LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A sharp downturn in state revenue will force Nebraska lawmakers to make tough decisions next year, but legislative leaders say they still have options available to balance the budget.
The possibilities include tapping the state's emergency cash reserve and reducing the flow of money into state agencies, as Gov. Pete Ricketts proposed. Lawmakers and Ricketts will start sorting through their options in October, when the agencies submit budget requests.
Sen. Heath Mello, the outgoing chairman of the Appropriations Committee, says the upcoming budget will be one of the most challenging that senators have faced in the last decade.
Ricketts announced Thursday that he has ordered Nebraska agencies to tighten their spending after the state received $95 million less than expected in the last fiscal year.
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