Nebraska’s Immigrant Population: Economic and Fiscal Impacts
Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Omaha recently released a detailed report on the impact of immigrants on Nebraska’s economy. Amongst other things, they studied immigrants’ impact on the workforce, the taxes they pay, and the spending and buying power they possess. The 37-page report was prepared by the UNO Office of Latino/Latin American Studies, and covered in the local media here.
The report’s authors found that immigrant spending resulted in $1.6 billion in total production for Nebraska’s economy and generated between 11,874 and 12,121 jobs for the state. Also of note was the total of $154 million in taxes contributed by immigrants in 2006 in the form of property, income, sales and gasoline taxes. This amount was slightly higher than the $144.78 million in government costs spent on the immigrant population in the form of food stamps, public assistance, health and education expenditures, meaning that immigrants pay in 7% more to the government than they receive back.
The report is a very interesting and thought-provoking read. It is important for several reason, including the fact that according to the U.S. Census in the first six years of the current decade the Hispanic population grew by an estimated 33% while the native-born Nebraska population grew by about 2%. It is the fastest growing population here in Nebraska and in the U.S, and its economic impact which cannot be understated grows every day. Reports such as this one from UNO serve as excellent sources of information as we discuss the important issues facing our community today.
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