Letter to the Editor

Where will the money come from?

Monday, January 24, 2005

Dear Editor

I'm responding to the following email from the President of our Nebraska County Association.

If this bill were to pass it will have a great effect on all counties across Nebraska. In Hitchcock County we will lose approximately $113,000. per year.

With the drought conditions and the budget cuts that we have been forced to do in the last several years, my question is where is the money to replace this income going to come from?

Will the Legislature replace this money? We know this will not happen.

There should be a plan in place before they ever take away the money that is needed to operate our counties.

I will be giving testimony against this bill and urge the citizens of Southwest Nebraska to speak out against LB399. Below are the addresses to whom you can respond. The hearing on this bill will be Wednesday , January 26, 2005, at 1:30 p.m.

Thank You.

Sincerely,

Richard P. Hampton

District 1 Commissioner

Editor Note: The email received by Commissioner Hampton, in its entirety:

January 19, 2005

Dear Richard,

Can your Hitchcock County survive without inheritance taxes? A bill that would completely eliminate inheritance taxes on Jan. 1, 2007 will be heard by the Revenue Committee next week. LB 399 does not provide any replacement revenue to counties to offset nearly $31 million that would be lost statewide. Please contact the Revenue Committee and ask them to kill LB 399.

A list of committee members and their contact information is provided below.

If you would like to attend the hearing and voice your opposition to LB 399 in person, the hearing will begin at 1:30 in Room 1524 of the State Capitol.

A second bill, LB 687, would place inheritance taxes under county budgets, but has not been scheduled for hearing yet.

It is of utmost importance that you be heard on this bill. Please spread the word around your courthouse. This bill has a fiscal impact to Nebraska County Government of $30,000,000.

Revenue Committee:

Chairman David Landis: Dist 46; (402) 471-2720; dlandis@unicam.state.ne.us;Room 1116

Vice-Chair, Matt Connealy: Dist. 16; (402)471-2728;

mconnealy@unicam.state.ne.us; Room 1000

Tom Baker: District 44; (402) 471-2805; baker@unicam.state.ne.us; Room 1101

Abbie Cornett: District 45; (402) 471-2615; acornett@unicam.state.ne.us; Room 1117

Ray Janssen: Dist. 15; (402) 471-2625; rjanssen@unicam.state.ne.us; Room 1015

Don Preister: Dist. 5; (402) 471-2710; dpreister@unicam.state.ne.us; Room 1206

Ron Raikes: Dist. 25; (402) 471-2731; rraikes@unicam.state.ne.us

Pam Redfield: Dist. 12; (402) 471-2623: predfield@unicam.state.ne.us; Room 1404

State Capitol Mailing Address:

Senator Name