The Nebraska legislature debated a bill aimed at changing the Tax Equity and Education Opportunities Support Act during Monday’s session.
The bill would change several parts of the TEEOSA formula by eliminating funding set aside for schools using community achievement plans and lowering the maximum tax levy. The TEEOSA formula calculates how much financial aid a school needs.
Senator Jana Hughes introduced the bill, saying the TEEOSA formula is complex, and by eliminating and adjusting parts, it will be simplified.
Kyle Fairbairn, Director of the Greater Nebraska Schools Association, said bringing the tax levies closer together is a good idea.
He stated it’s unfair that the bill decreases the property value for agricultural land by 40 percent and residential by 10 percent, when a lot of school districts don’t have agricultural values.
Speakers expressed their concern about the lack of representation that shows the bill’s impact on property taxes and school funding.
Hughes said she is waiting for the state’s department of education to provide those numbers.
The committee took no immediate action on the bill.
