools that poor, or is this a misleading reflection?

 

OK....I am not buying that. I would need to see what exactly they are looking at when comparing schools. I would absolutely be shocked if Nebraska schools were worse than states like Louisiana and Mississippi.

[Mavric]

 

Also, I was interested one day not too long ago about Nebraska's public schools. I found this report from US News & World Report stating our high schools finished second to last in front of SD in terms of achievement. The only reason we weren't dead last? Get this - South Dakota didn't send them the requisite info to be judged correctly and wound up with zeroes.

 

Is that accurate? Our Nebraska public schools that poor, or is this a misleading reflection?

OK....I am not buying that. I would need to see what exactly they are looking at when comparing schools. I would absolutely be shocked if Nebraska schools were worse than states like Louisiana and Mississippi.

 

I tried to read through it a bit and I'm pretty sure it has to do with how they are awarding their "medals." Looks to be based significantly on a couple tests that I'm not sure are offered everywhere.

[BigRedBuster]

This site has Nebraska ranked 11th in test scores.

 

LINK

[Stumpy1]

I'm a student in the University system right now, so I'm pretty wary of this.

 

To me, the budget shortfall is largely due to the effects the Ag market is going through right now, but also reflects poorly on Rickett's ability as governor. As if I needed more reason to dislike that guy.

 

Re: Trump's policies, the US is the world's #1 grower/exporter of corn, and Mexico is the #1 importer of US corn. Nebraska is the third-highest corn producing state, and with Iowa first and the rest of the Midwest rounding out the top 15.

 

It's going to REALLY hurt the Midwest if NAFTA blows up and our relationship with Mexico worsens. There could be reciprocal tariffs, or they could start growing their own corn. Trump should tread lightly there or we're all going to hurt.

 

Also, I was interested one day not too long ago about Nebraska's public schools. I found this report from US News & World Report stating our high schools finished second to last in front of SD in terms of achievement. The only reason we weren't dead last? Get this - South Dakota didn't send them the requisite info to be judged correctly and wound up with zeroes.

 

Is that accurate? Our Nebraska public schools that poor, or is this a misleading reflection?

Mexico could start growing their own corn but it wouldn't be enough to satisfy demand and they would have to use land that is supplying the country's drug trade.

[funhusker]

 

I'm a student in the University system right now, so I'm pretty wary of this.

 

To me, the budget shortfall is largely due to the effects the Ag market is going through right now, but also reflects poorly on Rickett's ability as governor. As if I needed more reason to dislike that guy.

 

Re: Trump's policies, the US is the world's #1 grower/exporter of corn, and Mexico is the #1 importer of US corn. Nebraska is the third-highest corn producing state, and with Iowa first and the rest of the Midwest rounding out the top 15.

 

It's going to REALLY hurt the Midwest if NAFTA blows up and our relationship with Mexico worsens. There could be reciprocal tariffs, or they could start growing their own corn. Trump should tread lightly there or we're all going to hurt.

 

Also, I was interested one day not too long ago about Nebraska's public schools. I found this report from US News & World Report stating our high schools finished second to last in front of SD in terms of achievement. The only reason we weren't dead last? Get this - South Dakota didn't send them the requisite info to be judged correctly and wound up with zeroes.

 

Is that accurate? Our Nebraska public schools that poor, or is this a misleading reflection?

Mexico could start growing their own corn but it wouldn't be enough to satisfy demand and they would have to use land that is supplying the country's drug trade.

 

Or they could just get it all from Brazil.

[BigRedBuster]

I'm still trying to figure out how the democrats in power would make out budget problems better.

[StPaulHusker]

I'm still trying to figure out how the democrats in power would make out budget problems better.

They probably wouldn't cut taxes so deep that revenues would fall short of the budget for one.

[Mavric]

Which tax cuts have led to $1B less revenue currently?

[StPaulHusker]

Which tax cuts have led to $1B less revenue currently?

Living in Minnesota, I haven't deciphered Nebraskas budget but I do know that despite a $900M deficit, Republicans are trying to still figure out how to cut more taxes even though they claim low tax revenues are partly to blame.