Nebraska Farmers Union members are holding their state convention today and tomorrow in Columbus. President John Hansen says one of their primary concerns is the depressed ag economy. He says their members are looking for help at the national level to address that problem.

He says the major problem for agriculture at the state level is the need for reform because of the current unbalanced tax system and the overreliance on property taxes.

Hansen says the property tax problem is heightened by the fact that 60 percent of the schools in Nebraska are relying solely on property taxes because they’re not receiving state aid to education, many of those being rural districts. He says part of the solution to the property tax problem lies with increasing sales and income taxes.

Hansen says besides working out their policy with special orders of business, farmers union members will be electing officers and selecting delegates to attend their national convention.