Nebraska State Senators have passed on first reading what’s called the Grand Compromise, a package of so-called property tax relief and tax incentives. It needs to go through two more rounds to be finalized. Senator Steve Erdman of Bayard says it’s really no relief at all.

He says he tried twice with property tax reduction measures starting in 2018 and after that where he tried to get 50 percent relief and then 35 percent relief but both failed. Erdman says even with the Grand Compromise, Nebraska will have higher property taxes than its neighboring states.

Erdman says following this summer’s legislative session he’ll be holding meetings around the state to explain a consumption tax he’ll be proposing to lawmakers in January. That tax would replace sales, income and property taxes and leave the state with one tax.

The consumption tax would be on buying new goods and services.