Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced a special session of the legislature on Wednesday to address the state’s rising property taxes. This proclamation was long overdue, but it ruffled some feathers because it gave lawmakers only a one-day notice.

Pillen informed lawmakers in April, on the last day before the end of the regular session, that he planned to convene a summer special session if they failed to pass the bill to lower property taxes. He sent a letter last month to Speaker of the Legislature John Arch stating that he intended to call back lawmakers on July 25, but they failed to pass a bill to lower property taxes.

Property taxes are on the rise across the nation as home prices in the U.S. have increased by more than 50% over the last five years. This has led a number of states to propose or pass measures to curb them. Nebraska’s property tax revenue has increased by more than $2 billion in the last decade. This is far greater than the revenue from sales and income taxes.

Pillen’s Proclamation proposes a slew appropriations, tax changes and new taxes on everything, from tobacco, candy, soda and hemp products to gambling. The proclamation also demands a cap on the amount of property tax that local governments and cities can collect.

What’s also important is what the proclamation does not include: Pillen did not direct lawmakers to examine a winner-takes-all system for awarding Electoral Votes ahead of this year’s highly-contested Presidential Election.

Nebraska and Maine split their electoral vote. In Nebraska, three of the state’s congressional districts are tied to electoral votes that go to the candidate who wins the district’s popular vote. The Republicans in Nebraska, who control the state government and are the majority party in this conservative state, have sought for years to adopt the policy of 48 other states which award their electoral votes based on the winner of the statewide vote. However, they have not been able to pass a law to that effect.

Pillen stated that he will include a proposal for a winner-takes-all in a proclamation of a special session if it receives the 33 votes required to defeat a filibuster. If he believes that the proposal has enough support, he could call another special meeting to discuss it.

Some lawmakers were not happy with Pillen’s call at the 11th hour for a special meeting to discuss property taxes. They had to cancel their summer plans, arrange childcare for their children, and even put off work to return to the Capitol. Some of Pillen’s Republican colleagues joined the criticism.

In a post on social media, Julie Slama (a Republican member of the nonpartisan, single-chamber Legislature) called Pillen “an entitled millionaire” and dismissed his plan for a 50% reduction in property taxes in favor of a broad expansion of the goods and services that are subject to the 5.5% state sales tax.

Slama wrote on X that Pillen believes the Legislature will pass a tax hike the biggest in Nebraska history on working Nebraskans because he snapped a finger and told us to dance.

Justin Wayne, a Democrat state senator from Omaha, urged his fellow legislators to adjourn immediately the session on Thursday, and demanded a one-week notice from Pillen prior to reconvening. Wayne wrote to his 48 fellow senators in a letter on Tuesday that if the Legislature cannot adjourn immediately, it should at least take a break until August 1 – he demanded a week’s notice from Pillen.

Nebraska law allows governors to call a special legislative session, but they must first issue a proclamation outlining the specific issues that will be addressed. The governor does not have to issue a proclamation by a certain date before calling legislators back for a session. However, they usually get the call at least a week in advance.

Wayne called Pillen’s lack of a public proclamation just hours before the special session planned “blatant disregard.”

Wayne stated, “We aren’t his slaves who can be called at will.” “We are people with families and lives. This lack of consideration for us is unacceptable.”

It is time to assert our independence and demand respect.

Pillen’s Office did not respond to questions regarding why he delayed issuing the proclamation until the day of the special session.

Nebraska’s last session was held in September 2021. The lawmakers met to redraft the political boundaries of the state. This session lasted for 13 days. Pillen said he would call as many special session as necessary and keep legislators in Lincoln until Christmas, until a property tax relief measure is passed.