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LINCOLN — A proposal supporters say would take a $71 million bite out of a projected $289 million biennium budget gap — largely through clawing back business-related incentives — cleared a hurdle Friday.
The bill is an effort by the Legislature’s Revenue Committee and supported by Gov. Jim Pillen to help create a balanced budget.
A nearly three-hour discussion ended in a 36-2 vote by lawmakers to advance the package to its second stage. State Sen. Brad von Gillern, committee chair, said the proposal would save $71 million in projected state spending over the next two budget years by scaling back or eliminating several programs approved in recent years.
Von Gillern said the committee used a “last-in-first-out” approach, targeting newer initiatives and considering input from an earlier public hearing. He characterized the package, which hits both rural and urban economic development, as largely a loss for programs designed to grow jobs and the economy.
“We are talking about minimal impact to consumers,” he said. “It’s primarily a negative impact on businesses.”
The bill is but one piece of a budgetmaking process set to continue over the remaining days of a 90-day session that wraps up in early June.
