Above average state income tax? (Omaha, York: sales, schools, property tax)

[mapmd]

I like what I'm seeing and reading about Nebraska, and although I'm a bit of a "mountain guy" the midwest does have it's appeal for me, especially the more open and rugged western half of your state. I've been to 40 states so far, but a big chunk of the midwest (Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas) has always eluded me. I like that family values are practiced in Nebraska even while they erode in the rest of the country, I like what I read about your schools, but...

Why does Nebraska have a nearly 7% state income tax for income over 30k/year?

How do you guys compete with two of your neighbors having no state income tax at all (South Dakota and Wyoming)?

Surely you have low taxes elsewhere to offset what people are losing in income tax, which is far higher than what I pay in a liberal east coast state such as Maryland (4.75 with top being 5.75). Do you have fairly low property taxes in your counties, low or no sales tax, and incentives to move to the state and/or start businesses?

[Aredhel]

Originally Posted by mapmd

Do you have fairly low property taxes in your counties...

Excuse me while I burst out in peals of hysterical laughter.

No, our property taxes (at least here in Omaha) are also very high.

Nebraska is just a high-tax state. I understand that some of it is to support the agricultural base of the state (or so I have been told), but I really don't understand how we get away with it. It certainly makes the state a less desirable place to retire than some of our neighbors.

[Garthur]

I like living here in Nebraska but our taxes are way out of line. I don't care about sales tax as much as the property taxes. About a month ago I read a spread sheet that showed that the property tax here was the same as New York city (the highest I could find in the country).

The taxes here are very high!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!