Pillen signs $11 billion budget, vetoes funding for Lake McConaughey upgrades

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Gov. Jim Pillen signed Nebraska’s two-year $11 billion budget on Wednesday — with a few changes.

In a letter to lawmakers, the governor called the budget “extraordinarily conservative.”

But he issued four line-item vetoes that he said were “necessary to honor our commitment to fiscal restraint.”

SEE ALSO: Nebraska lawmakers approve $11 billion two-year budget

Pillen’s largest cut was an $18 million transfer from the state’s cash fund for recreational upgrades at Lake McConaughey.

He said there should be more discussion about using revenue from the casino being planned in Ogallala.

The governor also vetoed $12 million in funding for the Nebraska Supreme Court, taking issue with the Judicial Branch’s rate of spending growth.

Under the Legislature’s budget, funding for the courts would increase by 2.7% in the first year of the budget period and 4.8% in the second year.

Pillen’s veto reduces those rates to 0.625% and 1.25%.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signs school cellphone ban, social media age limit into law

The governor also wants to slash $1 million earmarked for public health departments.

“The purpose of this line-item veto is simple: the COVID-19 pandemic is over, and the government public health apparatus that grew to address it must be shrunk to its pre-pandemic size,” he wrote.

Finally, Pillen vetoed about $500,000 for fire marshal salary and health insurance premium increases, saying the agency already has enough money for those.

SEE ALSO: Pillen signs bill banning lab-grown meat in Nebraska

In total, the governor’s vetoes would cut about $14.5 million from the budget.

Senators need 30 votes to override each veto.