By Katie Schubert
Omaha, NE – Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman is calling on lawmakers to cut state income taxes by $326.6 million dollars over the next three years.
Taxes were a central part of Heineman's State of the State address Thursday. Heineman's plan would change the state income tax brackets and lower rates accordingly. The legislation, sponsored by Bellevue Senator Abbie Cornett, would also eliminate Nebraska's inheritance tax.
Another topic of State of the State was Nebraska's child welfare system. Governor Heineman says Nebraska is placing children in to the welfare system at a rate of twice the national average. "Your Health and Human Services Committee has provided the state a series of recommendations to begin a conversation about how the courts, the legislature, and the executive branch can work together to develop a more collaborative, a more coordinated, and a more comprehensive approach to protecting Nebraska's children."
Other topics included job creation. Nebraska continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation at 4.1 percent. Heineman wants lawmakers to approve a bill merging the state's Department of Labor with the Department of Economic Development.
On the web: http://nebraskalegislature.gov