'Special tax' imposed on state commissions

Dear Editor,

If you have a license as a beautician, barber, pilot, engineer, surveyor, appraiser, real estate salesman, architect, CPA, abstractor, landscape architect, electrician, geologist or if you are connected to the Commission on Public Advocacy, Nebraska Investment Council, (electric) Power Review Board, Oil and Gas Commission, Motor Vehicle Licensing Board or State Racing Commission, the Nebraska Governor and Unicameral took your licensing fees from your Agency to "Balance the Nebraska Budget" last year.

In fact, the license fee you pay annually to fund these agencies is their sole source of operating funds.

There is no tax money included in the budgets of these regulatory agencies in any way.

This amounts to a special taxation on these licensed individuals to fund the State.

They also started to take funds from the Beef Board, Corn Board, Wheat Board, Brand Committee, and Dry Bean Board. Political pressure was too great and the Governor backed off of sweeping their savings to the State's General Fund.

If you care about this misuse of funds, please contact the Governor and your Senator right away.

The next hearing of the Appropriations Committee is Tuesday Jan. 26. Last year $106,000 was taken from the Appraisal Board, -- 100 percent of it fees paid by licensees.

What will happen this year? Please make that call.

John M. Childears, Agri Affiliates Inc.

North Platte