LB 986 is a bill introduced by Sen. Briese. It would limit how much a school district could raise property taxes from one year to the next to the greater of 2.5% or the consumer price index (inflation). It has provisions to exempt rapidly growing schools from this limitation. Sen. Briese has introduced similar bills every session we have been here together. It needed thirty-three votes. It received twenty-eight. Twenty-one senators voted against it.

One Good Idea and a Couple Bad Ones If lawmakers want to change the Nebraska Constitution, they submit a proposed amendment to their colleagues, which, if approved, is placed on the next general election ballot for voters to decide. There’s a number of those measures up for grabs this year and at least one which is a great idea with a couple of clunkers thrown in.

The Ainsworth Community Schools Board of Education held its regular meeting on Monday, February 14th. School board members Jim Arens, Mark Johnson, Frank Beel, Jessica Pozehl, Scott Erthum and Brad Wilkins and Superintendent Dale Hafer were present.

The Ainsworth Senior Center crowned their Valentine’s Day Royalty before they ate on Monday, February 14th. The past few days, Seniors who were present at the Center the last few days had the opportunity to vote for the Seniors they wished to be their royalty. Crowned were (Left to Right) Prince Wes Luther, King Maynard Harr, Queen Twyla Harr and Princess Shari Luther. To make Valentine’s Day a little sweeter, HomesteadBank provided cake and cookies and paid for the Royalties’ Valentine’s Day dinner. Fred Swett made each of them a red Dream Catcher as an added gift.

With Nebraska’s Primary Election set for Tuesday, May 10, 2022 candidates continue to file for offices. The deadline for incumbents to file is February 15, 2022 and March 1, 2022 for non-incumbents to file.

The 107th Nebraska Unicameral Legislature has been in its second session since January 5th, with over 600 bills being proposed. Following is a round-up of some of the many bills being heard by various legislative committees during the session. More information on each bill and all action taken on them can be found online at http://update.legislature.ne.gov/