LINCOLN- On Monday, the Nebraska Legislature's Education Committee voted to advance LB800 to the floor of the Legislature, a bill introduced by state Sen. Dave Murman that would cap school superintended pay at five times that pay of a first-year teacher in the same district. Murman, chair of the Education Committee, said that several Nebraska school districts "seem to be paying their superintendents a rate that is out of touch with the rest of the state."

Murman stated that he believes such a bill will help schools better control and limit administrative costs, and might provide an incentive to increase teacher pay. "I just think we have a limited amount of public money that goes to education," he said, "I would rather give it to frontline teachers than administration." While a majority of the committee voiced support for the bill, Gov. Jim Pillen has indicated that he will veto the bill if it appears on his desk.

Gov. Pillen cited an infringement upon the control of local school boards as his reason for opposition to LB800. Pillen served previously on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, which might've also influenced his decision. Sen. Tom Briese, however, stated that he believed most Nebraskans would find the salaries of certain Nebraska superintendents "outlandish," and called on the Education Committee to vote the bill out.

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