'GO GET STUFF DONE'- INTERIM NU PRESIDENT KEEPING BOLD AGENDA MOVING FORWARD

LINCOLN- Chris Kabourek's time as the top administrator of the University of Nebraska system will be temporary. The David City native and longtime NU employee who was tapped in November to lead the university system with 50,000 students said he doesn't see the job of interim president as simply keeping the seat warm. Kabourek is choosing to set a bold agenda and to get stuff done during his time.

The five-point plan was announced last summer as a way to "go on offense" amid a $58 million budget shortfall, and Kabourek reiterated that it's a way for NU to position itself favorably in a competitive higher education environment. Kabourek said NU has made progress on its plan to raise its stature in order to be invited to rejoin the Association of American Universities, where membership signals a level of prestige and provides additional opportunities for federal research dollars.

The interim president said he also will continue an effort to reexamine which programs and initiatives NU is invested to see if it makes sense to reevaluate where state appropriations and tuition dollars are flowing to better meet the broader goals of the public university system. Kabourek also noted that he will have a strong focus on growth on the athletic side of the university.

For the full article click HERE

NEW INTERIM DIRECTOR OF NEBRASKA AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMISSION SEES PACE PICKING UP AFTER TURNOVERS

LINCOLN- A state agency charged with advocating for Nebraska’s African Americans has cycled through two executive directors in the three years since it launched. Each stayed less than a year before resigning. A trio of spots on the governing board also are vacant as the Nebraska Commission on African American Affairs continues to find its bearings.

A founding commissioner who is now filling in as interim director expects the commission to step up activity this year and amplify the voice of Nebraska’s roughly 92,000 African Americans in towns small, big, rural and urban. John Carter said he’d like the 14-member commission to go as far as to assume oversight of certain state economic development funds to help ensure that dollars intended for Black populations reach and impact them.

State Sen. Terrell McKinney, one of two African Americans in the Legislature, said the turnover of executive directors at the commission has not been “a good sign.” He said he is hopeful the commission will elevate its profile and connection to his North Omaha district, and believes the commission could become an effective ally.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA TRADITIONALISTS PRESERVE SECRET BALLOTING FOR LEGISLATIVE LEADERS

LINCOLN- On Thursday, following a contentious debate, a rules proposal aimed at making committee leadership votes public in the Nebraska Legislature failed to secure the thirty votes it needed to be adopted, preserving an institutional mainstay. Five Republicans joined eleven Democrats in denying the change to the rules, many of whom argued that it's important to keep outside influence away from committee leadership votes.

Sen. Jana Hughes, a Republican, took to the microphone during the debate to read a statement from then-Sen. Mike Flood during his own 2021 fight against an identical rules change. Flood, back then, argued that ending secret balloting for the election of committee leadership risked making the Nebraska Legislature more partisan.

Most of the Republicans in the body backed the proposal, which was introduced by Sen. Erdman, including Sen. Lou Ann Linehan. Linehan said during the debate that this change was about enforcing party discipline by Republicans on Republicans, and was not about keeping Democrats out of these influential positions. Others, including Erdman, argued that the change would simply bring more transparency to the Nebraska Legislature.

For the full article click HERE

QUESTIONS RAISED OVER GUN PURCHASE FOR STATE GAMING COMMISSION, WHETHER RACETRACK STUDY FELL SHORT

LINCOLN- Over the past few weeks, questions have been raised about the recent purchase of semi-automatic rifles by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission and whether or not a recent 111-page market analysis issued last month sufficiently answered whether the state could handle more racetracks and casinos.

The Commission is scheduled to meet this Friday, where they will discuss the gun purchase and whether or not a new market analysis is necessary. The study issued last month concluded that Nebraska did not need any additional racetracks, a finding that dealt a blow to a handful of communities across the state seeking to apply for a permit to open a so-called "racino."

Two members of the commission, Tony Fulton and Shane Greckel, as well as state Sen. John Lowe, said they believe the report was incomplete. Lowe, who heads the legislative committee that most closely deals with gambling, said the report barely even mentions the impact that the horse racing industry has in the state. "I think the whole study needs to be redone," he said.

For the full article click HERE

STORER ANNOUNCES BID FOR DISTRICT 43 LEGISLATIVE SEAT

LINCOLN- Republican Tanya Storer announced her candidacy for the Nebraska Legislature's Fourty-Third District seat, which is currently held by State Sen. Tom Brewer. District 43 encompasses Blaine, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Custer, Dawes, Garfield, Keya Paha, Loup, Rock, and Sheridan Counties.

Storer enters the race with strong support from Nebraska's conservative leaders, including U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, and State Sen. Mike Jacobson. "I'm running for the Legislature because I believe District 43 needs a principled, conservative voice in Lincoln," said Storer, "I am committed to reducing the tax burden on our farmers, ranchers, businesses, and families and continuing to develop economic opportunities that can bring our kids and our grandkids back to our communities."

In addition to receiving support from some of Nebraska's leading conservative figures, Shorer has also received local support. "I'm excited that Tanya is running, and I know she will be the strong, conservative voice that we need in the Legislature," said Steve Cleveland, former President of First National Bank of Chadron.

For the full article click HERE

UNL FINALIZES $12M IN BUDGET CUTS, INCLUDING REDUCING FUNDS FOR DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

LINCOLN- On Thursday, UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett announced that the university had finalized a slew of budget cuts equating to $12 million to help close the $23 million structural deficit created by dwindling enrollment and increased costs. The university had previously enacted nearly $11 million in budget cuts in June. 

The newly-authorized budget cuts trim areas related to instruction and operations, and also reduces the budget of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. "This is an essential step to remain good stewards of the resources entrusted to us by the people of Nebraska," Bennett said in an email to UNL faculty and staff. 

However, the Academic Planning Committee, which reviews budget-related proposals put forward by UNL officials, argued against two of the recommended cuts. Firstly, the APC advised against cutting nearly $800,000 from the university's budget for diversity and inclusion programs, citing comments received from nearly 100 people. The APC also took issue with a proposal that would have cut $2 million from programs relating to instructional efficiency, which help graduate teaching assistants.

For the full article click HERE

DEBATE OVER LEGISLATIVE RULES MOVES SLOWLY ON MOSTLY NONCONTROVERSIAL CHANGES

LINCOLN- Debate moved slowly on Thursday as state lawmakers opened discussion on a large number of rules changes designed to help the Legislature avoid the vitriol of the 2023 session. Over the course of a six-hour debate that often strayed into the minutiae of the Nebraska Legislature's rule book, two less controversial changes, which many lawmakers argued would help avoid the stifling of meaningful debate, were adopted.

The snail's pace speed of debate worked to the benefit of those who oppose any major rules changes, but Speaker of the Legislature John Arch set a January 19th deadline to complete the deliberations. "We don't have the time," said Arch, noting that dozens of pieces of legislation still need to be considered before the end of the short, 60-day session. Seventeen proposed rules changes were advanced by the Legislature's Rules Committee, but debate on these is not expected to be picked back up until next Tuesday, leaving only four days of debate for the remaining fifteen proposals. 

Some lawmakers argued that the rules debate should be skipped entirely, including Sen. Megan Hunt, who said the body should instead focus on addressing the state's workforce shortage, teacher and housing shortages, and property tax relief--"things people really care about." Despite these concerns, Speaker Arch argued that the rules changes are necessary to preserve the majority while protecting the minority, and to avoid a repeat of the tumultuous 2023 session.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE GETS NEARLY 100 CALLS DURING FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION

LINCOLN- A hotline established to collect anonymous tips concerning human trafficking got nearly 100 calls in its first full year of operation, state officials said. Those calls to the Nebraska Human Trafficking hotline resulted in law enforcement being dispatched 21 times to various locations in Nebraska. 

“The public can absolutely make a difference in this fight … and if you suspect a human trafficking situation is going on, report it,” said Col. John Bolduc, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, which manages the hotline. The hotline number is 1-833-PLS-LOOK or 1-833-757-5665. 

Bolduc was among state officials who held a press conference Thursday to recognize January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Nebraska and to release an annual report from a task force devoted to addressing the problem. That report indicated that last year, nine persons were convicted of sex trafficking felonies. Since 2016, there have been 102 prosecutions related to sex trafficking in Nebraska.

For the full article click HERE

DEMOCRAT PRESTON LOVE, A NORTH OMAHA ADVOCATE, TO RUN FOR U.S. SEN. PETE RICKETTS' SEAT

OMAHA- Preston Love Jr., a longtime advocate for North Omaha, is running again for the U.S. Senate, four years after stepping in as a write-in candidate for Nebraska Democrats in 2020. Love’s campaign said he is announcing his bid Jan. 17. He is the highest-profile Democrat running for a seat held by Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, a former governor who was appointed to the seat in Jan. 2023. 

Love said he wants to unite people, to “represent all Nebraskans — not just the ones who agree with me or look like me.” He said he is “excited to celebrate this announcement with my supporters on Wednesday and build the movement we need to win this race.” In 2020, Democrats supported Love’s write-in bid instead of the Democratic nominee, Chris Janicek. 

Love earned more than 58,000 votes, or 6% of the vote. His bid was Nebraska’s first by a Black Senate candidate who was backed by a major party in a general election. Ricketts faces former 1st District House candidate John Glen Weaver in the Republican primary. Weaver lost the 2022 primary to Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA COMMISSION: STATE VIOLATED ORDER TO PAUSE RETURN-TO-OFFICE MANDATE

LINCOLN- Nebraska's commission responsible for settling labor disputes ruled that some state departments violated the commission's order to pause return-to-office directives for remote workers represented by the state's largest public employee union. Employees had been granted a temporary relief order from Gov. Pillen's broad executive order that ended remote work.

But days after the relief was granted, some state departments began contacting remote and hybrid employees to notify them that their previously agreed-upon hybrid or work remote arrangements had been terminated and that they would be required to return to their physical worksite in mid-January.

The union accused the state of "willfully and contumaciously" violating the relief order. The relief order was clarified and deemed that the remote work status of union members "was not to be altered during the pendency of this case." The union's executive director, Justin Hubly, said, "Our union will hold management accountable for their actions, and should they ignore this order, they should expect to be held in contempt by the District Court.”

For the full article click HERE

NEARLY $125 MILLION IS ANNOUNCED FOR NORTH OMAHA GROWTH, THOUGH SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE QUALMS

OMAHA- Gov. Pillen joined Mayor Stothert and top business leaders of the state’s largest city to announce plans for nearly $125 million in public funds headed to historically disadvantaged northeast Omaha. The group said the public funding makes possible job-producing and family activities that otherwise likely would not materialize. 

The money will go towards two transformational projects. About $90 million in state funds will go to a development team poised to turn 160 acres near Eppley Airfield and north of Carter Lake into “shovel-ready” land for an industrial business park. The other $35 million, in pandemic recovery funding, is to help build a city-owned and -operated multipurpose sports complex nearby in Levi Carter Park.

Pillen acknowledged the work of State Sens. Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney of North Omaha, who led the legislative effort to fund the business park and other major projects intended to boost their community. Despite the praise, both Senators were unaware of the event. “It’s a slap in the face of the Legislature and my community,” said Wayne. “No other senator would not be invited to something that they worked on for over five years.”

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SELECTS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FOR 2024

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) re-elected District 1 Commissioner Dan Watermeier of Syracuse as Chair for 2024. Commissioner Watermeier was selected during the Commission’s January 9, meeting in Lincoln. The Commission leadership positions are elected on an annual basis. 

Watermeier was elected to the Commission in 2018, for a six-year term. He represents eight counties in Southeast Nebraska. Fourth District Commissioner Eric Kamler of Geneva was elected Vice-Chair. Kamler was elected in 2022 for a six-year term. The fourth district encompasses 31 counties and includes all of northeast Nebraska stretching the length of the entire state vertically north & south.

The Commission consists of five Commissioners. Those who did not get elected to a leadership position include Kevin Stocker, Tim Schram, and Christian Mirch. The next Commission meeting is Wednesday, January 17th.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA'S TAX SYSTEM IS 'UPSIDE DOWN,' REPORT SAYS, WITH HIGHER EFFECTIVE TAX RATES FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES

LINCOLN- The state’s tax system is “upside down,” with low- and middle-income Nebraskans paying a higher share of their income on taxes than more affluent residents, a watchdog group claims. The OpenSky Policy Institute, citing a new national report, said that Nebraskans who are among the lowest 20% of wage earners pay an effective state and local tax rate that is 56% higher than those with the top 1% of incomes. 

OpenSky, which assesses state tax and budget policies, warned that the disparity will grow as recently passed cuts in state income taxes are phased in or if the state shifts the tax load more heavily onto sales taxes. OpenSky Executive Director Rebecca Firestone said state lawmakers have crafted policies that have led to low- and middle-income families paying higher effective tax rates than the wealthy. 

OpenSky cited the newest edition of the “Who Pays?” report from the Washington, D.C.-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. That report, which analyzes the economic progressivity and regressivity of state tax systems, stated that in Nebraska, households with the lowest 20% in incomes (less than $30,000) paid 11.2% of their earnings on taxes and the middle 20% (incomes of $52,500 to $89,400) paid 11%. Meanwhile, the top 1% income households (over $557,100 in income) paid 7.2%, and the top 5% (over $252,600) paid 9.1%.

For the full article click HERE

'WIN-WIN' HOSPITAL PROPOSAL COULD GENERATE NEARLY $1 BILLION TO IMPROVE BOTTOM LINE, SERVICES

LINCOLN- Nebraska hospitals could reap an additional $950 million in federal funds — money that could be used to improve services and help hold down medical bills — under a new proposal. The idea, contained in LB1087, was described as a “game changer” and “win-win” proposition by state hospital officials to help deal with high inflation and low reimbursement rates.

Under the Hospital Quality Assurance and Access Assessment Act, Nebraska would seek to join 44 other states in obtaining higher reimbursement for Medicaid and Medicare patients in exchange for seeking to improve the quality of care. Under Sen. Mike Jacobson's LB1087 the reimbursement rate for Medicaid and Medicare would be over 90% of the actual cost, Jacobson said, while not requiring any more state general funds. It would also help hold private insurance costs down, he said.

Representatives of the Nebraska Hospital Association, which sought the bill, said it comes at a time when health care facilities are struggling with inflation and below-cost reimbursement rates that have forced some hospitals, especially those in rural areas, to eliminate or reduce needed services — services such as maternal care, behavioral health and home health.

For the full article click HERE

SEN. LINEHAN'S LETTER SEEKS TO BOOT REFERENDUM ON OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS OFF NEBRASKA BALLOT

LINCOLN- State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, the author of Nebraska’s Opportunity Scholarships Act, asked Secretary of State Bob Evnen not to allow a ballot initiative that could repeal a new tax break for helping low-income kids attend private schools. Linehan’s core argument is that the Nebraska Constitution reserves the power to set and raise revenues expressly for the Legislature. 

Linehan wants Evnen to reconsider his October certification of the Support Our Schools petition effort for the November 2024 ballot. She said several lawyers she consulted questioned whether a referendum can repeal a revenue-setting law. But this was the first time any of them knew of a Nebraska referendum involving a revenue law already in effect, she said. 

Her letter to Evnen cites Article VIII, Section 1 of the State Constitution, which says the “necessary revenue of the state and its governmental subdivisions shall be raised by taxation in such manner as the Legislature may direct.” “I’m not a lawyer, but it’s pretty basic, clear language,” she said. “On top of that there is a statute that says only the Legislature can do revenue bills.”

For the full article click HERE

RARE 'INNOVATION HUB' IN BELLEVUE WOULD BOOST NEBRASKA AS LEADER IN CYBERSECURITY

BELLEVUE- Roughly 45 farm acres in the military-heavy town of Bellevue are to be transformed into a rare 'innovation hub' that supporters argue would thrust Nebraska into the forefront of national cybersecurity efforts. "It's a huge, huge project, out of the box thinking," said Sen. Rita Sanders of the proposed development. 

Dubbed the "Prairie Hill Farm Collaboration Campus," the venue is being developed by the City of Bellevue and Burlington Capital and will be located only a short ride from U.S. Strategic Command and Offutt Air Force Base. Backers see the development as an "ecosystem" with a dual purpose: luring and training a high-tech workforce and elevating Nebraska's profile as a developer of "next generation" cybersecurity technology.

If all goes as planned, according to George Achola of Burlington Capital, construction could kick off this year, with the focal point of the project being a 200,000-square-foot innovation and collaboration research facility. Over time, said Achola, the project could expand to over 200 acres. Total investment in the project is expected to surpass $600 million, with the main facility alone carrying an estimated price tag of nearly $200 million.

For the full article click HERE

SENATORS SEEK TO ELIMINATE TENURE FOR COLLEGE PROFESSORS, END STATE INHERITANCE TAX

LINCOLN- Bills to eliminate tenure protections for university professors in an effort to halt "indoctrination of leftist ideology" and do away with Nebraska's inheritance tax were among 37 proposals introduced on Monday in the Nebraska Legislature. Sen. Loren Lippincott, who introduced the proposal seeking to eliminate tenure, said that "higher education lacks a serious degree of accountability" because of tenure.

"As tax-paying citizens, we have a right to expect that our tax dollars will be used to educate and edify our students," said Lippincott, "not indoctrinate them with leftist ideology." Lippincott's bill has 11 co-sponsors. Melissa Lee, a spokeswoman for the NU System, said officials from the university are reviewing Lippincott's proposal. "Our plans for the University of Nebraska to grow and compete will require us to hold all our faculty and staff to high levels of performance and accountability," said Lee. 

Via LB1067, a bill introduced on Monday with 24 co-sponsors, Sen. Rob Clements seeks to eliminate the state's inheritance tax by 2028. Currently, Nebraska is one of only five states that levy a so-called "death tax," which Clements described as actually being a "double tax," since property taxes are already paid on land and residence. Clements said that he knows of several tax prepares who advise seniors nearing death to move out of Nebraska.

For the full article click HERE

PILLEN REAPPOINTS BRIAN KRUSE AS DOUGLAS COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER

OMAHA- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has reappointed Brian Kruse to serve as Douglas County Election Commissioner for the next four years. Kruse, who was appointed by former Gov. Ricketts in 2016, will now serve his third term in the appointed position. 

"I appreciate the trust Gov. Pillen has placed in me to continue leading the Douglas County Election Commission," said Kruse, "It's an honor and privilege to serve the voters of Douglas County in fair, accurate, and impartial elections." 

Kruse's latest term began Monday and will run through December 31st, 2027. The position does not feature term limits. Under state law, the governor appoints an election commissioner only for counties with a population larger than 100,000 people, which includes Douglas, Sarpy, and Lancaster Counties.

For the full article click HERE

GOV. PILLEN PRESSES BROADENED SALES TAX BUT OFFERS NO DETAILS, POLLING SHOWS NEBRASKANS OPPOSE CHANGE

LINCOLN- During a Monday morning press conference, Gov. Jim Pillen laid out an ambitious goal of reducing local property taxes by 40% while revealing almost nothing about how the state would go about such an endeavor. Just a week after floating the idea of raising the state's sales tax, Pillen called the press conference to discuss the "growth and impacts of skyrocketing property taxes."

Overall, Pillen expressed that he wanted to shift $2 billion worth of taxes away from the much-criticized property taxes via some combination of a tougher lid on local spending or broadening the sales tax base. However, when asked for specific details, Pillen said he plan to work with lawmakers to come up with a proposal. "I'm committed, I'm all in," said Pillen of this endeavor, "We're not going to stop until we get to 40%."

An increase in the state sales tax would make Nebraska the highest in the nation, so Pillen emphasized placing a stronger cap on K-12 schools, cities, and counties to reach his goals. However, Pillen made it clear that, not matter which route the state took, the sales tax exemption on groceries in Nebraska would remain in place. Pillen also floated the idea of increasing the cigarette tax to $2-per-pack. 

A poll paid for by Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska, a conservative polling organization, found that roughly 70% of Nebraskans oppose the proposed sales tax change, with more than half telling pollsters that they would prefer a hard cap on local spending to offset property taxes. Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple criticized the poll as flawed, saying it was "leading and not fully representative of Nebraskans' views on property tax relief."

For the full article click HERE

OMAHA SENATOR PROPOSES SHIFT OF JAILS, PROSECUTORS THAT COULD SAVE MILLIONS IN PROPERTY TAXES

LINCOLN- Sen. Justin Wayne, who represents part of North Omaha, says a trio of his legislative proposals would significantly shake up the state's criminal justice system and save hundreds of million in local tax dollars. "The only way we can really achieve fairness in our judicial system and, honestly, provide property tax relief, is to change the way our system works," said Wayne, who chairs the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. 

Two of these proposals, LB996 and LB963, were introduced to the Legislature last Friday. LB996 would require the Department of Correctional Services to take over the operation of all county jails across the state, while LB963 would eliminate the elected position of county attorneys and deputy county attorneys. Instead, those duties would be performed by district attorneys, who would be assigned by the Nebraska Attorney General.

According to Wayne, such a move would save taxpayers millions of dollars and create a more robust and efficient criminal justice system. Sen. Wayne's other proposal, LB994, calls for the control and management of the state corrections system to be placed in the hands of the Nebraska Legislature, rather than the Governor's Office, but details have yet to be ironed out according to Wayne.

For the full article click HERE