Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Steve Erdman
Op-ed: We served with Lynne Walz in the Nebraska Legislature. She's no moderate
We served with Lynne Walz. We watched her votes. We saw the alliances she chose and the priorities she embraced. And we know the truth about who she is. kAm{J??6 (2=K :D ECJ:?8 E@ EC:4< }63C2D<2?D]k^Am kAm(9:=6 @FED:56 52C<\>@?6J 8C@FAD A@FC >@?6J :?E@ E9:D C246 E@ 2EE24< v@G6C?@C !:==6?’D 4@?D6CG2E:G6 C64@C5[ (2=K 2?5 96C 42>A2:8? 4@?DF=E2?ED 2C6 H@C<:?8 @G6CE:>6 E@ 3FCJ 96C C64@C5] %96J 2C6 D6==:?8 }63C2D<2?D 2? :>286 @7 {J??6 (2=K E92E 5@6D ?@E >2E49 E96 42C66C D96 3F:=E :?
Steve Erdman: Nebraska must overhaul tax system to prosper Original
I read with interest John Cannon’s recent commentary in the Examiner. As noted in his information, Cannon is the director and lobbyist for NACO — the Nebraska Association of County Officials. During my eight years in the Legislature, I cannot recall a single instance in which NACO supported any property‑tax‑relief legislation I introduced to provide property tax relief in Nebraska. One of the most significant bills I sponsored — and which ultimately passed — was the damaged‑property bill.
Steve Erdman: Nebraska must overhaul tax system to prosper
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei c__jQmx C625 H:E9 :?E6C6DE y@9? r2??@?’D C646?E 4@>>6?E2CJ :? E96 tI2>:?6C] pD ?@E65 :? 9:D :?7@C>2E:@?[ r2??@? :D E96 5:C64E@C 2?5 =@33J:DE 7@C }pr~ — E96 }63C2D<2 pDD@4:2E:@? @7 r@F?EJ ~77:4:2=D] sFC:?8 >J 6:89E J62CD :? E96 {68:D=2EFC6[ x 42??@E C642== 2 D:?8=6 :?DE2?46 :? H9:49 }pr~ DFAA@CE65 2?J AC@A6CEJ‑E2I‑C6=:67 =68:D=2E:@? x :?EC@5F465 E@ AC@G:56 AC@A6CEJ E2I C6=:67 :? }63C2D<2] k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2?
Incentive programs are part of Nebraska's state spending problem • Nebraska Examiner
Copy and paste this URL into your WordPress site to embed Nebraska seeks to sweeten corporate incentives, partly to ensure Union Pacific stays and grows /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var...
OPINION: Incentive programs are part of Nebraska’s state spending problem
The Union Pacific glassy corporate headquarters in downtown Omaha is left of the white building labeled the Omaha World-Herald. That 19-story U.P. downtown facility opened in 2004, though U.P. has had its operational base in Omaha for more than 160 years. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) Nebraska Gov.
Steve Erdman, Author at Nebraska Examiner
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen was correct when he said Legislative Bill 1165 and its revamped approach to economic incentives for certain companies is “more aggressive and assertive than anything we’ve ever done before.” Perhaps a better statement would have been to name the company that this legislation is intended to benefit, which has been reported […]
Sen. Erdman: The 2023 property tax problem that won't go away
State Sen. Steve Halloran (Legislative District 33), Sen. Justin Wayne (District 13), and I did a press release Sept. 9, alerting members of the public to the fact that taxpayers will not be able to claim their property tax credit for their 2023 property taxes paid. That press release got the attention of the members of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee and the Nebraska Department of Revenue, who are now trying to protect the state’s so-called money.
Local View: Bill stands ready to help
One of the most important bills that I ever introduced in my career as a Nebraska state senator was the destroyed property bill, originally LB482. The contents of that bill were later amended into LB512 and passed as a Christmas tree bill in 2019.
Local View: Hard questions about Alberts' contract extension
Have you heard about the new contract extension for the University of Nebraska’s athletics director? If you haven’t, you might get a little overwhelmed by the numbers. I was surprised by the tremendous increase in salary plus the guarantee of future bonuses. Trev Alberts is a former UNL football player who now serves as the athletics director at UNL.
Straight Talk from Steve: Passing the Rules
by Steve Erdman, District 47 Last week we passed the rules for the 108th Legislature. 44 Senators voted in favor of the rules. As chair of the rules committee, I am proud that our Rules Committee was able to process 58 proposed rule changes, hold hearings on every proposed rule change, and create a rules package which passed in such a short amount of time. They passed in less than one and a half hours of debate.
108th Legislature
The 108th Legislature has begun. The legislative session began on January 4 and will extend through the month of May. This will be the longer 90-day session. The reason for the longer session has to do with passing the Statewide budget. On the first day of the session in odd numbered years we always elect a speaker and the chairmen of the standing committees. Out of the 14 committee chairs elected there were only three positions that had more than one candidate.
Steve Erdman: National Motto
One of the bills that I will introduce next year is a bill to put posters displaying our national motto, "In God We Trust" in all of Nebraska's public schools just like we have in all of our courthouses. Actually, I will be re-introducing this bill. I have introduced this bill in each biennial legislative session ever since I became a State Senator six years ago, but the bill has never advanced out of the Education Committee. The bill is a simple bill.
Non-partisan legislature
Some of you can still remember the old television detective show, Dragnet. Sgt. Joe Friday's most famous line on that TV show was, "just the facts ma'am!" The implication of that statement was that good police work derives its conclusions from facts, not from opinions. In the same mentality of Sgt. Joe Friday today I would like to share with you "just the facts" about what some like to refer to as the nonpartisan Unicameral Legislature.
Nebraska in better position to weather down economy
All of the signs are indicating that the U.S. economy is entering into a long-term recession. Last Wednesday the Federal Reserve raised the key interest rate by three quarters of a point and raised the short-term interest rate from 3% to 3.25%, the highest level since 2008.
Jason Jackson's Mess
As a Nebraska State Senator, I serve on the Legislature's Appropriations Committee. The Appropriations Committee is responsible for deciding how the State spends its money...well, to a certain extent, anyway. The Appropriations Committee prepares the State Budget, but state agencies are supposed to keep track of how they spend the State's money.
STEVE ERDMAN: Challenging Roe v. Wade
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This is the abortion case from Mississippi which is generating a lot of discussion around the water cooler these days. This case is important because it has the potential to kick abortion back to the states. Although Mississippi’s new law has been blocked by lower courts, a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court could make it the new law of the land.
STEVE ERDMAN: LR 11CA makes it onto General File
STEVE ERDMAN: LR 11CA makes it onto General File My priority bill for this year has made its way out of committee and onto General File. LR 11CA is my resolution for a constitutional amendment to repeal the State income tax, the property tax, the State sales tax and the inheritance tax and to replace these taxes with a consumption tax. Last week Speaker Hilgers announced that he would begin floor debates on taxation bills beginning the week of April 26.
STEVE ERDMAN: Thanks given to first responders
STEVE ERDMAN: Thanks given to first responders × Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Just before noon on Thursday, Aug. 27, a fire was observed in northern Banner County near the Hubbard gap road. Due to extremely dry conditions, it expanded rapidly. Steve Erdman The fire started on the Terry Brown ranch and moved west. The fire burned a significant portion of the Brown ranch.
STEVE ERDMAN: Celebrating America on Independence Day
Why do we celebrate the 4th of July? July 4, 1776, was the day we declared our independence from Great Britain. The document which contained that declaration was the Declaration of Independence, which was approved by Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence represents our core beliefs as Americans. It is a guidepost for what it means to be a citizen of the United States of America. The concepts contained in the Declaration of Independence unite us as Americans.
Wrong approach taken against the coronavirus
We, Sen. Steve Erdman (LD47) and Sen. Steve Halloran (LD33), have received numerous emails, phone calls and text messages concerning the coronavirus. They are all very similar in nature.
STEVE ERDMAN: Senator doesn't see value in proposed rule changes before legislators
Earlier this month I was in Lincoln for several hearings with the Legislature’s Rules Committee of which I am a member. This committee reviews the rules that the Legislature operates by. The purpose of the hearings was to gather input on possible rule changes and make a recommendation to the full Legislature. The Rules Committee reviewed and took testimony on several possible rule changes, but one rule change in particular stood out to me. LR 217 was a Legislative Resolution introduced by Sen.
STEVE ERDMAN: Great support in legislature for consumption tax
Last week the Legislature held a public hearing on LR 300 CA. This is the constitutional amendment I introduced that would eliminate property taxes, income taxes, and inheritance taxes completely. The revenue currently collected by these taxes would be replaced by a single-rate consumption tax placed on all services and new goods. So, what’s the difference between a sales tax and a consumption tax? A sales tax is collected on retail goods at the point of sale.
STEVE ERDMAN: Kayak Big Mac raises money for swimmng lessons
In Western Nebraska the term, “Big Mac,” often refers to something much bigger than a hamburger. Lake McConaughy, or Big Mac, is the aquatic pride and joy of the Panhandle, and, yes, it is much bigger than a hamburger. I recently attended a fundraiser at Lake McConaughy that was sponsored by the Ogallala Rotary Club. In fact, this year marked the fourth time I attended the Kayak Big Mac. Kayak Big Mac is the Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser for water projects.
STEVE ERDMAN: Senator doesn't see value in proposed rule changes before legislators
Earlier this month I was in Lincoln for several hearings with the Legislature’s Rules Committee of which I am a member. This committee reviews the rules that the Legislature operates by. The purpose of the hearings was to gather input on possible rule changes and make a recommendation to the full Legislature. The Rules Committee reviewed and took testimony on several possible rule changes, but one rule change in particular stood out to me. LR 217 was a Legislative Resolution introduced by Sen.
STEVE ERDMAN: Senator labels tax intentive programs as 'welfare for businesses'
Good News: The Gering to Ft. Laramie-Goshen irrigation tunnel that collapsed in Wyoming is now running water again! This is good news for farmers and ranchers in Western Nebraska who were affected by the sudden loss of these irrigation waters. One thing governments love to do is to spend other people’s money, especially when it makes them feel good. Such is the case with Nebraska’s business incentive programs. Many people do not realize that Nebraska has welfare programs for businesses.
Straight Talk From Steve
On June 11 President Trump delivered a speech in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he lifted the ban on E15 gasoline for the summer months. E15 is gasoline mixed with 15 percent ethanol. The announcement was good news for Nebraska farmers, because Iowa and Nebraska are the top two ethanol producing states in the country. So, the more ethanol we sell, the better it is for Nebraska’s corn growers. E15 has been the subject of much criticism in recent years.
Senator compares eliminating bills with sunset clauses to 'giving a dog a bath'
Sometimes working in the State Legislature is like trying to give a dog a bath. You know the dog needs it because he stinks, but the dog only wants to jump out of the tub. In a similar way, sometimes in the State Legislature you need to kill a bad bill because it stinks, but others insist that the odor isn’t so bad. Such is the case with just about any bill in the State Legislature which contains a sunset clause. Killing a bill with a sunset clause is like trying to give a dog a bath.
ERDMAN: Calm Before the Storm
Now that the New Year has finally arrived, it is safe to say that this is the calm before the storm. The new biennium Session is scheduled to begin on January 9, so the political fireworks are about to begin.
ERDMAN: Legislative session is underway
Let the Legislating begin! The new biennial session of the Nebraska State Legislature began on Wednesday, January 9. That day began with some pomp and circumstance as 13 new senators were sworn into office. Then, the honeymoon ended abruptly as we turned our focus to committee chairs. This year experience and expertise played a more significant role when voting on committee chairs. Consequently, neither of the two major political parties dominates the other when it comes to these committee chairs.
Calm Before the Storm
Now that the New Year has finally arrived, it is safe to say that this is the calm before the storm. The new biennium Session is scheduled to begin on January 9, so the political fireworks are about to begin.
ERDMAN: Reminder that Marijuana, Hemp Remain Prohibited
Earlier this month Nebraska State Senators Adam Morfeld and Anna Wishart, both from Lincoln, launched a new petition drive to legalize medical marijuana in our state. Instead of waiting to see the full effects of recreational marijuana use in Colorado, they presume that history will be on their side. But, just like what happened in Colorado, medical marijuana is not the end game in this long political fight. What we already know about Colorado’s love for weed has not been good for that state.
STEVE ERDMAN: Reflections on this year’s session
As I sit by the fire with pen and paper in hand, reflecting on the events of the past year, gratitude and thanksgiving well up within me because of the tremendous opportunity I’ve had to serve the people of Legislative District 47. It truly is an honor and a privilege to represent all ten counties of Legislative District 47 in the Nebraska Legislature. The people of Western Nebraska truly are the salt of the earth.
Vote YES for real property tax relief in November
I went to the Nebraska State Legislature for one primary purpose: To ease the burden of property taxes for all Nebraskans. Whether a person lives in an urban setting, a suburban neighborhood, a rural small town, or runs a business, farm or a ranch, property taxes are simply too high. One thing has become abundantly clear to me during my short time working in the Legislature: Governor Ricketts does not want property tax relief.
The time for property tax relief is now!
Over the past several months, I, Nebraska State Senator, Steve Erdman, of Legislative District 47, have been collaborating with a coalition of Senators, farm groups and concerned citizens, facilitated by Mr. Trent Fellers, a former Lincoln City Councilman, to put together a plan for property tax relief which will appear as a measure on next year’s November ballot.
Steve Erdman, candidate for Nebraska Legislature, visits Hemingford - starherald.com: Local News
Thank you for reading our articles on starherald.com. To continue reading articles, you will need to become a subscriber or log in if you are a subscriber. For information about subscribing, click on Subscribe and follow the instructions. You can also contact our circulation department, 308-632-9010, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MT) Monday - Friday, or email circ@starherald.com. If you don’t wish to subscribe, please visit us again to read more articles.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Steve
Contact Steve, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack