We all know Nebraskans bear an extremely high tax burden. Research done by the Platte Institute for Economic Research shows Nebraskans pay higher taxes than any of our neighboring states.

What can we do about out-of-control government spending?

The Commission of Industrial Relations (CIR) is a non-elected, unaccountable, government entity that controls how your property and sales taxes are spent.

The CIR is a state entity that is charged with setting the salary and benefits of public employees. In Nebraska roughly 70% of our municipal budgets (which are funded by property and sales taxes) are dedicated to employee benefits and salaries. That means 70% of municipal budgets are dictated by the CIR, an entity you have no control over.

Did you know the average Lincoln government employee receives a salary of $46,546 and benefits worth $14,189? The average salary for a non-government employee is $10,000 less.

Because there is no accountability with the CIR system, cities in Nebraska are being compared to cities like Denver and Minneapolis for government salaries and benefits. These are metropolitan areas ten times as large as Lincoln or Omaha. The current CIR system is broken and overburdens Nebraska taxpayers with unfair mandates.

State Senator Tony Fulton has introduced legislation in the Unicameral to reform the CIR, that will make the system more reasonable, and lower your tax burden. Read the bills (LB 1040, 1041 and 1042) Sen. Fulton introduced by clicking here.

Would you help us reform the CIR system and control government spending in Nebraska by signing AFP-Nebraska’s petition for CIR reform?