Debate over massive tax bill continues in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Tensions boiled at the statehouse as lawmakers listened to an amendment to LB 873.

That’s the huge tax package that would cut $900 million in taxes.

Senator Wendy DeBoer argued the way the package stands now, the middle class wouldn’t really see the benefits.

“A person making $20 an hour would get from this income tax cut, $11 for the whole year,” said Sen. Wendy DeBoer.

And a couple earning $80,000 would get no benefit at all.

DeBoer wanted to lower the income tax from 5.1% to 4.1%.

“I think that if we are going to be spending a lot of money doing tax cuts for a lot of people, we ought to not leave out all these people in Nebraska who we really want to help keep in Nebraska.”

But some lawmakers say they don’t agree with her change, at least not for now.

“I think it’s probably not the time and place for it from my perspective and I would urge your opposition to am 2685, urge your support of LB 873,” said Sen. Tom Briese.

“We’re not giving money back to our citizens, we’re just not taking it. Let’s just quit taking it in the first place and let ‘em spend it,” said Sen. Curt Friesen.

Twenty-six state lawmakers voted against DeBoer’s amendment, furthering some backlash that the bill has already received for giving the biggest benefits to high-income workers.

“This bill without Senator DeBoer’s amendment to give a tax cut to the middle class which is bananas that we are even having a debate over whether or not that’s worthwhile doing, why can’t we give a tax cut to the working people? Why are we only giving a tax cut to corporations and the wealthy?” said Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh.