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Decode the postcard

What every line on the green postcard means

Grab your card. We'll go top to bottom, in the order it's printed.

"Notice of Proposed Tax Increase"

This exact heading is dictated by Neb. Rev. Stat. 77-1633. A county has to mail it to every property owner when at least one local government headquartered there wants to raise its total property tax "request" by more than the allowable growth percentage. That's a big number for the whole county, not your bill: it's the total dollars the County or City collects from everyone.

The card is a legal trigger. It says: "We want more than the automatic limit, so the law makes us tell you and hold a hearing first."

Parcel number, taxpayer, situs address, legal description

Identification. The parcel number is the key to everything else. Paste it into the Assessor's site to see your value history, sales in your area, and your full tax breakdown. "ETAL" after a name means "and others" (co-owners). "Situs" is just the property's street address.

The paragraph in the middle

It's dense, so here's the translation:

"Proposing a revenue increase": the body wants to collect more in total than last year, beyond the allowed growth.
"May increase or decrease": your individual bill depends on your value versus everyone else's. If your value rose faster than average, you pay more of the pie.
"Calculated on the basis of the proposed 2026 data": the numbers are estimates using the proposed budget and this year's certified valuations.
"Before any exemption amount or property tax credit": homestead exemptions and the state's property tax credits aren't applied. Your real bill will be lower if you qualify for either.

The table

One row per political subdivision that crossed the line. In 2026 that's Douglas County and the City of Omaha. Schools, Metro Community College, the NRD, and the others aren't listed because either they stayed under the limit or the postcard rules don't cover them the same way.

2025 Assessed Value / 2026 Assessed Value: what the Assessor says your property is worth each year. If these match, your value didn't change. If 2026 is higher, that's the real driver of a bigger bill.
2025 Taxes: what that subdivision actually charged you last year.
2026 Estimated Tax: what it would charge you under the proposed budget.
Estimated Change: the difference.

Why does my card say $0 change if they're asking for more?

Two things happen at once. Total valuation in the county grew (new construction, higher values), so the same tax rate raises more total dollars. The body's request goes up beyond the automatic limit, which triggers the postcard. But if the levy rate on your property stayed flat and your value didn't change, your line shows $0. The card is about their total revenue, not your individual bill. If your value did rise, your estimate will show an increase even at the same rate.

The asterisk about school district taxes

Nebraska now pays a credit against school district property taxes directly on your bill. The postcard notes that in 2025 that credit covered roughly 20–25% of the pre-credit school amount, and the Legislature has funded a similar amount for 2026. The postcard numbers ignore this credit, so school-related numbers look higher than what you'll actually pay.

Public hearings

Hearing 1 is the joint hearing: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026 at 6:05 PM, Omaha-Douglas Civic Center, Legislative Chamber (2nd floor), 1819 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68183. Every listed body sends a representative to explain why it wants more, and the public gets to speak. Hearing 2 says N/A because Douglas County is not split across counties, so there's only one joint hearing.

The joint hearing does not include a vote. Each body votes later at its own separate hearing. That's why writing before the vote matters as much as showing up on the 16th. See Take action.

Quick math: what does a rate change cost me?

Nebraska levies are quoted per $100 of assessed value. Enter your value and a levy to see the dollars.

Assessed value ($)Levy (per $100)

Annual tax for that levy

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Formula: value ÷ 100 × levy. Omaha's city levy is roughly 0.44 and the county's roughly 0.40 per $100; your full bill stacks every subdivision's levy (schools are the biggest). Check your actual levies on the Treasurer's site.

"To obtain more information…"

The phone numbers on the card go to the County Board office and the City Finance office. They can answer "what's in the budget" questions. They will not argue your value with you; that's the Board of Equalization in June (see the calendar).

What to do with this card

Check whether your 2026 assessed value went up. If it did, expect a higher bill regardless of what this card says.
Decide if you have something to say. Support, oppose, or just ask questions: all three are legitimate.
Email your commissioner and council member before their budget votes, and show up on the 16th if you can.
Put June 1–30 on next year's calendar. That's when you can fight your valuation.

Free alerts

Get the postcard explained before it hits your mailbox.

A few emails a year, only when something matters: a proposed increase, a hearing date, a protest deadline. Each one says what it means and what you can do in under two minutes.