Gov. Pillen Responds to Early Unicameral Moves

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcoming Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen back to the program for
a chat. It's been a while, Governor.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Good morning, good morning. How are you guys doing well?

Speaker 1 (00:08):
Good to have you back here. I just want to
check in because we have reached the stage now and
in the legislative session where we're starting to get a
little clarity on what might survive the various committee and
first in various rounds of debate process and have a
chance to become law. What do you see happening that
you like and what do you not like so far?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, well, I think that what I like so far
is it up until now, we're what sixty fifty days through,
and I think that for the most part, everybody, the
culture of the unit camera has improved. People are working
the unit cameral's working for the people. There's not a

(00:51):
lot of gamesmanship going on, and people for the most
part are going at it in a respectful way. I
think that's what we Nebraskans expect of our elective officials
to get in there, do the work. We don't have
to play the folly games. Let's just go get work.
So I'm pleased with that. I don't watch it every
single day, every moment. But for the most part, that

(01:13):
part's good and our team's working very very hard to
partner with every center. We're talking to centers, doesn't matter
what color vests they have on to make sure that
the policy that we believe in, it's really important that
we can get them home. So we're very upbeak with
where we're at. Obviously, the biggest, the most important job

(01:34):
is to get the budget. You know, we got a
really big stick in the arm from the federal government
last fall with a three percent reduction in our Medicaid reimbursement,
which cost our budget about porn fifty million dollars. So
we've worked very very hard, working very hard with the
Appropriations Committee that make sure that we have a balanced budget.
We feel great where that's at. Our cash reserve funds

(01:59):
are really really good shape, and our general funds real strong.
So there's some people saying the states broke. They obviously
don't understand how that process goes on. We feel very
very good with where we're at. Key to key to
making sure we run the state like a business is

(02:20):
we can't make everybody happy. We have to say no,
we have to be fiscally constrained. It's the people's money
and we're making good progress with that.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Jim, how much of the budget four hundred million dollars
shortfall is accounting? Because is some of that ARPA funds
that were spent last year that don't exist this year?
There were one time purchases that really aren't going to
be an ongoing budget appropriation. And if that is so,
why was it positioned differently?

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yeah? No, no, no, this was It's called the f MAP,
but I didn't understand it until But it's called the
f MAP, and it's a federal government formula that take
away from some states gives to others. Well, obviously, when
the dust sett will go back to Washington and talk
about how and how ridiculous it is that we the

(03:09):
state got a three percent picky because our state's been
doing well, because our per capity income has grown, and
because of our low unemployment. So so that's a that's
a not a has nothing to do with any of
the funny money art of funding money. This is a
This is a medicaid funding And you know, I want

(03:29):
federal government out of our hairs, but we want to
make sure that we get more than our first share
of the federal dollars. Because if we're entitled to federal
dollars like any any other state, is okay?

Speaker 3 (03:41):
Now talk about tiff. We have the mayoral election up
in Almaha today because property taxes are important to you.
Tiff financing is done with future collected property tax Now
are you concerned? Are you concerned that TIFF is being
used in a way that is unhealthy? And this is
what I mean, Gov, And that is everybody's property taxes

(04:02):
go up with TIFF financing, even people who live in
humble houses and have small businesses. And if this is so,
how concerned are you? Ab you want a formulaic change
in how we collect property taxes? And if that is so,
then the hundreds of millions on just one project in
Omaha could be in financial jeopardy if we change the

(04:25):
way we value property and collect property taxes.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, well maybe, First off, Jim, Jim Pillen, eighty five
percent of the people in Nebraska speak very loud that
we have a property tax crisis. And my job is
to respond and work for the people, and we will
solve the property tax crisis. It is absolutely essentral. You know,

(04:52):
we have states right now, right now, that are that
are going to zero income tax and their solution is
to develop a sales tax. Nebraska, we have to get
out of stone ages. We have to broaden our sales
tax and make sure that we're not in the top
five and property tax obviously, when that takes place, we

(05:15):
will get that through incrementally in the next several years,
but in that time frame there are some tax increment
financing commitments will have to be lived with. I think
what's really really important in the in the discussion of
tax increment financing and incentives and grants and all that

(05:39):
sort of thing, I think what's really really important is
is this we need to ask ourselves. You know, is
this something government really should be doing? Is this something
that that the free market should be doing? You know,
are we really are we really improving the greater good
of our community? And you know that's that's for everybody
to decide. I believe this. There is certainly great evidence

(06:03):
of the use of tax increment financing to be able
to help stimulate economic development communities. There's there's no ifens or,
but the highest, the highest consumer of our of our
property tax money is our education. When we have communities,
when we have communities that the schools half empty, and

(06:25):
you can use taxing increment financing for housing projects and
so forth to to grow your community. Uh. And you
know you don't, you don't change your cost of educating
children at all because they're half empty. You know, Taxing
increment financing is a fantastic vehicle. Uh. You know, and
and and there's there's there's places where it can really

(06:46):
help stimulate economic development. Again, those are things that are
really really important that they're done at the local level.
I don't believe we want the state telling us what
to do. But the thing everybody's got to understand, we
pay the fiddler. And that's why we worked very hard
on getting caps, getting caps on local government so that
we can control spending where I'm guilty. I've never gone

(07:08):
to the city council meeting in my life. I've never gone
to a school board meeting. I've never gone to the
county board meetings. Say what are we doing, neighbors, And
we're not good at that. We are too Nebraska nice.
And that's why having the caps is a step, really
really powerful steps so we can control property tax and
now we just got to diverse diversify it. Have the
The state has to quit quitting on kids. We have

(07:30):
to quit quitting on kids. The state has to fund
Kate twelve educations, Crystal Clear.

Speaker 1 (07:34):
Hey, let's stay on touch gov as a session that's
a closer to the end. A lot of important issues
to resolve there. It's great to be.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Happy to come on any time. Appreciate you having appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (07:45):
Thank you, j Having to ask a governor Jim Pillin
here