NACO director, state senator meet with York County Commissioners

YORK – Jon Cannon, the director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO) and District 24 State Senator Jana Hughes met with the York County Commissioners this past week, to talk about past and upcoming legislative issues impacting counties.

​“I consider myself an employee of all the counties as we work for you,” Cannon told the county board. “Primarily we are an educational resource,” he said, while the organization also is an active lobbying group on behalf of counties.
“During the last legislative session, we go lucky because only 25% of the bills affected counties,” and the percentage is usually much higher, Cannon said.
He noted how inheritance tax continues to come under fire, while counties rely heavily on this revenue source, to help keep property taxes down, make emergency purchases, etc. And some counties even use the inheritance tax fund to help pay general costs of operation.
“As you know, last year, a bill was introduced to essentially give counties jail reimbursements and phase out the inheritance tax, but the proposed reimbursement wouldn’t have even come close to covering jail costs. (The bill did not pass). Senator Hughes has been receptive to the counties’ concerns, especially York County’s concerns which you have voiced. We sent a message to the legislature that if they get of inheritance tax, it will increase property tax and counties need a replacement of that lost revenue.”
He talked about a wide range of bills proposed and passed, as well as NACO’s work to represent/present counties’ concerns.
Cannon also discussed mental health needs in county jails and a bill which has passed saying counties no longer have to provide space for Nebraska Health and Human Services. He also talked about a bill which passed, which allows law enforcement officials’ addresses to be withheld from treasurer and assessor websites; and another which makes it easier for counties to vacate roads.
He also noted legislation they are currently working on, which would exempt county assessors from being prosecuted for trespassing, after the attorney general’s office gave an opinion about assessors potentially being liable for trespassing as no state statute exists right now.
NACO is also working on a salary study at this time, which will show county authorities how much everyone is paying staff members so they can be compared.
Hughes talked about bills which were passed and debated over the course of the last legislative session.
And they conversed with the commissioners about the goal of reducing property taxes but still finding revenue sources to fund services on the county level.