Conservative
Leadership
Matters

Pete Ricketts never ordered a statewide shutdown when 43 other governors, Democrats and Republicans, did so; he stood against, and supported lawsuits over, local mask requirements; he told state agencies not to comply with federal vaccine mandates and objecting to them for the National Guard. And when POLITICO crunched the data of state pandemic responses on a combination of health, economic, social and educational factors, one state came out with the best average: Nebraska.

• Inside Ricketts’ Surprisingly Effective Covid Strategy
• National Bureau of Economic Research graded Ricketts’ pandemic response an A+

Since before he took office, Governor Ricketts has focused on the need for tax relief. In 2022, he worked to pass LB 873 which is the biggest tax relief package in Nebraska history. It provides 12 times more annual tax relief than other tax bill and senior citizens, families, ag producers, and small businesses will all see major tax savings.

Since taking office in 2015, Ricketts worked with the Legislature to deliver over $4 billion of property tax relief. LB 873 provides an additional $3.4 billion of overall tax relief to Nebraskans through tax year 2027. When fully implemented, LB 873 will deliver nearly $1 billion of annual tax relief above and beyond what Nebraskans currently receive.

During his time in office Governor Ricketts has taken the rate of growth in the biennial budget down from 6.5% to less than 3% to make room for tax relief and check government spending.

Governor Ricketts led 15 Governors to push back on Biden’s radical goal “of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.” This goal is also known as 30 x 30. The order parrots the policy goals of radical environmental groups. For years, environmental groups have sought government support for policies that are harmful to agriculture and a productive economy.

In Nebraska, 97% of our land is privately owned. Getting to 30% would require a major federal intervention that would trample on both the State of Nebraska’s sovereignty and individual property rights. Setting aside that much land and water for conservation would also devastate food production, our rural communities, and our state’s overall economy.

Governor Ricketts has worked to protect and promote Nebraska agriculture at every turn.

• Meat Processing Investigation: The meat processing industry has been consolidating for years, leaving producers with very limited options. While processors are making about $900 a head, Governor Ricketts saw that high prices have not translated to higher prices for producers. Ricketts joined five other governors to send a letter to DOJ seeking an update on an anti-trust investigation. 
• Renewable Fuel Standard: Nebraska is the second largest ethanol producing state in the nation. Recently, the ethanol industry has faced some uncertainty which is why Governor Ricketts has supported ethanol and the RFS.
• Waters of the United States (WOTUS): Under the Obama Administration, the EPA overstepped its legal authority with “waters of the United States,” trying to expand its oversight of everything from small ponds to puddles formed from runoff at construction sites. When Biden pledged to renew this effort Governor Ricketts immediately fought back and protect farmers and ranchers.  

Governor Ricketts called on the Nebraska Department of Education to scrap their proposed sex education topics that are included in their draft health standards and worked with concerned parents to stop the radically inappropriate content from being pushed into schools. The new standards would have taught young children age-inappropriate content starting in kindergarten, but also inject non-scientific, political ideas into curriculum standards.