(McCOOK GAZETTE) The McCook Gazette reports, "A bill to refund property taxes collected in the Republican River Basin, taxes later ruled illegal, is not exactly dead in the water but may have trouble going anywhere. LB 898, introduced by Sen. Mark Christensen, called for refunding property or occupation taxes that have been declared unconstitutional and was heard in the Revenue Committee Jan. 29. Additional property taxes allowed under the water bill, LB 701, were paid by property owners in the Republican River Basin. A lawsuit challenged the taxes as unconstitutional and Lancaster District Court and the Nebraska Supreme Court later agreed. A similar lawsuit that challenges the occupation taxes on irrigated acres is pending in Lancaster County District Court. Christensen said this morning at the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative conference call that the committee who heard the bill wants to wait out the issue, to see what kind of ruling comes from the district court."
Read the article here.