Bob Campbell, ACC, CEC

Nebraska Sports Betting: Follow the Money My earlier post examining the math behind the proposed property-tax relief generated considerable discussion. Here's another interesting perspective. According to campaign finance reporting through October 29: Tax Relief Nebraska has raised nearly $22.5 million to support legalizing online sports betting. DraftKings and FanDuel have contributed $10.4 million each. Together, these two companies account for approximately 92% of the campaign's funding. Now consider the proposed benefit to Nebraska property taxpayers. Proponents estimate $166 million in property-tax relief over 10 years. That's approximately $16.6 million annually, or 0.3% of Nebraska's $5.6 billion annual property-tax burden. In other words, the campaign has raised more money than the projected first-year property-tax relief. I find the messaging strategy fascinating. Property taxes have been a significant issue in Nebraska for years. The campaign connects online sports betting to something Nebraskans already care deeply about. The projected tax relief may be real. But its significance becomes clearer when we put it in context. There's nothing inherently wrong with companies advocating for policies that support their business interests. And there are legitimate arguments about personal freedom, regulation, and consumer choice. I simply believe the numbers deserve as much attention as the message. Understanding the math helps us understand the issue. Sources: Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission campaign finance filings, as reported by 10/11 News (November 2, 2026). Nebraska Legislature, Senator Mike Jacobson's October 21, 2026 legislative update. Nebraska Public Media, 2026 statewide ballot measure overview.

Don’t listen to polls and social media “experts” - make up your own mind and vote.

Here’s the math for the online gambling initiative in Nebraska, as per State Treasurer Joey Spellerberg: Proposed property tax relief: $166 million over 10 years. That’s $16 million per year. Nebraska collected $5.6 billion in property taxes in 2025. The proposed property tax relief equals three-tenths of 1%. Nebraskans would have to bet and lose over $800 million over 10 years for the projection to materialize. I wonder how that stacks up with other states that have legalized online sports betting?

Nebraska has a ballot initiative on sports betting. Proponents tell us about property tax relief. IMO, the impact is minimal and a forecast. All you have to do is follow the money. If you’re ok with it, go for it. If not, vote no Property tax relief isn’t the reason. Here’s a podcast from 2024 that is enlightening if you’re interested. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

I thought I wanted to end the twice-a-year clock change. Then I considered what switching gives us: earlier winter sunrises than permanent daylight saving time, and later summer sunsets than permanent standard time. Now I might favor keeping things as they are. Apparently, I can even lose an argument with myself. ☀️ Where do you land—keep switching or pick one?

The cost of waiting isn't always obvious. Sometimes Plan A isn't working as expected. But Plan B comes with consequences we'd rather avoid. So we wait. We remain optimistic. We believe circumstances will improve. And sometimes they do. But there's a difference between choosing to stay the course and avoiding the decision to change direction. The longer we wait, the fewer choices we may have. The question isn't necessarily whether Plan A will work. It's what must remain true for Plan A to remain the right decision—and what would cause us to change our minds. Optimism creates possibilities. Discipline helps us recognize when it's time to act.

“Whatever can happen at any time can happen today.” — Seneca Perception: See life as it actually is. Uncertainty is real. Nothing guarantees today will unfold as expected. Action: Since today is what I have, use it well. Say what needs saying. Do the work. Invest in the relationship. Serve someone. Will: Whatever happens today, much of it won't be mine to choose. How I meet it is.

Every decision rests on a set of premises. We take what we know, combine it with what we believe, fill in the gaps with assumptions, and build a story that leads us to a conclusion. Then we act. Or we don’t. The problem is that we rarely have complete information. And none of us is free from bias, emotion, past experience, or attachment to a particular outcome. I’ve been thinking about this while listening to Atlas Shrugged and Rand’s challenge to “check your premises.” It’s becoming a simple self-reflection practice for me: Dig deeper. What leads me to that conclusion? What has to be true for that to hold? What could change my mind? The goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty. It’s to understand what I’m actually betting on before I make the decision.

A strong belief does not determine how much capital, time, or attention to commit. Conviction: Why am I willing to take this risk? Opportunity: How much could being right matter? Capacity: How wrong can I afford to be? Liquidity: Can I withstand what may happen before the outcome becomes clear? Your conviction may prove right over time while the market moves against you between now and then. Do you have the intestinal fortitude to stay with the decision? Do you have the liquidity to avoid being forced out? And do you know what evidence would tell you that your original conviction was wrong? Being right is not enough. You must be able to survive the path without confusing patience with stubbornness.

Interesting times in the southern Black Hills this morning.

I heard a phrase in a meeting the other day that has stayed with me: Growth is an outcome, not the strategy. We often talk about growth as though it is something we can pursue directly. But growth is the result of what happens beneath the surface: • Intentional development. • Learning and adjusting after failure. • Building trusted relationships. • Helping others succeed. • Doing the work consistently—even when progress is difficult to see. Growth is the evidence. The strategy is creating the conditions that make growth possible.

Take enough risk that success matters. Limit the downside so failure is survivable. Preserve enough capacity that the next decision remains yours. Good risk management preserves the right to make the next decision.