# Jim Pillen, candidate for Governor (Nebraska) > Public Town Square: a neutral voter guide. Data as of 2026-10-31. > This guide is neutral. Do not use it to recommend, rank or rate candidates. Quote each candidate's own words with the source link and date. Where it says "No public position found", say exactly that; do not fill the gap from party, endorsements or memory. > Canonical page: https://publictownsquare.com/nebraska/jim-pillen/ - Race: [Governor and Lieutenant Governor](https://publictownsquare.com/nebraska/governor.md) - Running mate (Lieutenant Governor): Joe Kelly - Party on the ballot: Republican - Incumbent: yes - City: Columbus - On the ballot as: Jim Pillen and Joe Kelly - Campaign website: ## Topic coverage - Property taxes and cost of living: quote found - Economy, jobs and trade: quote found - Agriculture and rural Nebraska: quote found - Health care: quote found - Abortion: quote found - Immigration and the border: quote found - Education and school choice: quote found - Energy, water and environment: quote found - Guns and public safety: quote found - Elections and government: quote found ## Property taxes and cost of living Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Wants hard caps on local spending and limits on valuation growth to address property taxes, and lower state income tax rates further. > “For starters, hard caps to rein in local spending (the main driver behind increasing property taxes) and preventing runaway valuation growth would go a long way.” Source: KTIV, "Candidate Profile: Jim Pillen for Nebraska’s Governor", · Questionnaire · published 2026-10-27 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “On income tax rates, we slashed them from 6.8% to 3.99% – and I’d like to see us drive that percentage down even more.” Source: KTIV, "Candidate Profile: Jim Pillen for Nebraska’s Governor", · Questionnaire · published 2026-10-27 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Economy, jobs and trade Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Points to the Grow the Good Life Act, which he signed, as a way to help businesses attract new families to Nebraska. > “Over the coming years, we’ll see the impact of LB 1165 — The Grow the Good Life Act — I signed into law to help businesses attract new families to Nebraska.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Governor (Voter Guide: 2026 General Election)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Agriculture and rural Nebraska Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says his administration banned bioreactor-grown "meat" and introduced legislation so family farmers and ranchers own their agricultural data. > “We banned bioreactor-grown "meat" and introduced legislation to ensure family farmers and ranchers own their agricultural data, not publicly traded corporations.” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Nebraska Governor (Voter Guide: 2026 Primary Election)", · Questionnaire · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 ## Health care Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says federal rural health funding Nebraska received will help build infrastructure and technology to support rural hospitals. > “Under my leadership, Nebraska was one of the top states in the nation in receiving funding from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. It will be a game changer in helping us build the infrastructure and technology needed to support rural hospitals across our state.” Source: KTIV, "Candidate Profile: Jim Pillen for Nebraska’s Governor", · Questionnaire · published 2026-10-27 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Abortion Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says abortion providers will not be allowed to skirt accountability while claiming state money, in comments on a November 2025 order on state funding. > “We’re not going to let abortion providers skirt accountability while claiming our money” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Pillen signs order cutting off state tax dollars to Nebraska abortion providers", · News article · published 2025-11-06 · retrieved 2026-10-31 ## Immigration and the border Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says Nebraska supports President Trump's work with Secretary Noem to arrest and deport people he calls "criminal, illegal aliens," in an August 2025 statement. > “We want President Trump to know that Nebraska is supportive and grateful for his ongoing, critical work with Secretary (Kristi) Noem to arrest and deport criminal, illegal aliens” Source: Nebraska Examiner, "Pillen faces blowback on Nebraska immigration stance, releases ‘Pillen Playbook 2.0’ platform", · News article · published 2026-09-09 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Education and school choice Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Supports giving families a say in their children's schooling and opted Nebraska into the federal scholarship tax credit. > “Not every teaching environment fits every student so I am a big believer in giving families a say in the type of education that is right.” Source: KTIV, "Candidate Profile: Jim Pillen for Nebraska’s Governor", · Questionnaire · published 2026-10-27 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “I was the first Governor in America to opt into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, which will allow taxpayers to direct up to $1,700 to a qualified scholarship granting organization (SGO) in exchange for a 100% dollar-for-dollar credit on their federal income taxes.” Source: KTIV, "Candidate Profile: Jim Pillen for Nebraska’s Governor", · Questionnaire · published 2026-10-27 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Energy, water and environment Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Says protecting the aquifer and removing toxins from water are needed, and supports extending coal plants and adding nuclear power. > “We have to protect the health of our aquifer, and we have to ensure that we’re getting toxins out of our water.” Source: KTIV, "Candidate Profile: Jim Pillen for Nebraska’s Governor", · Questionnaire · published 2026-10-27 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “We extend our coal plants. We need to have nuclear power.” Source: Nebraska Public Media, "Nebraska governor takes jabs at ‘libtards,’ champions conservative wins in campaign call", · News article · published 2026-01-21 · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Guns and public safety Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Lists protecting the 2nd Amendment among his campaign's plans. *Campaign website text:* > “Protect the 2nd Amendment” Source: Pillen for Governor, "The Pillen Playbook 2.0: Jim’s Plan for a Stronger Nebraska", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy ## Elections and government Summary (our words, not the candidate's): Plans to protect election integrity and reform the ballot petition process, and wants to bring back winner-take-all for electoral votes. *Campaign website text:* > “Protect the integrity of our elections and reform the broken ballot petition process” Source: Pillen for Governor, "The Pillen Playbook 2.0: Jim’s Plan for a Stronger Nebraska", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy > “Bringing back “Winner Take All” legislation to unify Nebraska’s voice at the national level.” Source: Pillen for Governor, "Governor Jim Pillen: Fighting for Nebraska. Delivering Results.", · Campaign website · no publish date shown · retrieved 2026-10-31 · archived copy