State Sen. Bob Krist said today that Gov. Pete Ricketts proposed property tax reform would provide huge tax breaks for the wealthy including the governor\u2019s own family.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the day he stepped into office, Pete Ricketts has demanded special tax breaks for the rich while abandoning the rest of us. In fact, the Governor\u2019s tax reform bill, LB 947,\u00a0could result in\u00a0as much\u00a0a\u200bs\u200b \u200ba \u200b$13\u200b\u00a0million windfall to his dad’s company,\u201d Krist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe governor\u2019s plan called for cutting the corporate income tax rate from 7.81 to 6.84 percent, resulting in a corporate tax cut of\u00a0\u200bas much as \u200b$13\u200b\u00a0million by 2023 for TD Ameritrade, Ricketts\u2019 family business,\u201d Krist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGov. Ricketts\u2019 my-way-or-the-highway demand for corporate income tax cuts has resulted in yet another year of hardship for Nebraska taxpayers, while lining the pockets of his own family business,\u201d Krist said.<\/p>\n
Krist said the criticism about Ricketts giving huge tax breaks to the most wealthy Nebraskans is coming from his own party members.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn an interview earlier this week with KODY Radio in North Platte, Republican State Sen. Mike Groene, said Ricketts not only doesn\u2019t understand how bad the problem is, he insists on helping his friends cut their taxes,\u201d Krist said.<\/p>\n
Senator Groene: \u201cThey claim it\u2019s about property tax but it\u2019s a corporate income tax cut. He (Ricketts) wants corporate income tax cuts, (he) doesn\u2019t understand how bad the property tax problem is. He\u2019s saying property tax relief, but look behind the curtain. He wants corporate income tax cuts for his friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSenator Groene is correct; he has never really cared about helping the average Nebraska family. Ricketts agenda has always been to cut taxes on people like him and let the rest of us pick up the tab,\u201d Krist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPete Ricketts has failed for nearly four years to unite urban and rural senators and find real solutions to the property tax crisis. Frankly, he lacks the leadership skills necessary to move our state forward. His approach has resulted in lost trust from average Nebraskans who work hard everyday to make ends meet,\u201d Krist said.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"