LINCOLN- On Thursday, advocates for a large North and South Omaha stimulus bill again crowded into the Nebraska State Capitol to support economic development in these areas. Instead, however, testifiers for the updated Economic Recovery Act spoke before the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, rather than the Urban Affairs Committee where testimony was heard on LB531 last Tuesday.

While the Appropriations Committee took no immediate action on LB785, the companion bill to LB531, a few of its members were outspoken in their support for economic development in these historically underserved areas of Nebraska. Sen. Anna Wishart told the committee of a pledge she made to state Sen. Justin Wayne while they were climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, indicating her support for the stimulus bill.

Sen. Christy Armendariz also supported the bill, saying, "I come from North Omaha. I'll make sure it's spent the way it was intended to be spent." While the Legislature approved a $335 million Economic Recovery Act last year, Sen. Terrell McKinney believed a more detailed distribution plan would be necessary to reach the most people, prompting him to create LB531 and LB785.

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