A new group called ‘Advocates for All Nebraskans’ (AFAN) announced Monday the launch of two statewide petition drives aimed at significantly reforming Nebraska’s property tax system.
If passed, the first would amend state statute to cut taxable valuations of all property types (real property, ag, horticulture, etc.) by 50%, and the second amend the state constitution to cap annual property valuation increases at 3% or less.
The statutory petition would require ~90,000 signatures and the constitutional petition would require ~130,000 signatures. Both forms will require signatures from at least 5% of voters in 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Satisfying these requirements would place the issues on the state’s November 2026 ballot. The signature deadline will be in July 2026.
Organizers framed the effort as a citizen-driven movement to “rebalance” the state’s school funding formula and give Nebraskans a stronger voice in the state’s unique unicameral, one-house system.
“To ignore the voices of the people, the Nebraska families, farmers & ranchers, our small business owners, that are being taxed out of their homes and livelihoods, is simply no longer acceptable,” said Eric Underwood, former state Republican Party Chairman and Registered Agent for AFAN. “Immediate property tax relief is one signature and one vote away from being reality for all Nebraskans.”
The group, also comprised of Former Nebraska State Patrol Colonel Tom Nesbitt and sitting Nebraska State Board of Education member Kirk Penner, said the initiatives are needed to address rising property tax bills for retirees and young families.
In lieu of local property tax dollars, supporters of the petition say the State should pick up the tab and “ensure essential services are funded and that the heavy burden of school funding should not fall solely on the property tax payer.”
Penner previewed an entirely different 2026 ballot initiative “designed to ensure our schools are properly funded while still moving them away from the heavy reliance on property taxes.”
“This initiative is not about crippling local services. It’s about rebalancing the funding structure,” said Penner.
The group pitched itself as grassroots, adding it would “pursue paid opportunities to have petition signature gathering” on the campaign trail. Further, the group says they did not seek input Governor Jim Pillen or “coordinate” with any state lawmakers.
Organizers plan to begin collecting signatures at events like the Nebraska State Fair and Husker football games.