Nebraska Tax Blog

SEMINARS FOR CONCERNED CONSERVATIVES

2012-02-02T20:12:00.002-06:00

Don't just sit around and complain....do something!

Join a Taxpayer Watchdog Team! Join our NE Taxpayers Legislative Watch Project to lobby and monitor state senators on fiscal and regulatory issues in the 2012 legislative session. Or, join our City Watch or County Watch Projects to lobby and monitor your local city and county elected officials. Project packets plus
more! Email netaxpayers@gmail.com.

Saturday, February 25, 2012, 10 AM – 1 PM. “House to House.” Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom will present aTea Party seminar on how to become a valuable precinct worker in a candidate or issue campaign. Conservative candidates and petition campaigns will need our energetic assistance in the 2012 primary and general elections. Join us at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Ln., Omaha.

Saturday, March 3, 2012, 10 AM – 1 PM. “Mouse to Mouse.” Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom willpresent a 2nd Tea Party seminar on how to use new technology and social media to become a valuable volunteer in a candidate or issue campaign. Again, conservative candidates and petition campaigns will need our enthusiastic help in the 2012 primary and general elections. Join us at Westside Community Center, 108 & Grover Streets, Omaha.

Saturday, March 10, 10 AM-1 PM. Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom will host a 3rd
Tea Party seminar on how to become an individual watchdog or member of a
taxpayer watchdog team, to monitor and lobby elected public officials at the local and state level. Join us at Westside Community Center, 108 & Grover Streets, Omaha.
ERICAN MAJORITY IS CO-SPONSORING THESE 3 FREE SEMINARS.

BECOME A CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST

2011-11-12T16:57:00.000-06:00

Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 AM – 12 Noon. Freedomworks, a national tea party organization, with Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom as the local host, will conduct a free citizen activist training seminar at Swanson Library, 90th & Dodge Streets, in Omaha. Learn how to lobby and monitor your elected officials on tax, spending, and regulation issues with the latest political action tools. Learn how to use the “new” media and other means to spread the conservative message for the 2012 campaigns. Take home bumper stickers, pins, T-shirts, and other conservative materials.

BEAT THE BOND ISSUE

2011-10-23T10:30:00.003-05:00

Most if not all the members of the Millard School Board are Republicans, and all of them are RINOS (Republicans in Name Only). All but one signed off on an almost $141 million school bond issue that will raise the property taxes for every taxpayer in the Millard School District. These taxpayers are still facing the financial burden of paying off over $178 million for previous bonds. Retirees on fixed incomes will face the brunt of this tax attack. The board refused to wait for the next regular election to request a public vote, so a special election will cost Douglas and Sarpy Counties thousands of tax dollars. The wish list in this bond issue is endless and includes artificial turf on athletic practice fields, on which most other school districts do not splurge. $3.8 million wasted on electronic systems to turn off lights automatically, as if the staff cannot do it. Nothing in this bond issue would improve student learning, yet teachers are propagandizing their students with pro-bond videos at school, hoping that the kids will go home and lobby their parents. The school superintendent threatens to raise property taxes, if residents vote down the bond issue. Apparently, he is intent on raising property taxes either way. Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom has presented this school board continually with suggestions for budget cuts that would save the district millions, freeing dollars for construction and renovation promoted in this bond issue, but the board ignores our suggestions. The leader of the pro-bond front group is the State Tax Commissioner! The school superintendent allowed HIM to speak at a public forum at a Millard high school but refused to allow an NTF member to deliver a rebuttal. Email netaxpayers@gmail.com to volunteer to beat this bond issue!

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS!

2011-10-09T16:19:00.002-05:00

An invitation to all conservatives to attend these upcoming Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom events!

Saturday, October 29, 10 AM – 1 PM. Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom will host a Tea Party precinct organization seminar at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Lane, Omaha. This informative and crucially important session will give you all the information you need to become a valuable precinct captain or asst.-precinct captain for an issue or candidate(s) of your choice. Learn how to walk a precinct, put up yard signs, call a precinct, work a poll, hold a coffee or tea, etc. Ballot issues and candidate elections are won at the precinct level! This seminar is free.

LEARN ABOUT GRASSROOTS POLITICS

2011-09-08T18:53:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, October 1, American Majority will host, with NE Taxpayers for Freedom, a citizen activist and candidate training seminar at the Regency Lodge, 107th & Pacific Streets, in Omaha, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Cost is $25 in advance, $35 at the door. Free lunch included. Seminar topics include how to publicize events, how to use the Internet to communicate in politics, and how to handle the media. For registration information, go to the following url: http://americanmajority.org/uncategorized/omaha-ne-candidate-campaign-manager-and-grassroots-activist-training. This daylong seminar is invaluable not only for citizens recently getting involved in politics but also for those political veterans who want to update their skills.

SEND A PINK SLIP TO SEN. BEN NELSON

2011-09-01T19:58:00.001-05:00

Join your fellow taxpaying citizens in sending a pink slip to Sen. Ben Nelson. Tell him why, among the many reasons, you will not vote for him in 2012. At this Tea Party event, Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom will distribute pink slip post cards at Walnut Grove Park, 150th & Q Streets, Omaha, on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 9 AM to Noon. Drive on the park road going north through the park and receive your pink slip post card(s) that you can fill out and mail to Sen. Nelson’s Omaha office. Let him know that you are Tea’d Off at his vote on the Cornhusker Kickback and other of his liberal votes! Bring friends & neighbors in your car to get their post cards, too!

BEWARE SHARIA LAW

2011-08-06T15:19:00.001-05:00

Plan now to bring friends and neighbors to attend the next NE Taxpayers for Freedom regular meeting, Wed. Aug. 17, 6:30 PM, Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Ln., Omaha. Agenda: National speaker from Act for America: “How Muslim Sharia Law costs taxpayers a bundle”.

JULY TAXPAYER TEA PARTY

2011-06-17T20:10:00.000-05:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom will sponsor, and several other groups will co-sponsor, a tax day Tea Party on Sunday, July 3, from 1 PM to 5 PM at Walnut Grove Park, 150th & Q Streets, Omaha. The theme of the event is "Rally to Restore the Republic." The purpose of this tea party is to mobilize citizens to become fiscally conservative activists in national issues. Speakers: Sen. Mike Johanns, Cong. Lee Terry (2nd District), Att.-Gen. Jon Bruning, State Treasurer Don Stenberg, Senate candidate Pat Flynn, John Sieler from the State Board of Education, and Susan Tully, field director for Federation for American Immigration Reform. Also, patriotic music, games, and a Flag ceremony. Prizes for best signs and best costumes. Portapotties and ice water will be available. Please come and bring friends. Meet and socialize with your fellow conservatives! Don’t just get angry. Get active!

JOIN THE DOUGLAS COUNTY BUDGET FIGHT

2011-06-08T19:40:00.001-05:00

NTF monthly meeting is Wed. June 15, 6:30 PM at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Ln. Agenda: Power Point presentation plus project packets on how to lobby and monitor your Douglas County Commissioners to hold the line on tax hikes and cut the budget for FY 2011-12. Please come & bring friends! Three commissioners already are listening to us! We must pack the public hearing on June 28 with active taxpayers who can face down their commissioners and demand no tax hikes!

NEBRASKA TAXPAYERS TEA PARTY

2011-03-31T19:00:00.002-05:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom and several other groups will co-sponsor a tax day Tea Party on Saturday, May 7, 10 AM to 1 PM at Walnut Grove Park, 152nd & Q Streets, Omaha. The theme of the event is "Stand Tall and Speak Up." The purpose of this tea party is to mobilize citizens to become taxpayer watchdogs over local and state taxing authorities and to become conservative activists. Several state senators and local officials will speak. Keynote speaker: James Mason II, Tea Party Patriots-NE. chairman. Also, patriotic music and a Flag ceremony. Prizes for best sign and best costume. Portapotties will be available. Snack vendors will be present. Please come and bring friends. Meet and socialize with your fellow conservatives!

Conservative Ladies' Night Out

2011-03-19T16:26:00.001-05:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom cordially invites you to our “Conservative Ladies’ Night Out.” Wednesday, March 23, 5:30 – 8:00 PM, at Pasta Amore, 11027 Prairie Brook Rd., in the Rockbrook Shopping Center, SW corner of 108th & West Center Rd. This is a free event, however, individuals may order drinks, dinner, snacks, etc. Social time first, followed by the following speakers: Jean Stothert, Omaha City Council member, and Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County Board member. Our speakers will discuss why they entered politics, what they hope to achieve in the political arena, and why other women should get involved in conservative politics as activists and/or candidates. Please come and bring your lady friends.

BECOME A TAXPAYER WATCHDOG

2011-03-09T19:18:00.000-06:00

Last year, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners raised our property taxes by 2c per $100 valuation, despite protestations from county taxpayers. Taxpayers suffering during this recession did not need a tax hike. The county now is formulating its FY 2011-12 budget. The only way to head off another tax hike and to lower the county property tax rate is to understand how to analyze the budget to find waste, inefficiencies, and duplications, then make suggestions to cut the budget. That is why we are mobilizing taxpayers to become citizen auditors. Learn how to become a citizen auditor at our next meeting on Wed. March 16, 6:30 PM at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Lane in Omaha. Guest speakers: Two county administrators who will explain the Douglas County budget process.

LB 48: Stop Illegal Immigration in Nebraska

2011-03-02T19:25:00.001-06:00

I have attended many hearings at the Unicameral Legislature over the years, but never have I witnessed such a disgusting spectacle as the one I sat through today. Conservative Sen. Charlie Janssen meticulously explained his bill, LB 48, to stem the tide of illegal immigration in Nebraska. Sen. Janssen painstakingly researched the content of his bill and studiously avoided anything that might conflict with federal law or previous federal court decisions. Nonetheless, several liberals on the Judiciary Committee engaged in a feeding frenzy shark attack to make his legislation seem like a sinister network of human rights violations. These senators consumed most of the hearing time, leaving only 3 min. apiece for only a few supporters and opponents to testify on LB 48. Sen. Council played the race card, naturally, and henpecked Sen. Janssen about hypothetical situations that probably would never arise. Freshman Sen. Burke Harr, a former prosecutor, launched a legal assault that concentrated mostly on supposedly vague grammar. Sen. Amanda McGill, the siren of the Left in the Unicameral, tried to paint Sen. Janssen as a right-wing flamethrower. Not to be outdone, newly-re-elected Sen. Steve Lathrop peppered Janssen about police procedures and regulations about which Janssen would have no knowledge, not being a law officer. Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh, who supposedly is a conservative, did not show up for the hearing to defend Sen. Janssen. The Judiciary Committee majority undoubtedly will stick their daggers into the heart of LB 48. Therefore, it will be a challenge for conservatives to muster 30 state senator votes to drag this bill out of committee onto the floor of the Legislature, where all senators can debate its merits. Start lobbying now! Polls show that 75%+ of Nebraskans support legislation like LB 48.

Tea Pot Whistle Alert!

2011-02-06T17:13:00.000-06:00

Time for the first NTF Tea Party Tea Pot Whistle! Our notice to you taxpayers to get into gear right now! Please join our Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom Citizen Auditor Project. This series of seminars will show you how to become a really aggressive taxpayer watchdog! Growl!!!!!!!!! The next seminar in our series will show you how to methodically examine a city budget and find waste, inefficiencies, duplication, and fraud. You will receive a hard copy packet to take home to use after seeing a Power Point presentation on the screen. Please join us at Millard Library in Omaha on Wed. Feb. 16, 6:30 PM, at 132nd & Westwood Lane. We may have lost a battle in the Mayor Suttle Recall, but we have not lost the war to restore Omaha and other cities to fiscal sanity.

HEAR THE TEA POT WHISTLE BLOWING

2010-12-27T19:01:00.000-06:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom is beginning a new project called “Tea Pot Whistle.” This Tea Party project is a regular alert, calling your attention to an important upcoming political event or situation or a vote by elected officials. When you hear the tea pot whistle blowing, you will know that it is time to take action! Calling a city council member, emailing a state senator, calling into a radio talk show. Hear the tea pot whistle alert by logging onto this blog. It will be your signal to take action immediately.

HELP RECALL OMAHA MAYOR SUTTLE

2010-11-14T15:19:00.000-06:00

NTF will have its last meeting of the year on Wed. Nov. 17, 6:30 PM at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Ln, Omaha. You can sign and circulate Recall Omaha Mayor Suttle petitions and NTF petitions to curtail illegal immigration in NE. Get a Legislative Watch Project packet that will inform you how to lobby and monitor your state senators. You can grab our latest issue papers on reform of the Comm. of Industrial Relations, ObamaCare, and the Omaha Fire Union contract. Please attend and bring friends & neighbors!

TEA PARTY TOWN HALL MEETING

2010-11-04T19:23:00.000-05:00

The general election of 2010 is now over, and conservatives have won notable victories at the local, state, and national levels. But now is not the time to sit back and relish our victories. We must forge ahead immediately to make an impact in the upcoming legislative session in Lincoln. NE Taxpayers for Freedom will sponsor a Tea Party Town Hall Meeting on Tue. Nov. 9, 7 PM, at the Papillion, NE. City Library at 222 North Jefferson Street. We will show a Power Point presentation on how to lobby and monitor your state senators and distribute Legislative Watch Project packets that you can use to lobby and monitor votes in the 2011 session. Issues discussed will include Commission of Industrial Relations reforms, illegal immigration, and the City of Omaha “wheel fee” on neighboring communities. Please attend and bring friends & neighbors!

CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES SUPER SATURDAY

2010-09-01T19:32:00.000-05:00

Fiscal conservatives eagerly are awaiting Tuesday, November 2, when we will have the opportunity to “take out the garbage” and elect fiscal conservatives to national, state, and local offices. Many conservative folks attend tea parties, our Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom meetings, and other similar events. However, it is not enough to sit, watch, and listen. Conservatives must become active and actually help conservative candidates campaign and win elections. Therefore, we invite conservative-minded people to attend our Nebraska Taxpayers Super Saturday, to meet and volunteer to help conservative candidates that weekend. Here is the information: Saturday, Oct. 2, 9 AM – 11 AM, 2819 South 125 Avenue #362 in Westwood Plaza on the south side of West Center Rd, Omaha, in the east-west strip mall directly south of Hooters. Free coffee, orange juice, and donuts. You can make a difference this November, but you must volunteer some time and effort.

LOBBY OMAHA CITY COUNCILMAN MULLIGAN

2010-08-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

Oh, for the Good Old Days! The Good Old Days in District 7 on the Omaha City Council. The Good Old Days when Councilman Chuck Sigerson voted for taxpayer interests, closely scrutinizing proposed increases in taxes and spending, then voted as a fiscal conservative. Yes, those were the Good Old Days in District 7. His successor, Tom Mulligan, has voted wrong on most fiscal issues since his appointment several months ago. Now, he takes the side of the police union and pledges to vote for an overly generous contract that will necessitate higher taxes. He sides with Mayor Suttle on a wasteful budget that raises the property tax and wheel tax and implements a new restaurant, bar, and catering tax. Mulligan apparently is a Republican but appears to be a Republican In Name Only (RINO). If he votes for the police union contract and Suttle budget, we will deposit him in our NTF Rino Stockade, along with Clare Duda, the RINO Douglas County Commissioner who voted to raise our property tax rates this year. You can lobby Tom Mulligan to vote FOR taxpayers and AGAINST our liberal Mayor on these 2 issues. Call him today at: 444-5526 or email him at tmulligan@ci.omaha.ne.us. Please help us herd a RINO in the right direction!

TOWN HALL MEETING ON CITY OF OMAHA BUDGET

2010-07-25T16:43:00.000-05:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom will host a Taxpayer Town Hall meeting on Monday, August 2, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Sempeck’s Entertainment, 20902 Cumberland Drive, in Elkhorn. We will show a Power Point presentation that offers fiscally conservative alternatives to Mayor Suttle’s FY 2011 budget and informs those attending how to lobby their city council members to reject this budget and offer alternatives.

Mayor Suttle argues that we must raise and expand taxes in order to maintain the "quality of life" in Omaha. His high tax strategy will only erode our quality of life by lowering our living standards. Please come with friends & neighbors to this meeting!

Invitation to NE Taxpayers July 3 Tea Party

2010-06-19T14:01:00.000-05:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom and several other organizations are sponsoring an Independence Day Tea Party on Sat. July 3, from 11 AM to 3:30 PM at Walnut Grove Park, 152nd & Q Streets, in Omaha. Featured speakers are Cong. Lee Terry, State Sen. Pete Pirsch, Omaha City Council Member Jean Stothert, and several more. Also, patriotic music and skits, drawings for books and other prizes, and face-painting and balloons for the kids. HyVee will cater lunches. Rest room facilities will be available. Please bring friends & neighbors to help us celebrate our nation’s founding and heritage!

REVISE THE CITY OF OMAHA FIRE UNION CONTRACT

2010-05-27T18:52:00.000-05:00

Public service unions are bleeding Omaha taxpayers dry, especially with their overly generous benefits. We urge all Omaha taxpayers to lobby their city council members to stand up to the Mayor and his union supporters and rein in excess spending.

BACKGROUND POINTS. 93% of the Omaha Fire Division budget operates under a union contract, unlike other city unions, which contributes to budget overruns and unnecessary spending. The Omaha Fire Division ran $4.5 million over budget in FY 2009.
Pull much of this percentage out of the contract.

Firemen sent home daily because of overstaffing but still paid. Too many fire captains. The office of fire chief increased from 8 to 11 employees, and 3 more battalion chiefs. 70% of fire trucks have 6-7 persons on board, though the current contract calls for only 4. To handle one kitchen grease fire, 3 fire trucks, a hazmat truck, a rescue squad, and 3 battalion chiefs arrived.
Add several hours to firefighter shifts. Save $700,000 by reducing top-heavy managerial staffing of the fire division, as recommended by the Matrix Study. Begin a personnel audit of this department. There are now 45 captains on ambulances, even though the Commission of Industrial Relations (CIR) recently stated clearly that these captains are not needed on the ambulances, now costing Omaha taxpayers up to $1 million annually.

ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS.
· The accumulation of unused sick leave, vacation days, and personal days off that contribute to cashouts that equaled about $2 million this fiscal year needs rectification.
· Paying off annual leave cost $785,386 last fiscal year, so end this benefit.
· Lower the number of annual days of vacation, which employees must use or lose each year.
· No payment for accumulated sick leave or vacation time.
· No cash payments for unused sick leave at retirement.
· Never expiring sick leave days, vacation days, personal days, and disability income must discontinue and resemble the private sector.
· Cut the number of sick leave hours.
· Current employees continue to build compensation time in future years.
· Almost $3 million in comp time banking that city employees could cash out in 2010.
· No cashing out compensation time.
· No comp time calculated at 1 ½ times actual number of overtime hours worked.
· Contracts should force union employees to cash out existing comp time upon becoming management employees.
· No banking time off for hours worked when called back.
· No cashing in time-off banked hours.
· Paid holidays only after first 6 months of employment.
· No holidays for employee birthdays or on 9-11.
· No personal leave days or “open days.”
· No longevity pay.
· No taking of hitherto untaken furloughs, if employee is back at work at full duty.
· No specialty pay for paramedics.
· No bonus pay given if sales tax revenue increases, as mentioned in current contract.
· Fire Division overtime increased 18%, so trim overtime.
· Some firefighters enjoy outside employment with accompanying salaries and benefits.
· Revise and lower base pay standards in present contracts.
· Hire a professional labor relations legal service to negotiate union contracts.

Property Valuation Town Hall Meetings

2010-05-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

Again this year, Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom is sponsoring a series of Property Valuation Town Hall meetings. These seminars, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, are all at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Lane in Omaha. The dates are Tue. June 1, Tue. June 15, Tue. June 22, and Tue. June 29. We will be showing a Power Point presentation instructing you how to challenge your higher property valuation on your home or business. We will have appeal forms available. Also, you can take home paper copy packets detailing our current outrageous valuation system and suggestions for complete reform. Please attend & bring friends and neighbors! This event is free and open to the public.

Tax Day Tea Party in Omaha

2010-04-04T18:04:00.000-05:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom and several other groups will sponsor a Tax Day Tea Party on Thu. April 15, from 5:00 PM = 8:00 PM at Walnut Grove Park, 152nd & Q Streets, in Omaha. Featured speakers are Att.Gen. Jon Bruning, State Treasurer Shane Osborn, and State Sens. Pete Pirsch, Tony Fulton, and Bob Krist, who will speak on crucial tax, spending, and government regulation issues of importance to us. There will also be patriotic music and poetry, balloons, and fun for all! Taxpayer watchdog stickers and tea bags for everyone! You can purchase hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, pop, and ice cream. Please bring friends & neighbors and join us on April 15 to help take back our country and run it the way our Founding Fathers envisioned.

TEA PARTY EXPRESS COMING TO OMAHA

2010-03-05T20:03:00.000-06:00

The Tea Party Express from California will visit Omaha on Thursday, April 1, as a guest of NE Taxpayers for Freedom and several other groups. Please bring family & friends to attend this event at Pavilion 5 at Lake Zorinsky, near the boat ramp, from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Use entrance at 156th & F Streets. Guest speakers on the topics of “Voting Out the Bad Guys” and a “Campaign of One,” how to get active in upcoming candidate campaigns. Listen to good music, meet other fiscal conservatives, and just have plain fun! Bring lots of signs. We will have balloons for the kids! Fiscally irresponsible politicians in Washington and in Nebraska have failed the taxpaying citizens by their bailouts, reckless deficit spending, government takeovers in the private sector of the economy, Cap & Trade (Tax), socialist health care, and higher taxes. Taxpaying citizens are angry and frustrated. The Tea Party movement is not merely a temporary fad. We are mobilizing. Join other taxpaying citizens to take back our state and country! Volunteer to help by emailing netaxpayers@gmail.com.

Sen. "Ben-occhio" Nelson Betrays Nebraska

2010-01-18T09:39:00.000-06:00

Nebraska taxpayers tired of his lies.
His phony explanations are drawing flies!
His lame logic really takes the prize.
His distortions of the biggest size.
To make excuses for Obama ties.

If the senator were a wee bit wise.
He’d vote NO on ObamaCare,
As we advise.

Lookin’ in the mirror after he did rise
In response to his many constituent cries.
He noticed much to his surprise
That his nose had grown to twice its size!
Ben-occhio!!

Senator Ben-occhio Nelson of Nebraska

2009-12-20T19:19:00.000-06:00

BEN-OCCHIO WATCH:
MAKE SURE HE HEARS FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS.

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom has begun a “Ben-occhio Watch” statewide project in response to Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson’s endorsement and votes for socialist ObamaCare and other leftwing legislation. The objectives of this project are as follows: 1) to expose his liberal voting record on fiscal and regulatory issues though he tries to posture himself as a fiscal conservative to his Nebraska constituents; 2) continue a steady stream of critical commentary against his votes
by calling talk radio, writing guest editorials, and making the senator a frequent “guest” at our taxpayer tea parties; 3) confront him at public forums to ask him why he votes contrary to the wishes of Nebraskans; and 4) scour the state for a formidable challenger in the 2012 Nebraska senatorial election.

This project packet includes the following materials:
Directions to access his annual voting record on the NE Taxpayers for Freedom website.
Instructions on how to call talk radio shows.
Outline on how to write guest editorials.
Contact sheets for Nebraska TV and radio stations and newspapers.
======================================================================================
SIGN ME UP TO GIVE BEN-OCCHIO POLITICAL TEARS FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS!

NAME _______________________________________
ADDRESS ____________________________________
CITY/ ZIP ____________________________________
PHONE ______________________________________
EMAIL ADDRESS _____________________________
HERE IS MY $8 DUES TO JOIN NE TAXPAYERS !

NEBRASKA TAXPAYERS FOR FREEDOM
P.O. Box 6452
Omaha, NE. 68106
Email: netaxpayers@cox.net

STREET NAMES TO HONOR OMAHA MAYORS

2009-10-24T13:32:00.000-05:00

Democrat cheerleaders for former Mayor Mike Fahey are whipping up support to rename 7 blocks of Webster Street adjacent to the new baseball stadium for this mayor. Meanwhile, Republican boosters are hawking a proposed ordinance to rename another downtown street, perhaps in front of the Qwest Center, for former Mayor Hal Daub. Many Omaha taxpayers would question the idea of honoring former Mayor Fahey in this way. Recall that he is responsible for the horrific “spiking” of police and fire pensions by backloading huge pay raises and retirement benefits to a time when he would have left office. Property taxes will skyrocket to pay for these millions in future obligations. Omaha taxpayers undoubtedly will pay dearly in property tax hikes to manage and operate the unneeded, new baseball stadium, a monument that Fahey has bestowed upon himself like a Roman emperor. Also recall that former Mayor Daub granted too generous pay and benefit raises to the police union. Remember his assuring us that property taxes would not rise to pay for this monument to himself, the convention center and arena. 41% of your recent 10% property tax hike will fund the debt service, principal plus interest, of this complex. The Omaha city council will vote on Tuesday, Nov. 10, on these street renamings. Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom urges taxpayers to contact their city council members and urge them to do the following: 1) name an Omaha alley after Mayor Fahey, an alley filled with deep ruts and holes, like the ruts in which he left Omaha taxpayers. An alley strewn with loose garbage, just like he treated us taxpayers. 2) name all the street curbs surrounding the Qwest Center for former Mayor Hal Daub, because he kicked us taxpayers to the curb with his debt yoke from this facility.

JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST OMAHA TAX HIKES!

2009-09-26T13:15:00.000-05:00

Omaha taxpayers, frustrated and angry, tell me that their Omaha city council members and Mayor listen to what they say but do not abide by their wishes to NOT raise taxes. Truthfully, only City Councilmen Chuck Sigerson and Garry Gernandt acknowledged the 2,500+ petition signatures we submitted from citizens opposing tax hikes and our list of over 70 suggestions for budget cuts. That 4 city councilmen voted to raise our property taxes 10% during this recession, as citizens are losing their jobs, working fewer hours, and depleting their savings, is unconscionable. No council member has taken the initiative to systematically reform the budgeting process, while other metropolitan cities already have adopted many of our budgeting suggestions. It is not sufficient to direct anger and frustration against public officials who fail to heed constituent concerns. We must channel our feelings, translate them into actual Taxpayer Tea Party enthusiasm, into positive and productive action. Time to lobby our Mayor and council to 1) change the city charter to make it easier to avoid tax increases and to cut spending; 2) urge them to work with us to actually make short-range and long-range strategic budget cuts; and 3) use suggestions from the Matrix study and Behrens-Tate study to better manage city financing and operations. The city council so far has proved impervious to our suggestions, so we must apply pressure. We are creating Committees of Correspondence in each city council district, like our colonial forefathers created them in their neighborhoods to fight and thwart burdensome taxes yoked onto them by the British Crown. Each district committee will have a team leader to coordinate activities, including email, phone, and fax campaigns to lobby city council members and Mayor. Our Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom website will show their voting records and their replies or lack of responses to committee members. We will organize neighborhood meetings and invite council members to come and face questions and comments from their constituents. Pictures of tea bags will go to the council to accentuate our displeasure. Our committees of correspondence can and will apply necessary pressure on council members. We will challenge them and our Mayor to implement a Back to Basics philosophy and program to rein in taxes, spending, and regulation. These officials must understand that higher taxes lower our savings and consumer spending rates, hurting businesses that consumers patronize. Lower business profits translate into lower employment, layoffs, and furloughs. Not content with raising our property taxes 10%, Mayor Suttle now wants to raise our city sales tax, burden us with a new garbage collection fee, and possibly slap us with another property tax hike! Don’t get angry; get active! Contact us at netaxpayers@cox.net to get involved today in the Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom Committees of Correspondence!

PROPERTY VALUATION TOWN HALL MEETINGS.

2009-09-09T18:52:00.000-05:00

Our Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom group will host the first in a series of Property Valuation Town Hall meetings on Wed. Sept. 16, from 6-8 PM at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Lane in Omaha. First, we will view a short Power Point presentation showing how our current valuation system is causing rural and urban property taxes to skyrocket. Then, State Sen. Pete Pirsch will discuss his LR 241, which would urge the Legislature to study a reform of our valuation system. Next, we will distribute our own issue paper on property valuation reform. During the remainder of the meeting, those attending can each speak for up to 3 min. about their ideas and suggestions for property valuation reform. We will transcribe all these comments and forward them to the Legislative Council at the Unicameral, so that state senators can use these suggestions to help them formulate remedial legislation in 2010. We invite all concerned taxpayers to attend with friends and neighbors.

HEALTH CARE TOWN HALL MEETING

2009-08-13T19:37:00.000-05:00

Make plans to attend our Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom Health Care Town Hall Meeting on Sat. Aug. 29, at 10 AM at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Lane, Omaha. We will treat you to a Power Point presentation on the negative impact that ObamaCare would have on Nebraskans. Two speakers from the medical community then will compare the negatives of ObamaCare with positive alternatives from the free market. Everyone attending will receive an issue paper plus contact information for their Capitol Hill delegation in Congress. Please bring friends & neighbors. It is crucial that we save Nebraska and America from socialist health care that has ruined the health care systems in so many other countries and consigned their citizens to medical care that is inefficient, untimely, and deadly. Learn how to lobby your representative and senators....the life you save may be your own or that of a loved one!

TEA PARTY AT OMAHA CITY BUDGET HEARING

2009-07-19T16:12:00.001-05:00

It’s Taxpayer Tea Party time again, taxpayers! Mark your calendars on Tue. Aug. 11. At 6:30 PM that evening, we will hold a short demonstration outside the Omaha City-County Bldg. at 1819 Farnam Street, our signs proudly showing that we oppose any new or expanded tax increase in the City of Omaha’s FY 2009-10 budget. The mayor and city council will deliberate and decide on raising our property tax or sales tax or both. They will consider implementing a new garbage fee, occupation tax, and/or an entertainment tax. Even if you do not live within the City of Omaha city limits, you will pay more sales tax if you shop here, more entertainment tax if you go to the movies, bars, or restaurants in Omaha, and pay an occupation tax if you work in Omaha. At the public budget hearing at 7 PM, we will present the city council with our petitions opposing tax increases and testify against them in the budget. We invite taxpayers to attend the hearing and speak or just sit and listen while wearing a taxpayer watchdog tea bag sticker. However, we need YOUR help. We need YOU to help circulate our petitions. You need not be a registered voter to circulate or sign or even live in Omaha. Please call (402) 551-0921 to get a petition today! We are in a recession. People are losing their jobs, savings, and investments! We are Taxed Enough Already.

Nebraska Taxpayers July 4th Tea Party.

2009-06-24T20:28:00.000-05:00

July 4th is a very appropriate time for a Taxpayer Tea Party! Our Founding Fathers and their colonial patriot brethren declared our colonies independent from an overtaxing and over-regulating government in 1776. More than 2 centuries later, we citizens again face an overtaxing and over-regulating government. Substitute Pres. Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi for King George III and Prime Minister Lord North. Bring friends and neighbors to attend our NE Taxpayers for Freedom Tea Party on Sat. July 4, 11 AM to 3 PM at Walnut Grove Park, 150th & Q Streets (north side) in Omaha. Bring a picnic lunch and cold soft drinks. We will treat you to live patriotic music, singers, a marching band, petitions to oppose the proposed Omaha tax hikes, and speakers. There is a playground for kids and rest room facilities. Drive north through the park to the Sun Dawgs pavilion. Lots of fun for the entire family.

PROPERTY VALUATION TOWN HALL MEETINGS

2009-06-09T19:20:00.001-05:00

Once again, property owners in each county in Nebraska face higher property valuations on their residential and commercial properties, even though the recession has caused market value of property to decrease, in some instances substantially. According to state law, county assessors can examine sale prices of similar homes that sold during the years prior to the current recession and value a home based on not so recent sale price. Thus, a home that sold 5 yrs. ago for $250,000 might not sell for more than $215,000 now, but the valuation for a similar nearby home continues at $250,000. Counties are overvaluing homes, because special interest groups like the public education lobby depend on higher valuations to accrue more tax dollars through property tax rates. The long-range solution is to change the state law on valuations, so that they will not spike continually and cause property tax hikes, even if property tax rates remain the same. We invite everyone to attend our Property Valuation Town Hall meetings on Tuesdays, June 16, June 23, and June 30. Come to Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Lane, in Omaha at 6 PM. You can see a Power Point presentation and receive a hard copy packet, instructing you how to challenge your property valuation increases this year. Please bring your 2008 and 2009 valuation statements and pen and pad. The only way we taxpayers will stop the property valuation and tax spiral is to mobilize and fight the High Taxers and Big Spenders until we overwhelm them. See you at one of these meetings, and bring friends & neighbors!

TAXPAYER TEA PARTY II

2009-04-19T08:50:00.000-05:00

Even before 1776, our colonial Forefathers began a mighty struggle to free themselves from oppressive taxation and crippling regulations. Indignation and determination to resist swept colonial America amid burdensome and unfair taxes and regulations imposed by the British Crown.
Our Founding Fathers, led by patriot Samuel Adams, established Committees of Correspondence throughout the colonies. The committees spread rapidly. Their purpose was to communicate swiftly political information from community to community. Then, colonists could gather and work together in many local communities, working simultaneously to fight high taxes and regulations. Riders on horseback, like many Paul Reveres, relayed news and instructions by riding for days and nights through hinterlands to distribute broadsheets, which local citizens posted on public bulletin boards in their communities.
With modern communications, we no longer need to saddle up. We can feed our fax machines, send emails, and use Facebook, Linked-In, and many other sites on the Internet to mobilize taxpayers angry at the high taxes and wasteful spending imposed and promoted by the Obama Administration and Congress.
It is 2009. The struggle begins again! Taxpayers all over Nebraska attended Taxpayer Tea Parties on April 15. We sent a clear message to the President and Congress: “Stop the Taxes! Stop the Spending and Bailouts!”
Make plans now to attend Tea Party II…..Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Ln, Omaha…..Wed. May 20, 6:30 PM.
· Short slide presentation, with packets, on fiscally conservative alternatives to fight the Obama Budget.
· Short speech by state or local official.
· Sign up on a taxpayer watchdog team to lobby your Capitol Hill delegation to vote NO on the Obama budget.
Meet fellow taxpaying citizens who are angry and disgusted by runaway government fiscal irresponsibility.

FREEDOM IS BREWING IN NEBRASKA

2009-03-30T19:54:00.000-05:00

It’s angry taxpayer day in Nebraska! Taxpayers living in the Omaha metropolitan area will gather on Wed. April 15, 6-8 PM. at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Lane in Omaha. We will show a Power Point presentation on the Obama Bloated Budget and offer fiscally conservative alternatives. Then, we will show everyone how to lobby and monitor their Capitol Hill delegation to vote NO on this socialist budget. Also, conservative Cong. Lee Terry (2nd District) will give us a pep talk to defeat the presidential budget. Please bring friends & neighbors! Everyone will get an instructional packet and tea bag to take home. Remember, if we do not stand up to defend ourselves against leftwing tyranny, no one is going to come rescue us. The Obama Budget would add more federal debt than that amassed by every previous president. His regulatory policies will put us on the road to serfdom. His administration is intent on seizing and putting under federal control the financial industries, the vehicle manufacturers, and the health care industry. Stop this administration from placing the socialist yoke on us all. Join us at the Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom Tea Party on April 15! Note that there is another Tea Party in Omaha that day at the Douglas County Courthouse, beginning at 5 P.M.

TAXPAYER TEA PARTY FIGHTS OBAMA BUDGET.

2009-03-01T15:26:00.000-06:00

The Socialist Pres. Obama budget would raise federal income taxes on singles earning $200,000 or more annually and on couples earning $250,000 or more annually. However, to pay for all his generous spending on pork barrel projects like $238,000 for Polynesian voyaging, Obama probably will have to raise taxes on everyone earning over $75,000. Forcing utility companies to reduce carbon emissions will raise our consumer energy costs for heating, cooling, etc. Taxes on the gas and oil industry will soar, these costs passed along to consumers. Gas pump prices will spiral. Small businesses will hurt badly, laying off employees instead of expanding, not able to afford to make capital investments. Capital gains tax rates for many will rise from 15% to 20%. Wealthier Americans who invest their capital will see their top income tax rate rise from 35% to 40%, dampening their investment enthusiasm. Retirees now see their investment income disappearing, but Obama wants to tax their investments more. The only Americans to benefit much from the Obama Budget are those who pay no taxes and do not want to work. DON’T BE SHEEPLE; BE ANGRY TAXPAYER PEOPLE! Come and bring friends to our Taxpayer Tea Party to fight the Obama Budget, 6 PM, Wed. March 18, at Millard Library, 132nd & Westwood Ln., Omaha. The Counter-Revolution starts now!

THE WAY THINGS STAY THE SAME.

2009-02-07T19:00:00.000-06:00

The beginning of term limits for state senators in our Unicameral Legislature offered many conservatives a sense of euphoria. Many believed that term limits would uproot the entrenched liberal Democrats and Republicans who dominated the various committees and substitute for them an inflow of fiscal conservatives. The election of 2006 disappointed us, because so many new liberals replaced the old ones. It was tough to find good, fiscal conservatives to run for open seats. As usual, the state Republican Party concentrated on running their “machine” candidates and shunned more conservative ones. The fiscal climate in the Unicameral did not improve in 2007 and 2008. Once again, in November of 2008, we campaigned for some good conservative legislative candidates, fighting off not only Socialist Democrat rival candidates but the usual RINOS (Republicans in Name Only) hawked by the GOP Party apparatus. Sad to say, the harvest of incoming state senators provided few Low Taxers/Spenders. Recently, we asked all newly-elected state senators to sign a “Taxpayer Protection Pledge,” promising their respective constituents that they would not raise state taxes barring a declared statewide emergency caused by a natural disaster or other declared calamitous state or national emergency. Not one of these new senators signed it! Garbage out, garbage in! Many state senators from other states have signed an identical pledge. To further insult taxpayers, not one new state senator would agree to introduce a bill to reform structurally the entire property valuation system, to relieve overburdened urban and rural property owners.

Businesses are locating their operations in states with more competitive corporate tax and property tax structures. Their middle management people do not want to live here. Young professionals are leaving the state for states with lower taxes and better salaries. Moving in to take their places are illegal aliens who work for low wages and suck off our generous welfare system, not paying their own way. Nebraska has the highest taxes in every category except one corporate tax category, compared to all adjacent states. Our population ages. Our rural areas become increasingly depopulated. Soon we will become a pariah state for the productive….another People’s Republic of Minnesota. Unless, of course, taxpaying citizens rise off their rears and find solid, conservative candidates to run for state and local offices, then volunteer for and bankroll them.

TAXPAYER CHAMPION WINS ELECTION

2008-11-09T19:40:00.000-06:00

Yes, it can be done. So often, I hear from dejected whiners that nobody can do anything to change school board attitudes to include listening to input from beleaguered taxpayers. One of the ways to overcome this obstacle is to run for a school board seat yourself. That is precisely what Jim Enright did, when he ran a 2nd time for a seat on the Omaha Public School Board and won. In District 6, he knocked out a 30+ year incumbent who not only rubber stamped whatever the administration wanted done but also had a bad habit of telling taxpayer watchdogs who spoke at public school board hearings to “Shutup.” Now, taxpayers summarily ignored by OP$ school board members will have a champion on the board, not only to listen to taxpayer suggestions but also to champion our cause with his fellow board members. Jim is a solid fiscal conservative. He overcame huge odds to win his seat, and there certainly will be some resentment from other board members who normally enjoy a clubby fiscal liberal atmosphere at meetings. So, I urge taxpayers to begin attending OP$ board meetings on the first and third Mondays of each month at the Taj Mahal, I mean, TAC Bldg., at 32nd & Cuming Street, at 7:30 PM. Jim Enright will support us taxpayers, so we must support him and his initiatives at board meetings!

HELP LOWER OUR PROPERTY TAXES

2008-08-10T12:49:00.000-05:00

Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom will hold another in its series of Property Tax Town Hall meetings on Wed. Aug. 20, 6:30 PM, at Millard Library at 132nd & Westwood Lane, Omaha. A Power Point presentation will show people how to contact their state senators and lobby them to reform the property valuation and tax systems in Nebraska to give tax relief to its citizens. Please come and bring friends & neighbors, because the only way to lower our property taxes is to convince our state senators to reform the property valuation and tax laws. At this meeting, you can get packets that will show you how to contact and lobby your state senator. Only if property taxpayers diligently lobby before the 2009 Unicameral session starts will we see property tax relief next year. You can meet 2-3 conservative state senators and legislative candidates at this meeting, so please come!

Nebraska Vehicle Owners Gouged by the Taxers.

2008-06-22T16:08:00.000-05:00

Many Nebraskans realize that our state motor vehicle taxes and fees are higher than those in adjacent states. Therefore, thousands of taxpayers save tax money by registering their vehicles in these border states. In reaction, the state revenue department in cooperation with the NE State Patrol is investigating these tax evaders and mailed letters to over 10,000, advising them to register their vehicles and pay owed vehicle taxes in Nebraska. Because of the differing databases in adjacent states, some people who now register their vehicles lawfully in Nebraska received these threatening letters and must contact the State Patrol to clear their names. This process resembles the failure of the Prohibition laws, which similarly hounded otherwise lawful citizens. Instead, state senators should reform our vehicle tax system, lowering taxes and fees to make it less enticing to title and register vehicles in adjoining states. Then, our government coffers could recoup millions in yearly sales taxes, vehicle taxes, and fees.

Nebraskans in 2006 paid a 5.5% sales tax on vehicles, compared to 5% in Iowa, 4.9% in Kansas, 4.225% in Missouri, 3% in Wyoming and South Dakota, and 2.9% in Colorado.[1] In 2006, NE vehicle annual registration fees stood at $415.50, compared to $300.38 in Wyoming, $269.50 in Colorado, $227.59 in Kansas, $204 in Iowa, $62 in South Dakota, and $54.75 in Missouri. Nebraska stood second highest nationally in total registration costs. Total registration and state and local fuel tax costs placed Nebraska 3rd in the nation.[2] Our vehicle tax has a progressive rate schedule, so price inflation has a heavier effect on tax receipts because of bracket creep. As of 2006, the state sales tax on vehicles has increased faster than our state economy and faster than other services and products covered by the sales tax. From 1998 to 2006, vehicle taxes and fees together have increased faster than inflation and our state economy. This tax burden only offers incentives for Nebraskans to register and title their vehicles in adjacent states.

THE SOLUTION. To reform our state vehicle tax system and make it more equitable to taxpayers, we must lobby our state senators to pass legislation to allow counties to levy local registration taxes. Year #1 of vehicle ownership would accrue a tax of 1.5% of manufacturer suggested retail price, 1.2% in year #2, .9% in year #3, .6% in year #4, and .3% in year #5 and thereafter, the minimum tax set at $5.
[1] A Comparison of Selected Tax Rates in the District of Columbia with those in the 50 States, Table 25.
[2] Idaho Transportation Dept., Economics & Research Section, pp.4-6.

See our NTF issue papers on costs of registering vehicles in Nebraska and our outrageous state gas tax. Email us through our website at www.netaxpayers.org.

NEW BASEBALL STADIUM WILL STRIKE OUT TAXPAYERS

2008-03-12T20:12:00.000-05:00

Omaha taxpayers already bent over from the heavy yoke of property taxation will face an additional property tax hike burden, if Mayor Fahey convinces the City Council to vote YES on funding and other mechanisms to begin construction of an unneeded new baseball stadium downtown. Though the Mayor and his Big Business supporters try to scare Omahans that the NCAA will move the College World Series to another locality, if we do not support the Mayor's initiative, the NCAA publicly has stated that it will readily accept a renovation of Rosenblatt Stadium, if the city government offers such alternative. Nevertheless, Mayor Fahey insists that the majority of Omahans genuinely opposing his plan are a mere noisy minority rabble. Read the bullet points below for information you need to lobby your councilman to vote NO on stadium funding:

· The Mayor carefully appointed a study committee of several community leaders, most of whom are his acquaintances, to take a “fresh and unbiased” view of the situation, but he included no taxpayer watchdogs!

· Consultants to the committee, including HDR, an architectural engineering firm, and HOK, a sports architecture firm, could win huge tax-funded contracts to help construct a new stadium.

· The Mayor refuses to allow a citizen vote, believing it “divisive” to the community. Actually, he fears a huge majority vote to retain Rosenblatt Stadium and distrusts the public. A June, 2007 WH poll found that 81% of respondents wanted the College World Series to remain at Rosenblatt.

· The Mayor pledged that he would not propose a new stadium without a signed 20-year contract from the NCAA to keep the CWS in Omaha, but such contract does not exist.

· The Fahey plan would raise our hotel/motel and car rental taxes highest among the 50 largest convention cities, which then will attract tourists and conventions that would have come to Omaha, depriving Omaha merchants of many consumer dollars spent.

· Anticipated stadium project revenues would pay for revenue bonds issued. If insufficient revenue appears, property taxpayers will have to pay the tab! Omahans would pay increased taxes to build and operate a new facility and additional taxes to demolish Rosenblatt Stadium.

· The Mayor declares that he would use property taxes only as a last resort to fund his stadium. We heard similar pledges from former Mayor Hal Daub, who promised no hike in property taxes to pay costs, but homeowners became yoked with a heavy property tax liability for his convention center/arena.

· To replace $2.4 million in Douglas County keno revenues snatched by our Mayor, the county would raise our property taxes. All Omaha property taxpayers reside in Douglas County and would pay higher taxes.

· A possible parking garage next to a downtown stadium and parking at other sites were not factored into the cost equation.

· The market analysis and resulting financial analysis done by Barrett Sports Group (BSG) was limited in scope, because the study did not conduct general public or corporate surveys or use focus groups. BSG admitted difficulty in identifying comparable markets because of the unique nature of the CWS.

· BSG made significant assumptions related to downtown ballpark operating revenues and expenses. Its study implies the possible need for additional funding sources, such as sales or property taxes.

· BSG admitted basing its work in part on information provided by unrelated sources that it could not assure us as accurate. Because of rapid changes in external factors, actual financial results might vary significantly from estimates presented in its report.

· Case studies prove that such new sports facility has a very small, sometimes a negative effect, on overall economic activity and employment. No recent similar facility earns a reasonable return on investment. No such facility has become self-financing regarding impact on net tax revenues. Stadium vicinity spending by consumers only displaces spending that would have happened elsewhere.

· The Mayor cannot guarantee that revenue gained from naming rights, advertising, seat taxes, and leases would pay off 20-yr. general revenue bonds used for stadium construction.

It is imperative that you call, email, or write a letter to your Omaha city councilman today, because special interests already are applying hard pressure to them!
OMAHA CITY COUNCIL EMAIL ADDRESSES
District 1: Jim Suttle 444-5527 jsuttle@ci.omaha.ne.us
District 2: Frank Brown 444-5524 fbrown@ci.omaha.ne.us
District 3: James Vokal 444-5525 jvokal@ci.omaha.ne.us
District 4: Garry Gernandt 444-5522 ggernandt@ci.omaha.ne.us
District 5: Dan Welch 444-5528 dwelch@ci.omaha.ne.us
District 6: Franklin Thompson 444-5523 fthompson@ci.omaha.ne.us
District 7: Chuck Sigerson 444-5526 csigerson@ci.omaha.ne.us
Address mail to: Councilman __________________________
Rm. LC-l
Omaha Civic Center
1819 Farnam Street
Omaha, NE. 68l83-0100

We must reach more citizens! Help us distribute fliers in your neighborhood. Email netaxpayers@cox.net to assist in this effort!

Protect Our Petition Rights in Nebraska

2008-01-20T15:33:00.000-06:00

Everyone who values his or her petition rights in our state immediately should contact their state senator to vote NO on LB 39. In recent years, it has become difficult, almost impossible, to wage a successful initiative petition campaign because of additional requirements placed on petition groups by the Legislature. We must contend with a nebulous single subject petition requirement and a doubling of the number of petition signatures. A proposed constitutional amendment cannot go to voters by initiative petition more often than once in 3 years.
Paying petitioners by the signature offers incentive for them to collect a maximum number of signatures, as a commission would offer incentives for employees in a private business. Those who complain about the supposed aggressiveness of petition circulators ignore use of physical obstructive tactics by petition opponents towards circulators exercising their constitutional privilege. Under LB 39, some but not all circulators would have their names, addresses, and phone numbers included in campaign reports. This information becoming public knowledge would subject these circulators to harassment. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Nebraska cannot force petition campaigns to file monthly reports identifying paid circulators and expenses paid to circulators, acknowledging the vulnerability of circulators to harassment. Passage of LB 39 certainly would subject the legislation to a court challenge. LB 39 would require circulators to be only NE residents of voting age. We believe that learning about the petition process is a valuable educational experience for our youth. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1996 ruled invalid the NE requirement for all petition circulators to be registered voters.
Nebraska has no 2nd House. The original sponsors meant the initiative petition process to give Nebraska citizens a powerful tool to balance the Unicameral, and we are losing this right. Much of the necessity for requesting assistance from out of state entities stems from the current eroding of our petition rights that makes it much more difficult to launch petitions within the State. Our group has attempted in recent years to place several petitions on the ballot, and we have found it increasingly more difficult to do so because of impediments placed in our way. We regard this latest effort by State Sen. Schimek as sheer revenge against those who promoted the Stop Overspending campaign in 2006.
If you need help locating your state senator, email netaxpayers@cox.net, and we can help you.

STATE SENATORS MUST ACT ON ILLEGAL ALIENS

2007-12-09T15:59:00.000-06:00

Illegal aliens are inundating our state, as nearby state legislatures in Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma pass laws to restrict the employment and residency of illegals. Word gets around fast. Nebraska is a welcoming state for illegal aliens. Free K-12 education for the kids. Resident college tuition for young adults. Lots of flophouses to live in. Plenty of jobs at low pay, to undercut businesses and deprive lawful Nebraska citizens of employment. El Welfare galore: free goodies for the anchor babies, and food stamps too! Nebraska is fast becoming a safe and cozy haven for a flood of illegal aliens pouring in from nearby states. A friend of mine in Tulsa, OK., reported to me that hundreds of illegals were leaving Tulsa like rats leaving the proverbial sinking ship. Nebraska taxpayers are paying an increasing load for these unlawful invaders. Yet, we have not found one state senator to introduce a comprehensive bill in the 2008 legislature to deprive illegal aliens of all the benefits they now receive. Shame on our state senators! Who do they represent? Taxpaying citizens or those who prefer to send their money back to their home countries, depriving our consumer economy of these dollars? Contact your state senator today to introduce a bill! Email netaxpayers@cox.net for senator contact information and prospective legislation.

NEBRASKA TAXPAYERS VOTING RECORD

2007-03-02T18:20:00.000-06:00

The NTF Congress Watch team has completed our 2006 voting records for our Capitol Hill delegation, and there are no surprises. Congressman Lee Terry from the 2nd District scored 88%, a “B+,” but he would have won an “A” rating had he voted more with conservatives on illegal alien issues. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry held down the fort again with his 83% “B” rating. Cong. Tom Osborne, who continually hawked his supposedly conservative credentials during his 2006 run for governor, scored a paltry 74%, a “C” grade.
On the other end of the Capitol, Sen. Carlos Hagel, ever the champion of illegal aliens, scored a disappointing 79%, only 2 points above Sen. Ben Nelson, who, despite his constant yammering that he is a good fiscal conservative, rated only 77%. Nebraska taxpayers are stuck with Ben-occhio for another 6 years, because they shunned a real fiscal conservative challenger, Pete Ricketts. Nebraskans angry with Sen. Hagel for his stance on illegal immigration, his opposition to Bush’s War, his obvious presidential aspirations, or his tendency to chase the Liberal Media for photo-ops and sound byte commentary*, may wish to join the NTF “Show Hagel the Gate in 2008” project. Email us as shown below.
Those who wish to have a copy of the above voting records can email ntf2@netaxpayers.org.
* Current joke on Capitol Hill: What is the fastest way to get run over in Washington, D.C.? Answer: Get between Chuck Hagel and a TV camera!

LIBERAL STATE SENATORS TRAMPLE PETITION RIGHTS

2007-01-28T15:46:00.000-06:00

In 1898, Nebraska became the first state to allow statewide initiative and referendum petitions. Nebraskans subsequently have used the petition process as a useful political means to gain reforms when the legislature has refused to consider them and to repeal unpopular legislation.
Now, two bills and one resolution introduced into our 2007 legislature are poised to trample our petition rights. LB 39 would prevent petition campaigns from paying petition circulators per signature collected and require them to be Nebraska registered voters. Such law would make it more difficult to recruit circulators and cost campaigns additional regulatory expense and paperwork. LB 40 would force petition circulators to wear numbered badges, though a Colorado court invalidated such a law because of privacy and harassment concerns. Failure to wear a badge would constitute a misdemeanor. Wearing such badges would cost campaigns an added expense and expose circulators to increased harassment. During the Stop Overspending campaign, which our taxpayer group supported, goons harassed and intimidated circulators to stop them from collecting signatures and intimidated those wanting to sign. LR 8CA would require 15%, instead of 10%, of state registered voters to sign initiative petitions for proposed constitutional amendments, making it almost impossible to place grass-roots issues on the ballot. These proposals constitute mere revenge by those who fear fiscal issues like Stop Overspending placed on the ballot by petition and want to guarantee their future failure. Instead of punishing out of state entities that assist Nebraska petition campaigns, critics will only punish Nebraskans by gutting another freedom.
The single subject clause already inhibits placing an initiative on the ballot, because the enacting amendment never defined single subject, so courts can conjure whatever definition they wish. A main reason why citizens place more than 1 subject in a petition is because the topics are related and because it is so difficult and expensive to obtain the 110,000+ verifiable signatures to place an issue on the ballot. In 1994, a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling almost doubled the number of signatures required for fulfilling initiative petition requirements. Finding it more difficult to muster sufficient volunteers to gain the newly-required number, plus other restrictions, petition campaigns increasingly resorted to hiring paid circulators and out of state companies to assist. Then came a requirement that a proposed constitutional amendment could not go before voters by initiative petition more often than once in 3 years. Accumulating hurdles have made it impossible in many instances to rely on a pool of volunteer circulators, much needed in this labor-intensive activity. So difficult is waging a successful venture that obstacles dissuade some from donating or circulating. Campaigns must raise huge war chests to pay circulators or forego petitioning. Ironic that petition critics condemn paid circulators and out of state logistical assistance, both resulting from their previous victories in curtailing petition rights. As restrictions have increased, more petitions have failed ballot access, e.g., two taxpayer initiative petitions in 1996 and 4 taxpayer petitions in 2004. Criticism of a surfeit of petitions is tantamount to declaring that there exists too much involvement by citizens in the political process. I believe that state senators by increments have eroded our petition rights to suffocate the petition process that checks their power. Eradicating this freedom will only encourage them to snuff another.
We must restore our petition rights to the setting envisioned decades ago by progressives, who granted us these rights to redress grievances on taxation and other issues, to act as the virtual second house of our legislature as promulgated by Unicameral advocate Sen. George Norris, as a safety valve for citizen discontent.
If unable to petition for redress of grievances, etc. via petition, we will have lost a lawful means of political expression. Restoring the process to make it easier for Nebraska citizens to circulate petitions as volunteers, instead of extinguishing the petition process, would offer them incentive to become politically involved and keep elected officeholders accountable to the electorate.
Make an effort today to lobby your state senator to vote NO on the above 3 travesties. Freedom does not come free!

TERM LIMITS SHOULD STAY

2006-01-02T12:32:00.000-06:00

State Sens. Ernie Chambers, Dennis Byars, and Marian Price have joined to file a lawsuit in District Court in Lincoln, NE. to overturn the term limits clause placed in our state constitution by a majority of Nebraskans, who have voted 3 times to restrict state senators to 2 terms. These 3 senators show the typical liberal attitude of thinking that they know better than us rabble who go to the polls. They seem insulted that we refuse to acknowledge them as our bosses. These term limits toxins are only wasting taxpayer dollars by requiring our Att.-Gen. to defend term limits in court. Now is the time for angry taxpayers to show their entitled contempt for these tax & spend senators. Write a letter to your local newspaper, call in to a local radio talk show, or simply write or email your opinion to these 3. See our web site at www.netaxpayers.org for more details about how you can contact and defend term limits from the arrogant elitists.

No Pay Raises for State Senators

2005-10-23T16:34:00.000-05:00

Once again, liberals want to raise the salaries for state senators, from $12,000 to $21,000 annually, a 75% pay increase. How many of us have received 75% pay hikes lately?? Proponents now make the same argument they made for their case during the last pay hike campaign, that an increased salary would bring us better qualified and more dedicated candidates. Yet, taxes and spending both have exploded since that time. We must fight this pay grab until state senators rein in spiraling taxes and spending. From 2004 to 2005, Nebraska rose from 14th to 8th highest taxed state in the nation. Nebraska in 2004 ranked next to highest among all adjacent states in appropriations per $1,000 of personal income and per capita. Career politicians have not served taxpayers well. Senators purposely placed the pay raise proposal on the 2006 primary ballot, knowing that fewer citizens vote in primary elections.
Citizen legislators should offer public service, even at a financial sacrifice, for only a few years and then return to live under the same laws they themselves have passed for others.

Bully on the Block

2005-08-14T18:43:00.000-05:00

Not content with suing the taxpayers of Nebraska in order to find a friendly judge to order the State to ladle out more state aid for its wanton spending, the Omaha Public $chool board now threatens to sue local government in an attempt to bite off large chunks of neighboring school district territory. The OP$ public relations machine, as usual, wraps its aggression in warm phrases like, its "for the kids," to allow all the children within the city limits of Omaha to share in a wonderful environment of multiculturalism, non-sexism, and a sorry curriculum that produces the lowest standardized test scores in the metro area. Board members are seemingly oblivious that thousands of Omaha parents have voted with their feet to reside in other-than OP$ school districts. Transparent is that OP$ motivation stems from 2 objectives, 1) to gorge itself on property valuation-rich territory to fuel more tax revenues, and 2) to raise its overall test scores, so that it does not lose federal funding under the No Child Left Behind requirement that financially penalizes persistent low scores. Contact your state senator today to pass legislation prohibiting annexation of other school district territory without a vote of the people.

TAXPAYERS BETRAYED

2005-04-24T13:42:00.000-05:00

During many years in politics, I have survived both verbal and physical attacks, but, just like the Energizer Bunny, I keep on hopping along. What really hurts me most in politics is when a candidate or politician is disingenuous with me or lies about his intentions regarding taxes and spending. A recent prime example is Omaha City Councilman Franklin Thompson, who in 2001 solemnly pledged himself a fiscal conservative, someone who would be a “change agent” for budgetary responsibility.
Safely elected, he proceeded to suggest a library tax, garbage tax, and public safety tax. He engineered an infamous budget compromise that offered inflationary city employee raises conveniently delayed until after the next election. All burdens on property taxpayers.
Obviously not a fiscal conservative, Thompson showed his true character colors in his shameful memo to fellow Councilman Frank Brown, in which he tried to cut a sleazy mutual deal for council leadership positions: boasting about his support and votes for liberal causes, a deal to deflect criticism from his white, West Omaha Republican constituents. That he would have to “use” his future votes to regain credibility. That he may switch to the Democrat Party. Hardly an agent for change, Thompson has proved himself a deceitful, untrustworthy politician. Not someone worthy of re-election.
Email ncf@phonet.com for directions to see the entire memo.