LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts upped his rejection of federal rental assistance on Friday, sending a letter to U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo.

Adeyemo had sent a letter to Ricketts last week, pushing him to apply for $48 million in rental assistance for Nebraska.

 

“It would be irresponsible of me as Governor to take federal dollars that we do not need,” Ricketts said in his letter.

Ricketts stated that Nebraska’s response to the pandemic has left in good shape financially and that the state’s response could be a “useful study” for the federal government and other states.

An initial round of $150 million of rental assistance was granted to Nebraska. An additional $120 million was made available in the next round of funding. Ricketts and Nebraska did not meet the March 31 deadline for the second round, though 40 percent remains available until the end of the month, which Ricketts has said he will not seek.