COLUMBUS, Neb. — Senator Pete Ricketts is campaigning for reelection with a tour of Northeast Nebraska, engaging with community leaders to discuss local needs and potential solutions.

Ricketts recently held a roundtable in Columbus, bringing together business leaders and community members to discuss the "Working Families Tax Cut," a rebrand of the 2025 "One big Beautiful bill. He emphasized its potential to boost communities across Nebraska and the nation.

"This was an extension of the 2017 tax cuts," Ricketts stated. "So, if we hadn't done it, we would have seen a $2,400 average tax increase on every Nebraska family. With it, we will see an average of a $3,750 tax break for every family."

Citing Treasury Department projections, Ricketts suggested the average family's take-home pay could rise by $7,500. The President's economic team estimates an even higher increase, closer to $9,000, attributing it to opportunities within the "big beautiful bill."

Ricketts highlighted specific provisions, such as "no tax on tips up to $25,000" and "no tax on overtime up to $12,500." He also mentioned a bonus deduction for seniors, stating, "That's like a $6,000 bonus deduction. That means that 88% of seniors will not pay federal income tax on Social Security."

The bill also includes an increased child tax credit, raising it from $2,000 to $2,200, and allows individuals to deduct $7,500 from their income for dependent tax credits. Ricketts also noted a tax incentive for businesses offering paid family medical leave, a measure he credited to Senator Deb Fischer. "We made that permanent so that companies can again have the incentive to be able to offer that paid family leave for their families here in the state," he said.

During a Q&A session, Columbus Mayor Jim Bulkley raised concerns about the current political climate, asking, "Senator, how do we get past the toxic environment that seems to be overtaking everything that's going on?" He added, "My mother would wash out my mouth if I talked the way that our president talks, but nobody's willing to tell him that."

Bulkley also pressed the senator on border security, noting that many appreciate the border's efforts. "Who's working behind the scenes on a plan to ensure those who need to be here can continue their stay?" he asked.

Ricketts responded by highlighting a significant decrease in illegal border crossings. "Illegal crossings are down 95%," Ricketts said. "We haven't had anybody crossing illegally into this country in seven months in a row. I don't think that's ever happened."

Senator Ricketts will continue his roundtable tour on Wednesday, Jan 21, in Grand Island.