Nebraska National Forest and Grassland

Chadron, NE July 29, 2024&nbsp;- Due to rapidly drying wildland fuels and predicted hot and dry weather, the Nebraska National Forests &amp; Grasslands, plan to enter Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, beginning Tuesday, July 30 at 1:00 a.m.  Restrictions will remain in effect until forest officials determine that conditions have improved sufficiently to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.&nbsp;

 Stage I fire restrictions prohibit the following:&nbsp;

Exemptions to restrictions include the following:&nbsp;

Fire Restrictions will apply to all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within the exterior boundaries of the NNFG with the exception of designated developed recreation sites.&nbsp;Fires are only allowed in metal fire rings and/or metal pedestal grills provided by the Forest Service in developed recreation sites. For further information, persons can call the Pine Ridge Ranger District at 308-432-0300; the Fall River Ranger District at 605-745-4107 or the Wall Ranger District at 605-279-2126.

It is important to note that all the Black Hills National Forest and the Ft. Pierre Ranger District of the NNFG remain in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions year-round.

Nebraska National Forest and GrasslandChadron, NE July 29, 2024&nbsp;- Due to rapidly drying wildland fuels and predicted hot and dry weather, the Nebraska National Forests &amp; Grasslands, plan to enter Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, beginning Tuesday, July 30 at 1:00 a.m.  Restrictions will remain in effect until forest officials determine that conditions have improved sufficiently to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722280677645.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> Stage I fire restrictions prohibit the following:&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Igniting, building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire (including fires fueled by charcoal or briquettes) except if it is in:</li><li>A permanent metal or concrete fire pit or grate that the U.S. Forest Service has installed and maintained at its developed recreation sites (campgrounds and picnic areas);</li><li>A&nbsp;device solely fueled by liquid or gas that can be turned on and off used in an area barren or cleared of all flammable materials within three feet of the device; or</li><li>A&nbsp;fully enclosed metal stove with a chimney at least five feet in length and a mesh screen spark arrestor with a screen opening of a ¼ inch or less&nbsp;used in an area that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials within 10 feet of the device.</li>
 </ol><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722280701420.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;36 CFR § 261.52(a)<ol>
 <li>Smoking is prohibited, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. 36 CFR § 261.52(d)</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order meeting either U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard 5100-1a; or appropriate Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practice J335(b) and J350(a). For chainsaw use a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher (with a minimum 8 oz. capacity and rating of 2A) must be kept with the operator, and a round point shovel with an overall length of at least 35 inches readily available for use. 36 CFR § 261.52(h), (j)</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Blasting, welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame, except if in a cleared area of at least 10 feet in diameter and a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher (with a minimum 8 oz. capacity and rating of Class 2A) is kept with the operator. 36 CFR § 261.52(i)</li><li>Using an explosive. This includes but is not limited to fuses, blasting caps, fireworks, rockets, exploding targets, tracers, and incendiary ammunition. 36 CFR § 261.52(b)</li>
 </ol><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722280726868.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Exemptions to restrictions include the following:&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Persons with a Forest Service Permit specifically exempting them from restrictions or a written determination by a Forest Service officer that a permit is not required.&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Persons engaged in legal hunting activity pursuant to State, Federal, or Tribal laws and regulations are allowed to discharge a firearm while taking wildlife.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off.&nbsp; Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Persons using a stove fire in a designated area.&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Any Federal, State, or Local Officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting resource in the performance of an official duty.&nbsp;</li>
 </ol>Fire Restrictions will apply to all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within the exterior boundaries of the NNFG with the exception of designated developed recreation sites.&nbsp;Fires are only allowed in metal fire rings and/or metal pedestal grills provided by the Forest Service in developed recreation sites. For further information, persons can call the Pine Ridge Ranger District at 308-432-0300; the Fall River Ranger District at 605-745-4107 or the Wall Ranger District at 605-279-2126.It is important to note that all the Black Hills National Forest and the Ft. Pierre Ranger District of the NNFG remain in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions year-round.

Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands Announces  Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/26/legislative-maneuvering-could-complicate-the-path-for-gov-pillens-tax-proposal/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Some lawmakers sent a warning to Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Friday by voting to send the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-introduce-gov-pillens-property-tax-plan-which-would-require-legislation-in-2025/">core of his property tax relief proposal</a>&nbsp;to a more unfavorable committee than anticipated.

The Revenue Committee is usually the destination for bills dealing with&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/committees/landing_pages/index.php?cid=12&amp;subjects=true" target="_blank">taxation and property taxes</a>. All introduced bills and policy resolutions must get a public hearing and must be sent to the “<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/committees/standing-committees.php" target="_blank">appropriate committee</a>,” per the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Rules/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">Legislature’s internal rules</a>.

When it came to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58119" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 1</a>, introduced by State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn on Pillen’s behalf, the internally selected, 10-member Executive Board took a different approach. Five of the nine voting members determined the best destination for the 139-page proposal would be the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Their reasoning: It touches various aspects of government overall, not just taxes.

“Logically, it could have been sent to 10 different committees,” State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, an Executive Board member, told the Nebraska Examiner. “The key for me was that the overarching theme is the authority of government.”

During debate on a previous Pillen-led tax package this spring, the Government Committee chair, State Sen. Tom Brewer of north-central Nebraska, was the only committee member who voted for the bill. Seven other members&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10906" target="_blank">opposed or otherwise did not vote for the bill</a>.

State Sens. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island and John Lowe of Kearney are members of both the Government Committee and the Executive Board, where they serve as chair and vice chair.

The committee shift is likely to be short-lived as Aguilar and Lowe both said they’d reverse their votes come Monday. Still, it sends a strong message to the first-term governor, who already faces an uphill climb to get enough votes for the property tax relief ideas he’s worked on all summer.

In addition to Aguilar and Lowe, State Sens. Merv Riepe of Ralston, Tony Vargas of Omaha and Slama agreed to the Government Committee pick. State Sens. John Arch of La Vista, Beau Ballard of Lincoln, Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and Mike Jacobson of North Platte voted against.

Arch, the Legislature’s speaker, who sets the daily agenda, noted that there would likely be a committee amendment before LB 1, or any other major tax proposal this special session, makes it to the floor.

He encouraged his colleagues to consider which committee would be the most qualified to craft that compromise to deal with Nebraska’s tax issue.

Linehan &nbsp;joined Brewer on Friday in requesting that the Executive Board’s vote be reconsidered.

“The subject matter of this bill —&nbsp;pertaining to the assessment and collection of taxes —&nbsp;is best heard in the Revenue Committee,” Brewer and Linehan wrote in a joint letter.

Linehan has the option to force a floor vote to send the bill to her committee if the Executive Board members do not reconsider. She said she is “not the least concerned.”

“Everybody in the whole state knows this is about taxes,” Linehan told reporters, referring to&nbsp;LB 1.

“I don’t think Nebraskans would be very happy when they find out that a handful of senators have decided that we should go home, enjoy the rest of our summer and not worry about the crisis of property taxes in the State of Nebraska.”

Lowe, asked how he would vote Monday, said he has “always honored the chairmen.”&nbsp;

Slama said even if an introducer has a preferred committee, she and the top-ranking board must “look at the text of the bill and not the personalities involved.”

Another bill had been suggested, based on its content, to be sent to the Education Committee but ultimately found a home in the Revenue Committee:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58052" target="_blank">LB 9</a>, from State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward.

Hughes’ bill, the bipartisan product of work with four other lawmakers, is an&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-propose-decade-long-plan-to-reduce-nebraska-k-12-property-tax-rates/">alternative K-12 school funding model</a>&nbsp;to reduce general fund property tax rates for districts over 10 years. It also addresses the main state aid funding formula for the state’s 244 school districts.

Lawmakers voted 5-3 to send the bill to the Revenue Committee, rather than to the Education Committee.

LB 9 is one of the first bills up for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/calendar/hearings.php?day=2024-07-29" target="_blank">legislative hearings this Monday</a>, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. That will also be the final day of bill introductions for the special session. As of Friday, 35 bills and six constitutional amendments had been&nbsp;introduced so far. The Legislature will not meet Saturday as initially scheduled.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722276853312.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, chair of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee. July 26, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, chair of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee. July 26, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/26/legislative-maneuvering-could-complicate-the-path-for-gov-pillens-tax-proposal/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Some lawmakers sent a warning to Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Friday by voting to send the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-introduce-gov-pillens-property-tax-plan-which-would-require-legislation-in-2025/">core of his property tax relief proposal</a>&nbsp;to a more unfavorable committee than anticipated.The Revenue Committee is usually the destination for bills dealing with&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/committees/landing_pages/index.php?cid=12&amp;subjects=true" target="_blank">taxation and property taxes</a>. All introduced bills and policy resolutions must get a public hearing and must be sent to the “<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/committees/standing-committees.php" target="_blank">appropriate committee</a>,” per the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Rules/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">Legislature’s internal rules</a>.When it came to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58119" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 1</a>, introduced by State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn on Pillen’s behalf, the internally selected, 10-member Executive Board took a different approach. Five of the nine voting members determined the best destination for the 139-page proposal would be the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.Their reasoning: It touches various aspects of government overall, not just taxes.“Logically, it could have been sent to 10 different committees,” State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, an Executive Board member, told the Nebraska Examiner. “The key for me was that the overarching theme is the authority of government.”<h2>Possibly less friendly committee</h2>During debate on a previous Pillen-led tax package this spring, the Government Committee chair, State Sen. Tom Brewer of north-central Nebraska, was the only committee member who voted for the bill. Seven other members&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10906" target="_blank">opposed or otherwise did not vote for the bill</a>.State Sens. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island and John Lowe of Kearney are members of both the Government Committee and the Executive Board, where they serve as chair and vice chair.The committee shift is likely to be short-lived as Aguilar and Lowe both said they’d reverse their votes come Monday. Still, it sends a strong message to the first-term governor, who already faces an uphill climb to get enough votes for the property tax relief ideas he’s worked on all summer.In addition to Aguilar and Lowe, State Sens. Merv Riepe of Ralston, Tony Vargas of Omaha and Slama agreed to the Government Committee pick. State Sens. John Arch of La Vista, Beau Ballard of Lincoln, Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and Mike Jacobson of North Platte voted against.<h2>‘This is about taxes’</h2>Arch, the Legislature’s speaker, who sets the daily agenda, noted that there would likely be a committee amendment before LB 1, or any other major tax proposal this special session, makes it to the floor.He encouraged his colleagues to consider which committee would be the most qualified to craft that compromise to deal with Nebraska’s tax issue.Linehan &nbsp;joined Brewer on Friday in requesting that the Executive Board’s vote be reconsidered.“The subject matter of this bill —&nbsp;pertaining to the assessment and collection of taxes —&nbsp;is best heard in the Revenue Committee,” Brewer and Linehan wrote in a joint letter.Linehan has the option to force a floor vote to send the bill to her committee if the Executive Board members do not reconsider. She said she is “not the least concerned.”“Everybody in the whole state knows this is about taxes,” Linehan told reporters, referring to&nbsp;LB 1.“I don’t think Nebraskans would be very happy when they find out that a handful of senators have decided that we should go home, enjoy the rest of our summer and not worry about the crisis of property taxes in the State of Nebraska.”Lowe, asked how he would vote Monday, said he has “always honored the chairmen.”&nbsp;Slama said even if an introducer has a preferred committee, she and the top-ranking board must “look at the text of the bill and not the personalities involved.”<h2>Another bucks committee suggestion</h2>Another bill had been suggested, based on its content, to be sent to the Education Committee but ultimately found a home in the Revenue Committee:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58052" target="_blank">LB 9</a>, from State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward.Hughes’ bill, the bipartisan product of work with four other lawmakers, is an&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-propose-decade-long-plan-to-reduce-nebraska-k-12-property-tax-rates/">alternative K-12 school funding model</a>&nbsp;to reduce general fund property tax rates for districts over 10 years. It also addresses the main state aid funding formula for the state’s 244 school districts.Lawmakers voted 5-3 to send the bill to the Revenue Committee, rather than to the Education Committee.LB 9 is one of the first bills up for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/calendar/hearings.php?day=2024-07-29" target="_blank">legislative hearings this Monday</a>, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. That will also be the final day of bill introductions for the special session. As of Friday, 35 bills and six constitutional amendments had been&nbsp;introduced so far. The Legislature will not meet Saturday as initially scheduled.

Legislative maneuvering could complicate the path for Gov. Pillen’s tax proposal

OMAHA, NE — Today the Platte Institute is providing testimony on four bills being considered during the Special Legislative Session. Attached are the testimonies in their entirety. &nbsp;


Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute, added some additional context to this testimony, “As Governor Pillen and the legislature ambitiously seek to reform Nebraska’s property tax system the Platte Institute seeks to be a constructive and reasonable partner,
 helping to achieve the strongest reform possible for our citizens.” &nbsp;


“Delaying the income tax reforms made in 2023, adding new tax brackets which would further burden Nebraskans with higher taxes, and increasing taxes on cigarettes should all be avoided to ensure that Nebraska’s tax code is both competitive and fair,” added
 Vokal. &nbsp;


The Platte Institute remains dedicated to promoting sustainable and effective tax reform that supports long-term fiscal responsibility and economic growth.&nbsp;
For further information, or to request an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at
<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;

For more insights into our policy recommendations, visit PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

Platte InstituteOMAHA, NE — Today the Platte Institute is providing testimony on four bills being considered during the Special Legislative Session. Attached are the testimonies in their entirety. &nbsp;
Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute, added some additional context to this testimony, “As Governor Pillen and the legislature ambitiously seek to reform Nebraska’s property tax system the Platte Institute seeks to be a constructive and reasonable partner,
 helping to achieve the strongest reform possible for our citizens.” &nbsp;
“Delaying the income tax reforms made in 2023, adding new tax brackets which would further burden Nebraskans with higher taxes, and increasing taxes on cigarettes should all be avoided to ensure that Nebraska’s tax code is both competitive and fair,” added
 Vokal. &nbsp;
The Platte Institute remains dedicated to promoting sustainable and effective tax reform that supports long-term fiscal responsibility and economic growth.&nbsp;
For further information, or to request an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at
<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;
For more insights into our policy recommendations, visit PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

Platte Institute Testifies on LB 7, LB 9, LB 10, and LB 11 as Special Session Committee Hearings Begin 

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tope Gbenga Opaogun, 43, of Nigeria, was sentenced on July 26, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for wire fraud conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Opaogun to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. 

After Opaogun’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Chief Judge Rossiter ordered Opaogun to pay restitution in the amount of $193,458.21. Opaogun will be deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.

Between October 21, 2013, and November 5, 2013,&nbsp;Opaogun and a&nbsp;co-defendant, both who were located outside of the United States, compromised the email account of an individual who had a personal bank account at a bank located in the District of Nebraska.&nbsp; Opaogun used the compromised email account to fraudulently induce employees at the bank&nbsp;to wire funds from the individual’s personal bank account to a third-party bank account controlled by&nbsp;Opaogun and a&nbsp;co-defendant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Opaogun’s use of the compromised email account&nbsp;induced bank employees to make six unauthorized wire transfers totaling $234,990 to the third-party bank account. Opaogun attempted three additional unauthorized wire transfers totaling $182,000, but those attempts were unsuccessful.

On May 22, 2018, an Indictment charging Opaogun and a co-defendant was filed in the United States District Court in the District of Nebraska.&nbsp; On August 11, 2022, Opaogun was arrested in Senegal on the District of Nebraska warrant. He was extradited from Senegal, where Opaogun was vacationing at the time, to the United States under the supervision of the FBI.&nbsp;

The FBI continues to seek the co-defendant for arrest and prosecution.

This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Office of United State AttorneyUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tope Gbenga Opaogun, 43, of Nigeria, was sentenced on July 26, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for wire fraud conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Opaogun to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Opaogun’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Chief Judge Rossiter ordered Opaogun to pay restitution in the amount of $193,458.21. Opaogun will be deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.Between October 21, 2013, and November 5, 2013,&nbsp;Opaogun and a&nbsp;co-defendant, both who were located outside of the United States, compromised the email account of an individual who had a personal bank account at a bank located in the District of Nebraska.&nbsp; Opaogun used the compromised email account to fraudulently induce employees at the bank&nbsp;to wire funds from the individual’s personal bank account to a third-party bank account controlled by&nbsp;Opaogun and a&nbsp;co-defendant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Opaogun’s use of the compromised email account&nbsp;induced bank employees to make six unauthorized wire transfers totaling $234,990 to the third-party bank account. Opaogun attempted three additional unauthorized wire transfers totaling $182,000, but those attempts were unsuccessful.On May 22, 2018, an Indictment charging Opaogun and a co-defendant was filed in the United States District Court in the District of Nebraska.&nbsp; On August 11, 2022, Opaogun was arrested in Senegal on the District of Nebraska warrant. He was extradited from Senegal, where Opaogun was vacationing at the time, to the United States under the supervision of the FBI.&nbsp;The FBI continues to seek the co-defendant for arrest and prosecution.This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 Nigerian Man Sentenced for Wire Fraud Conspiracy

JERUSALEM — U.S. forces continue to face daily threats in the Red Sea and the surrounding area.

Over the past week U.S. forces successfully destroyed 11 Iranian-backed Houthi drones including six on Friday in the Red Sea, according to the U.S. Central Command.

They also destroyed two surface-to-air missiles and five missile launchers and on Thursday destoyed a drone launcher. All of these were in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.


It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

JERUSALEM — U.S. forces continue to face daily threats in the Red Sea and the surrounding area.Over the past week U.S. forces successfully destroyed 11 Iranian-backed Houthi drones including six on Friday in the Red Sea, according to the U.S. Central Command.They also destroyed two surface-to-air missiles and five missile launchers and on Thursday destoyed a drone launcher. All of these were in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.
It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

U.S. forces continue to face daily threats in the Red Sea

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/caseyquinlan/">CASEY QUINLAN</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>

U.S. median home prices hit a record high for the second month in a row as sales continued to fall, according to a report released this week, as potential buyers continue to lie in wait for lower mortgage rates.

Existing home sales fell 5.4% in June and median home sales reached its highest level on record since prices were first tracked by the National Association of Realtors in 1999. The median price rose the most in the northeast region at 9.7%. In June, existing home sales plummeted 8% in the Midwest, the greatest fall among the regions,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/existing-home-sales-slipped-5-4-in-june-median-sales-price-jumps-to-record-high-of-426900" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the report released on Tuesday.

New home sales,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/pdf/newressales.pdf" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau, fell 0.6% in June and is 7.4% lower than new home sales a year ago. The median sales price of a new home was $417,300, lower than the existing home sales median price of $426,900. Housing experts say that this closeness in price is unusual, since new homes have usually sold for much more in the past 10 years and may be reflective of changing demands for smaller and more affordable homes.

Despite that change, these two measures have shown that home prices still remain out of reach for many and that in response, sales have been slow. What is driving these prices and when will they abate? Housing economists say there are many factors at play, including Fed policy and an aging population.

Why are home sales low and home prices high?

High demand for homes and lower inventory levels have contributed to higher home prices in recent years. These expensive home prices and high mortgage rates have resulted in this housing market shift.

Matthew Walsh, economist at Moody’s Analytics, said low housing affordability and the “persistently high” mortgage rate is contributing to cooling housing activity. Unless housing becomes more affordable soon, he said he expects to continue to see lower existing home sales. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.78% as of July 25,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freddiemac.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAC-2BuhLU-a1GBcy8DJWMM3or13Ye&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwzIK1BhAuEiwAHQmU3qjHufAfDjdczZrYqFAv10PYk67LRMDASSjtafgA0lUfDZLu84IenRoCU6sQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;Freddie Mac.

“Buyers are very responsive to mortgage rates and with the information being so readily available and the anticipation that mortgage rates are going to come down, I think that’s keeping people on the sidelines,” said Selma Hepp, chief economist at CoreLogic.

But she said homebuyers face a double-edged sword. When mortgage rates do come down, there will be a lot of pent-up demand that will also put pressure on home prices. A rise in cash buyers could also be pushing prices higher, Hepp said. All cash buyers were 28% of home transactions in June.

“A lot of these cash buyers are actually baby boomers who maybe cashed out on their existing home. We do know that home equity is at an all-time high and if you’re moving from a very expensive home price area to a lower-priced area, you obviously will have a lot of cash,” she added.

Housing inventory is changing but is it enough?

One bright spot for homebuyers is that total housing inventory has been rising. Inventory increased 3.1% from May and was up 23.4% from a year ago according to the June existing home sales report. Walsh said some households may be deciding they can’t wait to make a life change and are moving out of homes for larger or smaller options.

“It’s a lot of households that can no longer postpone plans to sell, whether that’s because their household is expanding because they’re having children or it’s shrinking and they need to sell their larger home in the Northeast and move to a smaller home to retire in the South,” Walsh&nbsp; said. “They can no longer put up with the homes that they’re in and sacrifice their low mortgage rate for a higher rate.”

Still, Hepp said the inventory is far lower than pre-pandemic levels and where demand has picked up — in Boston, New York, and Chicago, for example — there’s not a proportionate increase in the supply of housing.

Some homebuyers may be watching the Fed’s plans to cut interest rates, which affect mortgage rates, for some financial relief. A majority of economists say they believe the Fed will cut rates in September and December,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/fed-cut-rates-twice-this-year-with-first-move-september-economists-say-2024-07-23/" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;a recent Reuters poll. Cutting rates may help bring some buyers back into the market and pump up inventory, but the effect will likely not be strong enough to bring home sales back to where they were before the pandemic, Walsh added.

The Biden administration announced a flurry of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/16/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-major-new-actions-to-lower-housing-costs-by-limiting-rent-increases-and-building-more-homes/#:~:text=The%20Biden%2DHarris%20Administration%20is,for%20tens%20of%20millions%20of" target="_blank">proposals</a>&nbsp;this month to make housing more affordable, some of which would impact homebuyers as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2024/07/17/biden-proposes-5-rent-increase-cap-for-corporate-owned-apartments/" target="_blank">repurposing</a>&nbsp;of public lands in Nevada to bring at least 15,000 affordable rental and homeownership units to the area. In February, the White House also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/02/29/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-boost-housing-supply-and-lower-housing-costs/" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;the opening of grant applications for assistance to homeowners to replace dilapidated homes.

Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/how-donald-trump-plans-fix-housing-market-1811663" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;at a July rally in Iowa that he would address problems in the housing market through cutting interest rates, according to Newsweek. Although presidents nominate the chair of the Fed for a four-year term, they do not have power over whether the Fed cuts rates.

States have been pursuing their own policies to improve housing inventory and affordability, including&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/03/19/utah-housing-market-experiment-legislature-2024/" target="_blank">Utah</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/04/oregon-house-passes-gov-tina-koteks-housing-bill-approves-369-million/" target="_blank">Oregon</a>, which passed legislation to use funds for loans to developers who plan to build more affordable homes. A Maryland bill&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2024/05/02/moores-signature-on-bill-will-enable-local-governments-to-impose-higher-taxes-on-vacant-properties/" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;into law by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore in May would push property owners to make plans for vacant properties by letting cities raise taxes on those properties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="A sign advertising a home for sale is displayed outside of a Brooklyn brownstone on April 11, 2024, in New York City. U.S. house sales continued to fall in June as median home prices hit a record high for the second month&nbsp; photo AP" />
 <figcaption>A sign advertising a home for sale is displayed outside of a Brooklyn brownstone on April 11, 2024, in New York City. U.S. house sales continued to fall in June as median home prices hit a record high for the second month&nbsp; photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/caseyquinlan/">CASEY QUINLAN</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>U.S. median home prices hit a record high for the second month in a row as sales continued to fall, according to a report released this week, as potential buyers continue to lie in wait for lower mortgage rates.Existing home sales fell 5.4% in June and median home sales reached its highest level on record since prices were first tracked by the National Association of Realtors in 1999. The median price rose the most in the northeast region at 9.7%. In June, existing home sales plummeted 8% in the Midwest, the greatest fall among the regions,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/existing-home-sales-slipped-5-4-in-june-median-sales-price-jumps-to-record-high-of-426900" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the report released on Tuesday.New home sales,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/pdf/newressales.pdf" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau, fell 0.6% in June and is 7.4% lower than new home sales a year ago. The median sales price of a new home was $417,300, lower than the existing home sales median price of $426,900. Housing experts say that this closeness in price is unusual, since new homes have usually sold for much more in the past 10 years and may be reflective of changing demands for smaller and more affordable homes.Despite that change, these two measures have shown that home prices still remain out of reach for many and that in response, sales have been slow. What is driving these prices and when will they abate? Housing economists say there are many factors at play, including Fed policy and an aging population.<h2>Why are home sales low and home prices high?</h2>High demand for homes and lower inventory levels have contributed to higher home prices in recent years. These expensive home prices and high mortgage rates have resulted in this housing market shift.Matthew Walsh, economist at Moody’s Analytics, said low housing affordability and the “persistently high” mortgage rate is contributing to cooling housing activity. Unless housing becomes more affordable soon, he said he expects to continue to see lower existing home sales. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.78% as of July 25,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freddiemac.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAC-2BuhLU-a1GBcy8DJWMM3or13Ye&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwzIK1BhAuEiwAHQmU3qjHufAfDjdczZrYqFAv10PYk67LRMDASSjtafgA0lUfDZLu84IenRoCU6sQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;Freddie Mac.“Buyers are very responsive to mortgage rates and with the information being so readily available and the anticipation that mortgage rates are going to come down, I think that’s keeping people on the sidelines,” said Selma Hepp, chief economist at CoreLogic.But she said homebuyers face a double-edged sword. When mortgage rates do come down, there will be a lot of pent-up demand that will also put pressure on home prices. A rise in cash buyers could also be pushing prices higher, Hepp said. All cash buyers were 28% of home transactions in June.“A lot of these cash buyers are actually baby boomers who maybe cashed out on their existing home. We do know that home equity is at an all-time high and if you’re moving from a very expensive home price area to a lower-priced area, you obviously will have a lot of cash,” she added.<h2>Housing inventory is changing but is it enough?</h2>One bright spot for homebuyers is that total housing inventory has been rising. Inventory increased 3.1% from May and was up 23.4% from a year ago according to the June existing home sales report. Walsh said some households may be deciding they can’t wait to make a life change and are moving out of homes for larger or smaller options.“It’s a lot of households that can no longer postpone plans to sell, whether that’s because their household is expanding because they’re having children or it’s shrinking and they need to sell their larger home in the Northeast and move to a smaller home to retire in the South,” Walsh&nbsp; said. “They can no longer put up with the homes that they’re in and sacrifice their low mortgage rate for a higher rate.”Still, Hepp said the inventory is far lower than pre-pandemic levels and where demand has picked up — in Boston, New York, and Chicago, for example — there’s not a proportionate increase in the supply of housing.Some homebuyers may be watching the Fed’s plans to cut interest rates, which affect mortgage rates, for some financial relief. A majority of economists say they believe the Fed will cut rates in September and December,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/fed-cut-rates-twice-this-year-with-first-move-september-economists-say-2024-07-23/" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;a recent Reuters poll. Cutting rates may help bring some buyers back into the market and pump up inventory, but the effect will likely not be strong enough to bring home sales back to where they were before the pandemic, Walsh added.<h2>What is the government doing?</h2>The Biden administration announced a flurry of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/16/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-major-new-actions-to-lower-housing-costs-by-limiting-rent-increases-and-building-more-homes/#:~:text=The%20Biden%2DHarris%20Administration%20is,for%20tens%20of%20millions%20of" target="_blank">proposals</a>&nbsp;this month to make housing more affordable, some of which would impact homebuyers as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2024/07/17/biden-proposes-5-rent-increase-cap-for-corporate-owned-apartments/" target="_blank">repurposing</a>&nbsp;of public lands in Nevada to bring at least 15,000 affordable rental and homeownership units to the area. In February, the White House also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/02/29/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-boost-housing-supply-and-lower-housing-costs/" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;the opening of grant applications for assistance to homeowners to replace dilapidated homes.Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/how-donald-trump-plans-fix-housing-market-1811663" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;at a July rally in Iowa that he would address problems in the housing market through cutting interest rates, according to Newsweek. Although presidents nominate the chair of the Fed for a four-year term, they do not have power over whether the Fed cuts rates.States have been pursuing their own policies to improve housing inventory and affordability, including&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/03/19/utah-housing-market-experiment-legislature-2024/" target="_blank">Utah</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/04/oregon-house-passes-gov-tina-koteks-housing-bill-approves-369-million/" target="_blank">Oregon</a>, which passed legislation to use funds for loans to developers who plan to build more affordable homes. A Maryland bill&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2024/05/02/moores-signature-on-bill-will-enable-local-governments-to-impose-higher-taxes-on-vacant-properties/" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;into law by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore in May would push property owners to make plans for vacant properties by letting cities raise taxes on those properties.

U.S. home prices hit a record high as sales fell. Here’s how housing experts explain the trends

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/renters-would-get-some-relief-too-under-a-pair-of-legislative-proposals/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska renters would get some financial relief in the form of an income tax credit under a pair of proposals to be considered by the Legislature.

State Sens. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha and Eliot Bostar of Lincoln each introduced a bill Thursday seeking to compensate renters who otherwise would not automatically reap any direct benefit from property tax reforms being pushed by Gov. Jim Pillen.

McKinney said that while landlords would achieve property tax relief, it is not a given they would pass that relief on to their renters.

With about 60% of his constituents in rental homes, McKinney said, “we have to think about renters and how property tax and property tax relief affects them.”

McKinney’s Legislative Bill 20 calls for a refundable credit against income tax to renters of 4% of total annual rent, or $200, whichever is greater, not to exceed $1,000.

Under Bostar’s Legislative Bill 14, renters would get a credit of 5% of their lease expenses during the taxable year.

Bostar said relief to renters, especially in the short term, has been an ongoing conversation during the discussions about property tax reform.

Of his proposal, he said: “It’s a means of ensuring that renters as well as property owners could see relief this session,” if the Legislature indeed passes property tax reform.

Housing in Bostar’s legislative district is about 37% renter occupied, according to the Legislative Research Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Consideration of renters also came up in in “listening sessions” hosted last weekend by several lawmakers in the urban centers of Omaha and Lincoln.

State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston told the Omaha audience that his district includes a lot of apartments (about 49% of homes are renter-occupied) and that “the belief” is that the owners would pass down property tax relief savings to tenants.

“And I say baha,” Riepe told the group. “I don’t believe that for a day.”

Of all Nebraska legislative districts, the highest percentage of renter-occupied homes is in the southeast and downtown Omaha District 7, represented by Sen. Tony Vargas, and the lowest percentage of rental units in Sarpy County’s District 36, represented by Sen. Rick Holdcroft.

U.S. Census data shows Nebraska has about 66% homeowners and about 34% renters.

The median rent in the state is about $1,360, according to Zillow rental market research, which looked at median rent for all property types and number of bedrooms.

Whether workers earning a median wage in Nebraska are seeking a house or an apartment, recent research by the Nebraska Legislative Research Office said they often are unable to find a home, especially in light of rising property values.

The researchers said that the median annual income of an owner-occupied household in Nebraska was more than $91,000, while renter households earned about $44,200.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722008053065.jpeg" alt="Nebraskans who lease their homes would get some financial relief under a couple of legislative proposals introduced Thursday during the special session. Shown here is Westline at Flanagan Lake Apartments , which was one of the larger housing complexes issued building permits in the City of Omaha in 2021. (Courtesy of Simonson &amp; Associates Inc.)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraskans who lease their homes would get some financial relief under a couple of legislative proposals introduced Thursday during the special session. Shown here is Westline at Flanagan Lake Apartments , which was one of the larger housing complexes issued building permits in the City of Omaha in 2021. (Courtesy of Simonson &amp; Associates Inc.)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/renters-would-get-some-relief-too-under-a-pair-of-legislative-proposals/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska renters would get some financial relief in the form of an income tax credit under a pair of proposals to be considered by the Legislature.State Sens. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha and Eliot Bostar of Lincoln each introduced a bill Thursday seeking to compensate renters who otherwise would not automatically reap any direct benefit from property tax reforms being pushed by Gov. Jim Pillen.McKinney said that while landlords would achieve property tax relief, it is not a given they would pass that relief on to their renters.“It’s not fair,” he said.&nbsp;With about 60% of his constituents in rental homes, McKinney said, “we have to think about renters and how property tax and property tax relief affects them.”McKinney’s Legislative Bill 20 calls for a refundable credit against income tax to renters of 4% of total annual rent, or $200, whichever is greater, not to exceed $1,000.Under Bostar’s Legislative Bill 14, renters would get a credit of 5% of their lease expenses during the taxable year.Bostar said relief to renters, especially in the short term, has been an ongoing conversation during the discussions about property tax reform.Of his proposal, he said: “It’s a means of ensuring that renters as well as property owners could see relief this session,” if the Legislature indeed passes property tax reform.Housing in Bostar’s legislative district is about 37% renter occupied, according to the Legislative Research Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Consideration of renters also came up in in “listening sessions” hosted last weekend by several lawmakers in the urban centers of Omaha and Lincoln.State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston told the Omaha audience that his district includes a lot of apartments (about 49% of homes are renter-occupied) and that “the belief” is that the owners would pass down property tax relief savings to tenants.“And I say baha,” Riepe told the group. “I don’t believe that for a day.”Of all Nebraska legislative districts, the highest percentage of renter-occupied homes is in the southeast and downtown Omaha District 7, represented by Sen. Tony Vargas, and the lowest percentage of rental units in Sarpy County’s District 36, represented by Sen. Rick Holdcroft.U.S. Census data shows Nebraska has about 66% homeowners and about 34% renters.The median rent in the state is about $1,360, according to Zillow rental market research, which looked at median rent for all property types and number of bedrooms.Whether workers earning a median wage in Nebraska are seeking a house or an apartment, recent research by the Nebraska Legislative Research Office said they often are unable to find a home, especially in light of rising property values.The researchers said that the median annual income of an owner-occupied household in Nebraska was more than $91,000, while renter households earned about $44,200.

Renters would get some relief, too, under a pair of legislative proposals

ORONO, Maine, July 25, 2024&nbsp;— Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is making $190 million available to help private forest landowners adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and retain working forestlands.

This new investment, announced today at the University of Maine's&nbsp;Investing in America Town Hall, was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act – part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda and the largest climate investment in history.

“Climate change threatens people, communities, infrastructure, and natural resources across the country,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Healthy, resilient forests can better withstand climate change impacts, and contribute to climate solutions by storing additional carbon. Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, we are partnering with states and nonprofits to reduce financial barriers for landowners interested in adopting climate-smart forestry practices and making their lands more resilient to climate change. These strategic investments represent our commitment to an all-lands, all-hands approach to investing in rural communities and mitigating the climate crisis.”

Of the total,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/355249">$140 million is available</a>&nbsp;to support state-endorsed cost-share programs for landowners. Cost-share payments lower the financial barriers for landowners to adapt to climate change by making forests more resilient to changing climate conditions, and to store more carbon on the landscape. For example, a landowner may decide to work with states and non-profits to strategically thin their private forestland, removing small-diameter trees that compete for scarce resources, allowing large trees to grow larger and sequester more carbon.

Additionally,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/355252">$50 million is available</a>&nbsp;to programs that issue payments directly to landowners to adopt practices that increase carbon sequestration and storage of their forests. Forest management impacts the amount of carbon stored and sequestered, and this funding opportunity incentivizes carbon stewardship. Among other things, payments to landowners also provide financial incentive to maintain their land as forests rather than convert it to other uses. Eligible applicants include state forestry agencies or their equivalents and nonprofit organizations.

Privately owned forests and private forest landowners are key to tackling the climate crisis. Private landowners manage more than 60% of forests in the United States; in Maine, they manage more than 90% of all forests. These vast swaths of privately managed forests are key to the carbon cycle and are an important climate solution, absorbing vast quantities of carbon and storing it for decades.

The Forest Service is committed to supporting landowners as they manage their forests in a changing climate. In addition to these investments, the agency&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/newsroom/releases/usda-announces-145m-investing-america-agenda-help-landowners-access">recently announced</a>&nbsp;$145 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for projects that connect private forest landowners with emerging climate markets.

This funding advances environmental justice and President Biden’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/">Justice40 Initiative</a>, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, and other covered investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

For more information about the available funding opportunity, including eligibility and how to apply, visit the Forest Service’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/state-private-tribal-forestry/coop-forestry/ira-forest-landowner-support">Forest Landowner Support webpage</a>.

ORONO, Maine, July 25, 2024&nbsp;— Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is making $190 million available to help private forest landowners adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and retain working forestlands.This new investment, announced today at the University of Maine's&nbsp;Investing in America Town Hall, was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act – part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda and the largest climate investment in history.“Climate change threatens people, communities, infrastructure, and natural resources across the country,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Healthy, resilient forests can better withstand climate change impacts, and contribute to climate solutions by storing additional carbon. Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, we are partnering with states and nonprofits to reduce financial barriers for landowners interested in adopting climate-smart forestry practices and making their lands more resilient to climate change. These strategic investments represent our commitment to an all-lands, all-hands approach to investing in rural communities and mitigating the climate crisis.”Of the total,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/355249">$140 million is available</a>&nbsp;to support state-endorsed cost-share programs for landowners. Cost-share payments lower the financial barriers for landowners to adapt to climate change by making forests more resilient to changing climate conditions, and to store more carbon on the landscape. For example, a landowner may decide to work with states and non-profits to strategically thin their private forestland, removing small-diameter trees that compete for scarce resources, allowing large trees to grow larger and sequester more carbon.Additionally,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/355252">$50 million is available</a>&nbsp;to programs that issue payments directly to landowners to adopt practices that increase carbon sequestration and storage of their forests. Forest management impacts the amount of carbon stored and sequestered, and this funding opportunity incentivizes carbon stewardship. Among other things, payments to landowners also provide financial incentive to maintain their land as forests rather than convert it to other uses. Eligible applicants include state forestry agencies or their equivalents and nonprofit organizations.Privately owned forests and private forest landowners are key to tackling the climate crisis. Private landowners manage more than 60% of forests in the United States; in Maine, they manage more than 90% of all forests. These vast swaths of privately managed forests are key to the carbon cycle and are an important climate solution, absorbing vast quantities of carbon and storing it for decades.The Forest Service is committed to supporting landowners as they manage their forests in a changing climate. In addition to these investments, the agency&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/newsroom/releases/usda-announces-145m-investing-america-agenda-help-landowners-access">recently announced</a>&nbsp;$145 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for projects that connect private forest landowners with emerging climate markets.This funding advances environmental justice and President Biden’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/">Justice40 Initiative</a>, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, and other covered investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.For more information about the available funding opportunity, including eligibility and how to apply, visit the Forest Service’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/state-private-tribal-forestry/coop-forestry/ira-forest-landowner-support">Forest Landowner Support webpage</a>.

Biden-Harris Administration announces $190M grant opportunity for payment programs that help private forest landowners address climate change

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator from Missouri Josh Hawley reported Thursday in a letter to Homeland Security Director Alejando Mayorkas,&nbsp; the night before the Butler, Pennsylvania Trump campaign rally, U.S. Secret Service repeatedly denied offers from a local law enforcement partner to utilize drone technology to secure the rally.

As Homeland Security Secretary, Mayorkas is responsible for the Secret Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720972888448.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator from Missouri Josh Hawley reported Thursday in a letter to Homeland Security Director Alejando Mayorkas,&nbsp; the night before the Butler, Pennsylvania Trump campaign rally, U.S. Secret Service repeatedly denied offers from a local law enforcement partner to utilize drone technology to secure the rally.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721930168996.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As Homeland Security Secretary, Mayorkas is responsible for the Secret Service.

U.S. Senator: Secret Service declined use of drones before Trump rally

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-propose-decade-long-plan-to-reduce-nebraska-k-12-property-tax-rates/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new K-12 school funding proposal from a bipartisan segment of five urban and rural Nebraska lawmakers is being pitched as an alternative approach to provide tax relief.

State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward, a former school board member, introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58052" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 9</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. She has nicknamed the proposal “Lower the Levy Cap” because, over the course of 10 years, maximum general fund property tax rates for local K-12 school districts would fall to 25 cents per $100 of taxable valuation.

In the first year, maximum tax rates would fall from $1.05 per $100 of taxable valuation to 65 cents. The state would fill in the gap to cover the local portion of the school funding. Every two years after, lawmakers would have to find more state funding to lower the tax rate cap by an additional 10 cents, until the 2033-34 fiscal year when the cap would be reduced to 25 cents.

“Lower the Levy Cap” would require about $444 million additional funds in its first year, according to estimates from Hughes and her office. She said her proposal is not “anti” the governor’s plan but is simply another approach to property tax relief.

“It’s just another way to do it, and I think it’s reasonable and can actually get accomplished because it’s just not quite so much money and we time it out over 10 years,” Hughes said.

Hughes began working on the concept this spring shortly after a prior proposal that she had backed didn’t pass.

Pillen, similarly, has suggested lowering the levy cap to 0 cents by the middle of 2027. That shift would require upwards of $2.6 billion, including nearly $1 million in current tax relief programs.

“We cannot go away with nothing,” Hughes told the Nebraska Examiner last week. “I’m worried we might be running into a buzz saw of nothing, and that’s not acceptable to me.”

State Sens. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, Myron Dorn of Adams, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln and Lynne Walz of Fremont were part of the bipartisan group working with Hughes.

Brandt said the group set out to find a practical solution and offer an alternative for the state’s 49 lawmakers to consider. In anticipation of the session, the group decided to divide and conquer, Brandt said, with each of them reaching out to about 10 other senators to explain the impact.&nbsp;

“Today, I could easily say 40 of them are absolutely aware of this, and like it,” Brandt said.

Hughes and the team shared the plan with local stakeholders and public school leaders, as well as Pillen and his staff, and asked for feedback.

According to estimates from Hughes’ staff, the proposal would lower property taxes for a home valued at $250,000 by an average of nearly $800. For a business property valued at $500,000, the savings would be more than $1,500. And for 80 acres of irrigated farmland, it would be more than $3,700 in savings, on average.

Conrad said that stood “in sharp contrast” to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/22/gov-pillen-clarifies-property-tax-relief-plan-as-special-session-nears/">Pillen’s plan</a>, which State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn introduced on his behalf Thursday. Contrary to past statements that the governor’s plan would reduce&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">property tax rates to 0 in three years</a>, Linehan’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58119" target="_blank">LB 1</a>&nbsp;included no direct reductions.

At a news conference announcing his ideas last week, Pillen said the state needed to act now and “couldn’t have a 10-year incremental plan.”

“My job as governor is to make sure we have a plan so we can grow the State of Nebraska, and we have to do it now,” Pillen said. “If we don’t do it now, the party’s over and this place shrinks. I don’t want to be any part of that.”

Hughes said she is in favor of removing some sales tax exemptions and has herself in the past proposed increasing the tax on e-cigarettes, or vapes, to 20% wholesale. The Pillen-led plan suggests a 30% tax on vaping products.

A second Hughes bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58085" target="_blank">LB 19</a>, calls for a 2% excise tax on taxable personal property that is sold, given or furnished via mail, delivery service, online sales, telephone or other electronic method. If enacted, the change would take effect July 1, 2025.

That tax rate would add 2 cents to a statewide sales tax rate of 5.5 cents per dollar purchase, as well as any other local sales tax rates (those range from 0.5 to 2 cents).

Conrad, who along with Walz is a member of the Legislature’s Education Committee, said “Lower the Levy Cap” provides more resources and tax relief statewide.&nbsp;

In the face of Pillen’s “misguided and radical plan,” Conrad said, their alternative is “gaining support at every moment.” She said it’s more fiscally sustainable and doesn’t rely upon huge tax increases.

“We are well positioned to use this measure as a centerpiece to move forward this session, which is thrilling,” Conrad said.

Brandt said he believes that the Legislature faces the “grandest challenge” that he’s seen in his six years in the Legislature, but he sees a chance to rise to the occasion.

“I’m not being facetious when I say that,” Brandt said. “We’ve talked about property tax, we’ve picked at the edges. We have an opportunity to focus on meaningful property tax relief for all the people in the state.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722007530234.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward meets with State Sens. Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln during the first day of the Legislture’s special session on property taxes on Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward meets with State Sens. Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln during the first day of the Legislture’s special session on property taxes on Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-propose-decade-long-plan-to-reduce-nebraska-k-12-property-tax-rates/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new K-12 school funding proposal from a bipartisan segment of five urban and rural Nebraska lawmakers is being pitched as an alternative approach to provide tax relief.State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward, a former school board member, introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58052" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 9</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. She has nicknamed the proposal “Lower the Levy Cap” because, over the course of 10 years, maximum general fund property tax rates for local K-12 school districts would fall to 25 cents per $100 of taxable valuation.In the first year, maximum tax rates would fall from $1.05 per $100 of taxable valuation to 65 cents. The state would fill in the gap to cover the local portion of the school funding. Every two years after, lawmakers would have to find more state funding to lower the tax rate cap by an additional 10 cents, until the 2033-34 fiscal year when the cap would be reduced to 25 cents.<h2>‘Lower the Levy Cap’ concept</h2>“Lower the Levy Cap” would require about $444 million additional funds in its first year, according to estimates from Hughes and her office. She said her proposal is not “anti” the governor’s plan but is simply another approach to property tax relief.“It’s just another way to do it, and I think it’s reasonable and can actually get accomplished because it’s just not quite so much money and we time it out over 10 years,” Hughes said.Hughes began working on the concept this spring shortly after a prior proposal that she had backed didn’t pass.Pillen, similarly, has suggested lowering the levy cap to 0 cents by the middle of 2027. That shift would require upwards of $2.6 billion, including nearly $1 million in current tax relief programs.“We cannot go away with nothing,” Hughes told the Nebraska Examiner last week. “I’m worried we might be running into a buzz saw of nothing, and that’s not acceptable to me.”State Sens. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, Myron Dorn of Adams, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln and Lynne Walz of Fremont were part of the bipartisan group working with Hughes.<h2>An alternative option</h2>Brandt said the group set out to find a practical solution and offer an alternative for the state’s 49 lawmakers to consider. In anticipation of the session, the group decided to divide and conquer, Brandt said, with each of them reaching out to about 10 other senators to explain the impact.&nbsp;“Today, I could easily say 40 of them are absolutely aware of this, and like it,” Brandt said.Hughes and the team shared the plan with local stakeholders and public school leaders, as well as Pillen and his staff, and asked for feedback.According to estimates from Hughes’ staff, the proposal would lower property taxes for a home valued at $250,000 by an average of nearly $800. For a business property valued at $500,000, the savings would be more than $1,500. And for 80 acres of irrigated farmland, it would be more than $3,700 in savings, on average.Conrad said that stood “in sharp contrast” to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/22/gov-pillen-clarifies-property-tax-relief-plan-as-special-session-nears/">Pillen’s plan</a>, which State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn introduced on his behalf Thursday. Contrary to past statements that the governor’s plan would reduce&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">property tax rates to 0 in three years</a>, Linehan’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58119" target="_blank">LB 1</a>&nbsp;included no direct reductions.At a news conference announcing his ideas last week, Pillen said the state needed to act now and “couldn’t have a 10-year incremental plan.”“My job as governor is to make sure we have a plan so we can grow the State of Nebraska, and we have to do it now,” Pillen said. “If we don’t do it now, the party’s over and this place shrinks. I don’t want to be any part of that.”Hughes said she is in favor of removing some sales tax exemptions and has herself in the past proposed increasing the tax on e-cigarettes, or vapes, to 20% wholesale. The Pillen-led plan suggests a 30% tax on vaping products.A second Hughes bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58085" target="_blank">LB 19</a>, calls for a 2% excise tax on taxable personal property that is sold, given or furnished via mail, delivery service, online sales, telephone or other electronic method. If enacted, the change would take effect July 1, 2025.That tax rate would add 2 cents to a statewide sales tax rate of 5.5 cents per dollar purchase, as well as any other local sales tax rates (those range from 0.5 to 2 cents).<h2>‘Grandest challenge’ for lawmakers</h2>Conrad, who along with Walz is a member of the Legislature’s Education Committee, said “Lower the Levy Cap” provides more resources and tax relief statewide.&nbsp;In the face of Pillen’s “misguided and radical plan,” Conrad said, their alternative is “gaining support at every moment.” She said it’s more fiscally sustainable and doesn’t rely upon huge tax increases.“We are well positioned to use this measure as a centerpiece to move forward this session, which is thrilling,” Conrad said.Brandt said he believes that the Legislature faces the “grandest challenge” that he’s seen in his six years in the Legislature, but he sees a chance to rise to the occasion.“I’m not being facetious when I say that,” Brandt said. “We’ve talked about property tax, we’ve picked at the edges. We have an opportunity to focus on meaningful property tax relief for all the people in the state.”

Lawmakers propose decade-long plan to reduce Nebraska K-12 property tax rates

WALL, S.D. (July 25, 2024)— The National Grasslands Visitor Center (NGVC) will be celebrating it’s 30 year anniversary in a big way this summer. For the past three decades the NGVC has been inspiring visitors by telling the story of America’s Grasslands. The NGVC plans to celebrate this milestone by hosting a Grand Re-opening on Smokey Bear’s 80th&nbsp;Birthday, August 9th.

There will be a ribbon cutting event with members from the City of Wall and the Wall Badlands Area Chamber of Commerce, desserts, special activities, and a cake provided by Black Hills Parks and Forests Association for Smokey’s Birthday. Throughout the day Smokey Bear will be making appearances. The ribbon cutting event will occur on August 9th, at 11 AM. Immediately following the ribbon cutting there will be cake for guests.

The Grand Re-opening comes after renovations closed the NGVC temporarily. The most recent renovation occurred after the NGVC received funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). GAOA was established to help with improvements to existing infrastructure on federal public lands. The exterior improvements include a small shaded amphitheater, animal trackway in the walkways leading up to the NGVC, a fossil exhibit wall, new interpretive signage, picnic table area, and native plants added to the landscaping. Most of the work is set to be completed this month with some of the exhibits and signage still in the development phase. The NGVC is set to be open to the public starting Monday, July 22nd.&nbsp;(Photo #1)

In addition to the Grand Reopening the NGVC has programs and special events planned throughout the remainder of the summer. Jr. Ranger Days are one of the events planned, each

Jr. Ranger Day will highlight a specialist field found within the US Forest Service. There will be special guests, activities for kids of all ages, Interpretive Ranger Programs, and a Jr. Ranger Badge to be earned. The dates for the Jr. Ranger Days are on the following Saturdays:

August 10th&nbsp;– Jr. Wildlife Firefighter Day

August 17th&nbsp;– Jr. Wildlife Biologist Day

August 24th&nbsp;– Jr. Paleontologist Day

Throughout the summer the NGVC Interpretive Rangers have been hosting an Atlatl Program at Pinnacles Designated Dispersed Camping Area on Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Through this ranger led program participants learn about survival on the Grasslands and how an ancient hunting tool evolved. After the program participants have an opportunity to try their hand at using an atlatl, a spear throwing device. This program occurs every Friday night at 7 PM with the last program being on September 6th. Pinnacles Dispersed Camping Area is located approximately 7 miles south of Wall, SD off of Highway 240. The location of the presentation is near the communication towers at the intersection of Forest System Road (FSR) 7170 and FSR 7158. GPS coordinates: 43.893234, -102.229143&nbsp;(Photo 2)&nbsp;&nbsp;

The NGVC continues to have a strong partnership with Badlands National Park and provides an interpretive program every Monday night for their Evening Program series at Cedar Pass Amphitheater. Interpretive Programs presented by NGVC’s Interpretive Rangers range in topics, some of the program topics covered this year have been about how cloning efforts are helping restore the Black-footed ferret populations, how native grassland plants helped people survive, the life of a bison within the Great Plains ecosystem, and how night skies connect us to our past and present. The start time of the Evening Program varies throughout the summer to accommodate the changing time of sunset, but typically starts around 9:00 PM (May-July) or 8:30 PM (August-September) in the summer season. Cedar Pass Amphitheater is located within

Badlands National Park. It is approximately 29 miles from Wall, SD, and approximately ¼ mile from the Ben Reifel Visitor Center within Badlands National Park.&nbsp;(Photo #3)

NGVC Interpretive Rangers will offer daily programs at the center. These programs include a formal interpretive presentation in the theater room, patio talks in the Living Landscape, and programs in the amphitheater just outside the building. All programs occurring outdoors are weather dependent and may be cancelled due to inclement weather. For more information on the National Grasslands Visitor Center, interpretive programs, and special events please contact them at 605-279-2125 or visit them at 708 Main Street, Wall, SD 57790.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722002992428.jpeg" alt=" The NGVC after most of the exterior renovation has been completed. This photo shows the new shaded amphitheater, landscaping, flagpole, and kiosk." />
 <figcaption> The NGVC after most of the exterior renovation has been completed. This photo shows the new shaded amphitheater, landscaping, flagpole, and kiosk.</figcaption>
 </figure>National GrasslandsWALL, S.D. (July 25, 2024)— The National Grasslands Visitor Center (NGVC) will be celebrating it’s 30 year anniversary in a big way this summer. For the past three decades the NGVC has been inspiring visitors by telling the story of America’s Grasslands. The NGVC plans to celebrate this milestone by hosting a Grand Re-opening on Smokey Bear’s 80th&nbsp;Birthday, August 9th. There will be a ribbon cutting event with members from the City of Wall and the Wall Badlands Area Chamber of Commerce, desserts, special activities, and a cake provided by Black Hills Parks and Forests Association for Smokey’s Birthday. Throughout the day Smokey Bear will be making appearances. The ribbon cutting event will occur on August 9th, at 11 AM. Immediately following the ribbon cutting there will be cake for guests.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722002935092.jpeg" alt="NGVC Interpretive Ranger shows an Atlatl Program participate how to throw an atlatl. Photo courtesy of Nickie Wheeler" />
 <figcaption>NGVC Interpretive Ranger shows an Atlatl Program participate how to throw an atlatl. Photo courtesy of Nickie Wheeler</figcaption>
 </figure>The Grand Re-opening comes after renovations closed the NGVC temporarily. The most recent renovation occurred after the NGVC received funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). GAOA was established to help with improvements to existing infrastructure on federal public lands. The exterior improvements include a small shaded amphitheater, animal trackway in the walkways leading up to the NGVC, a fossil exhibit wall, new interpretive signage, picnic table area, and native plants added to the landscaping. Most of the work is set to be completed this month with some of the exhibits and signage still in the development phase. The NGVC is set to be open to the public starting Monday, July 22nd.&nbsp;(Photo #1)In addition to the Grand Reopening the NGVC has programs and special events planned throughout the remainder of the summer. Jr. Ranger Days are one of the events planned, eachJr. Ranger Day will highlight a specialist field found within the US Forest Service. There will be special guests, activities for kids of all ages, Interpretive Ranger Programs, and a Jr. Ranger Badge to be earned. The dates for the Jr. Ranger Days are on the following Saturdays:July 27th&nbsp;– Jr. Archaeologist DayAugust 3rd&nbsp;– Jr. Botanist DayAugust 10th&nbsp;– Jr. Wildlife Firefighter DayAugust 17th&nbsp;– Jr. Wildlife Biologist DayAugust 24th&nbsp;– Jr. Paleontologist DayThroughout the summer the NGVC Interpretive Rangers have been hosting an Atlatl Program at Pinnacles Designated Dispersed Camping Area on Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Through this ranger led program participants learn about survival on the Grasslands and how an ancient hunting tool evolved. After the program participants have an opportunity to try their hand at using an atlatl, a spear throwing device. This program occurs every Friday night at 7 PM with the last program being on September 6th. Pinnacles Dispersed Camping Area is located approximately 7 miles south of Wall, SD off of Highway 240. The location of the presentation is near the communication towers at the intersection of Forest System Road (FSR) 7170 and FSR 7158. GPS coordinates: 43.893234, -102.229143&nbsp;(Photo 2)&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722003035566.jpeg" alt="NGVC Manager Kelsey Bean presents an interpretive program at Badlands National Park’s Summer Evening Program series " />
 <figcaption>NGVC Manager Kelsey Bean presents an interpretive program at Badlands National Park’s Summer Evening Program series </figcaption>
 </figure>The NGVC continues to have a strong partnership with Badlands National Park and provides an interpretive program every Monday night for their Evening Program series at Cedar Pass Amphitheater. Interpretive Programs presented by NGVC’s Interpretive Rangers range in topics, some of the program topics covered this year have been about how cloning efforts are helping restore the Black-footed ferret populations, how native grassland plants helped people survive, the life of a bison within the Great Plains ecosystem, and how night skies connect us to our past and present. The start time of the Evening Program varies throughout the summer to accommodate the changing time of sunset, but typically starts around 9:00 PM (May-July) or 8:30 PM (August-September) in the summer season. Cedar Pass Amphitheater is located withinBadlands National Park. It is approximately 29 miles from Wall, SD, and approximately ¼ mile from the Ben Reifel Visitor Center within Badlands National Park.&nbsp;(Photo #3)NGVC Interpretive Rangers will offer daily programs at the center. These programs include a formal interpretive presentation in the theater room, patio talks in the Living Landscape, and programs in the amphitheater just outside the building. All programs occurring outdoors are weather dependent and may be cancelled due to inclement weather. For more information on the National Grasslands Visitor Center, interpretive programs, and special events please contact them at 605-279-2125 or visit them at 708 Main Street, Wall, SD 57790.

National Grasslands Visitor Center Celebrates 30 Years with Grand Reopening

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen announced the appointment of Kent McNeill to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

McNeill currently serves as CEO for the International Mountain Bicycling Association. He is the founder and former owner of High Bear, LLC and Midwest Cycling, LLC, and has experience working with federal, state, and local governments for the betterment of public lands and recreational opportunities.&nbsp;

McNeill graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of Nebraska – Omaha. McNeill replaces Dan C. Kreitman, who served for seven years on the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen announced the appointment of Kent McNeill to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.McNeill currently serves as CEO for the International Mountain Bicycling Association. He is the founder and former owner of High Bear, LLC and Midwest Cycling, LLC, and has experience working with federal, state, and local governments for the betterment of public lands and recreational opportunities.&nbsp;McNeill graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of Nebraska – Omaha. McNeill replaces Dan C. Kreitman, who served for seven years on the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

   Gov. Pillen Announces Appointment to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission  

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen has announced an interim appointment for director of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Cindy Drake will oversee the agency starting on July 25. She has served as a librarian with the Historical Society for 45 years.

“Cindy is the right person to fill this role as someone who has vast expertise and objectivity in preserving Nebraska’s history,” said Gov. Pillen. “She is a public servant with a passion in this area and I know she will lead the agency well during this interim period.”

“I am excited to take on this new role for an agency where I have devoted my entire career,” said Drake. “I appreciate the Governor’s confidence in asking me to serve as the interim director, while the search continues to fill that position permanently.”

This year, passage of LB1169 made the Historical Society a code agency. The director is appointed by the Governor and is subject to legislative approval.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen has announced an interim appointment for director of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Cindy Drake will oversee the agency starting on July 25. She has served as a librarian with the Historical Society for 45 years.“Cindy is the right person to fill this role as someone who has vast expertise and objectivity in preserving Nebraska’s history,” said Gov. Pillen. “She is a public servant with a passion in this area and I know she will lead the agency well during this interim period.”“I am excited to take on this new role for an agency where I have devoted my entire career,” said Drake. “I appreciate the Governor’s confidence in asking me to serve as the interim director, while the search continues to fill that position permanently.”This year, passage of LB1169 made the Historical Society a code agency. The director is appointed by the Governor and is subject to legislative approval.

 Governor Pillen Appoints Interim Director to Nebraska State Historical Society

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/24/pillen-promotes-property-tax-plan-to-nebraska-school-leaders/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

KEARNEY — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen spent the morning before his special session on property tax relief pitching his proposal for the state takeover of K-12 funding to an audience that might not embrace it: school administrators.&nbsp;

District superintendents and school leaders gathered in Kearney this week for an administrators conference. Wednesday focused on the Nebraska Department of Education’s goals for the coming school year, including improving reading instruction.

State Education Commissioner Brian Maher said he shortened his speech to make room for Pillen’s pitch, a last-minute change the governor requested. Pillen spent the half-hour touting the proposal’s benefits for the group, emphasizing budget stability.

He said superintendents and school board members have told him about their difficulties planning school budgets based on how much property valuations change year-to-year and how those changes shift what the state aid funding formula provides.

“Let’s take the funding equation and the nonsense that is going on with how we’re doing it, and let’s fix it now,” Pillen said, drawing polite applause. “So that education, so that we never have to worry about where we’re at and what we’re doing.”

Pillen said his proposal and its spending caps, which have yet to be released in bill form, would fund districts at the level local school boards lock in this year. He said the state would fund annual spending increases of 3%, plus more if the district shows population growth.

His pitch reached back to his discussions with superintendents during the 2023 formation of the state’s $1 billion Education Future Fund. He said many superintendents told him they could meet the needs of Nebraska students better if they could plan on 3% increases.

“Our commitment for education is 3 percent growth every year,” Pillen said.&nbsp;

In an interview after the speech, Pillen said his goal was to communicate the importance of property tax relief and show that it can be provided without risking school resources. He wants school supporters to know “nothing goes backwards.”

Maher, in his speech, said he and the governor talked Tuesday and the governor asked him what he was hearing from people in education. He said he offered Pillen the chance to speak, not to sway them but because he had “1,200 very interested educators.”

Several of those attending declined to comment after the speech, citing fears of angering the governor and their school boards.

Some said they didn’t know whether to trust the state.&nbsp;Two pointed to the Education Future Fund as an example. Pillen has said he proposed the fund to offset property taxes by providing a baseline of state aid for school districts that received little or no state aid and by helping fund more of special education costs.

The state teachers union and others have argued that the state would raid the fund as soon as it needed money. In his talk Wednesday, Pillen did not mention that his proposal to offset property taxes relies on draining the Future Fund.&nbsp;

Asked this week about that choice, he said the state would commit instead to spending $200 million to $250 million a year to cover the baseline aid and special ed costs in a direct appropriation. He also said the state would be a more reliable partner to schools and local governments.

He repeated a line he has said often during the town halls he hosted on property taxes, that he won’t let the state “quit on kids.” He said it was unacceptable that the state portion of school funding in Nebraska ranked 49th out of 50 states.

His speech took direct aim at school boards and school spending decisions being made at the local level, saying the votes of three and six people “don’t work in Nebraska.” He said “votes of the people” are the “greatest form of local control.”&nbsp;

It was his only reference to the most controversial part of his proposal among school leaders, the idea that passage of any bond issue for building repairs and new school buildings might require the approval of 60% of the district’s voters instead of 50%.

School administrators have argued that requiring such a high bar means more of their buildings will fall into disrepair, risks increasing the long-term local costs of maintenance and makes it much more difficult for growing districts to meet space demands.

Under Pillen’s proposal, the state would take over most school funding, leaving building and bond costs to be paid for using property taxes. He called his approach a 25-year plan. He hasn’t said how the state aid formula would change, but said it would be addressed in a later legislative session.

Much of his plan would be paid for by redirecting funds earmarked for existing property tax relief programs and by expanding the number of purchased goods and services subject to the state sales tax.&nbsp;

The Nebraska Association of School Boards has declined to comment on Pillen’s proposal until it can read it. It has argued the need for budget stability and local control, saying that its members will be held accountable for local schools.

Many of the proposal’s detractors have argued that all but the state’s largest business owners and land barons risk paying more in new sales taxes than they would save on their homes. Renters could be hit especially hard, advocates say.

Proponents of Pillen’s proposal have scoffed at calling his plan a tax shift, pointing to staff-built charts that show the state would eventually collect less in combined taxes once the measures are fully implemented, three years later.&nbsp;

The Nebraska State Education Association, which represents the state’s public school teachers, has argued that a state takeover of K-12 funding poses risks to local control, including how much communities choose to spend on their schools and teachers.

Tim Royers, incoming president of the NSEA, said there is no way the state can assume more control of school finance without also assuming more influence over contract negotiations with local teachers and ultimately their pay. He said teacher retention could suffer.&nbsp;

“We certainly have talked in the past about rebalancing the percentage of school funding between the state and local level, but this is throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” Royers said. “This isn’t rebalancing. This is just … the leap.”

Nebraska Examiner reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721920569123.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen addresses a conference of school administrators in Kearney on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the day before a special session on property tax relief. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen addresses a conference of school administrators in Kearney on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the day before a special session on property tax relief. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/24/pillen-promotes-property-tax-plan-to-nebraska-school-leaders/">Nebraska Examiner</a>KEARNEY — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen spent the morning before his special session on property tax relief pitching his proposal for the state takeover of K-12 funding to an audience that might not embrace it: school administrators.&nbsp;District superintendents and school leaders gathered in Kearney this week for an administrators conference. Wednesday focused on the Nebraska Department of Education’s goals for the coming school year, including improving reading instruction.State Education Commissioner Brian Maher said he shortened his speech to make room for Pillen’s pitch, a last-minute change the governor requested. Pillen spent the half-hour touting the proposal’s benefits for the group, emphasizing budget stability.He said superintendents and school board members have told him about their difficulties planning school budgets based on how much property valuations change year-to-year and how those changes shift what the state aid funding formula provides.“Let’s take the funding equation and the nonsense that is going on with how we’re doing it, and let’s fix it now,” Pillen said, drawing polite applause. “So that education, so that we never have to worry about where we’re at and what we’re doing.”<h2>Pillen talks spending lids</h2>Pillen said his proposal and its spending caps, which have yet to be released in bill form, would fund districts at the level local school boards lock in this year. He said the state would fund annual spending increases of 3%, plus more if the district shows population growth.His pitch reached back to his discussions with superintendents during the 2023 formation of the state’s $1 billion Education Future Fund. He said many superintendents told him they could meet the needs of Nebraska students better if they could plan on 3% increases.“Our commitment for education is 3 percent growth every year,” Pillen said.&nbsp;In an interview after the speech, Pillen said his goal was to communicate the importance of property tax relief and show that it can be provided without risking school resources. He wants school supporters to know “nothing goes backwards.”Maher, in his speech, said he and the governor talked Tuesday and the governor asked him what he was hearing from people in education. He said he offered Pillen the chance to speak, not to sway them but because he had “1,200 very interested educators.”<h2>Should state be trusted?</h2>Several of those attending declined to comment after the speech, citing fears of angering the governor and their school boards.Some said they didn’t know whether to trust the state.&nbsp;Two pointed to the Education Future Fund as an example. Pillen has said he proposed the fund to offset property taxes by providing a baseline of state aid for school districts that received little or no state aid and by helping fund more of special education costs.The state teachers union and others have argued that the state would raid the fund as soon as it needed money. In his talk Wednesday, Pillen did not mention that his proposal to offset property taxes relies on draining the Future Fund.&nbsp;Asked this week about that choice, he said the state would commit instead to spending $200 million to $250 million a year to cover the baseline aid and special ed costs in a direct appropriation. He also said the state would be a more reliable partner to schools and local governments.He repeated a line he has said often during the town halls he hosted on property taxes, that he won’t let the state “quit on kids.” He said it was unacceptable that the state portion of school funding in Nebraska ranked 49th out of 50 states.<h2>Higher bar for bond issues</h2>His speech took direct aim at school boards and school spending decisions being made at the local level, saying the votes of three and six people “don’t work in Nebraska.” He said “votes of the people” are the “greatest form of local control.”&nbsp;It was his only reference to the most controversial part of his proposal among school leaders, the idea that passage of any bond issue for building repairs and new school buildings might require the approval of 60% of the district’s voters instead of 50%.School administrators have argued that requiring such a high bar means more of their buildings will fall into disrepair, risks increasing the long-term local costs of maintenance and makes it much more difficult for growing districts to meet space demands.Under Pillen’s proposal, the state would take over most school funding, leaving building and bond costs to be paid for using property taxes. He called his approach a 25-year plan. He hasn’t said how the state aid formula would change, but said it would be addressed in a later legislative session.<h2>Fight over who should pay more</h2>Much of his plan would be paid for by redirecting funds earmarked for existing property tax relief programs and by expanding the number of purchased goods and services subject to the state sales tax.&nbsp;The Nebraska Association of School Boards has declined to comment on Pillen’s proposal until it can read it. It has argued the need for budget stability and local control, saying that its members will be held accountable for local schools.Many of the proposal’s detractors have argued that all but the state’s largest business owners and land barons risk paying more in new sales taxes than they would save on their homes. Renters could be hit especially hard, advocates say.Proponents of Pillen’s proposal have scoffed at calling his plan a tax shift, pointing to staff-built charts that show the state would eventually collect less in combined taxes once the measures are fully implemented, three years later.&nbsp;<h2>Questions about local control&nbsp;</h2>The Nebraska State Education Association, which represents the state’s public school teachers, has argued that a state takeover of K-12 funding poses risks to local control, including how much communities choose to spend on their schools and teachers.Tim Royers, incoming president of the NSEA, said there is no way the state can assume more control of school finance without also assuming more influence over contract negotiations with local teachers and ultimately their pay. He said teacher retention could suffer.&nbsp;“We certainly have talked in the past about rebalancing the percentage of school funding between the state and local level, but this is throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” Royers said. “This isn’t rebalancing. This is just … the leap.”Nebraska Examiner reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report.

Pillen promotes property tax plan to Nebraska school leaders

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –&nbsp;NORAD detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two People's Republic of China H-6 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, according to a statement from the&nbsp;North American Aerospace Defense Command.&nbsp;

 NORAD fighter jets from the United States and Canada conducted the intercept.

The Russian and Chinese aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.

&nbsp;In February, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone three times over four days.

The presence of Chinese aircraft is a new development.

An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

&nbsp;"NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America."

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –&nbsp;NORAD detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two People's Republic of China H-6 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, according to a statement from the&nbsp;North American Aerospace Defense Command.&nbsp; NORAD fighter jets from the United States and Canada conducted the intercept.The Russian and Chinese aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.&nbsp;In February, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone three times over four days.The presence of Chinese aircraft is a new development.An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.&nbsp;"NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America."