Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I am very happy, happy to have our guest with
us today, the governor of the great State of Nebraska,
Jim Pillen. Governor Pillen, welcome to the show today.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Hey, good morning, Jean. Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Great to be with you, and I hope you're great
absolutely this nice rainy day. Well, I have so many
questions to ask you today and for you to tell
us what we need to know. But you know, first
I want to say a little bit about Jim Pillen
because I want to toot your horn a little bit
because I remembered when I first met you. You were
a regent, You're from Columbus, Nebraska, and I remember it
(00:33):
very humbly. You kept on referring to yourself as I'm
just a pig farmer, but you are so much more
than that. I think people forget since you have been
governor that you're a veterinarian, you're a livestock producer, you
have a big family business. They kind of have forgotten
about your past. And one of the things with your
(00:53):
past I wanted to mention is you you were a Husker.
You were defensive back from what seventy.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Five to seventy eight yea, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
And played under coach tom Osmoorrene. You were on the
Board of Regents from twenty thirteen to twenty twenty three,
and then you became our forty first governor in twenty
twenty three. So you've been a busy guy. And I'm
going to say this. You were born in nineteen fifty five.
Oh my gosh, I'm a year older than you. You
probably won't let me forget that.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Hey, I'm still fifty years old. I don't know about you.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, I always say seventies is the new forties, so
we'll just stick with that note.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I've liked every decade as I got older.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
I enjoyed it because I just thought, ah, this just
makes me, you know, old, maybe older, and hopefully a
little bit wiser. But Governor boy, I tell you, what
has been going on in Lincoln is something that I
think is really hard to follow. I mean it's hard
for me to follow. I've been trying to follow it.
But I really want you to tell the audience today
(01:57):
really what we need to know. I mean, number one
is in the state of Nebraska, I know is still taxes.
People think their taxes are too high. We want people
to stay here, but just kind of of a review.
Just yesterday the lawmakers passed three measures containing appropriation committees,
(02:17):
mid by any and budget adjustments. Just a little history.
I remember when you spoke in January and the session began,
you said they were facing about a four hundred and
seventy I believe million dollars shortfall. And then when the
Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met in February, that lowered the
(02:38):
predictions of our raise of predictions. It was a deeper
hole that the state got in. So number one, how
did we go from a surplus to such a deficit
in your opinion, what was going on? And then tell
us what we need to know about how you solve
that problem and where we are right now with the budget.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yeah one of them. Yeah, thank you, Thank you, Gene.
And by the way, thanks for all your public service.
There's there's lots of great things happening in Nebraska, a
lots of great things happening in Omahan. You you had
a great impact, so on behalf of Nebraska's Thanks for
all you've done. Gene. You know, I think that I
(03:22):
think that what's really really important is I'm committed to
running government like a business. And that means that what
we've done the past. We have to do things different
because our tax, our tax policy. We've made progress right
and year one nobody, nobody could believe that we were
(03:44):
charging income tax on our seniors for their social security.
That got ended. Income tax. It was historic in twenty
three where we took it down from just under seven percent,
it'll be three point nine twenty seven. That's a step
in the right direction. Decreasing income tax. We have to
go more. The great big bugaboo is our property tax,
(04:08):
and we've made progress. But I'll get to that. But
the first thing, what as governor and the unit camera,
what we have to do is we have to have
a balanced budget. Thank god, we don't operate like the
federal government. We balance our budget. It gets very I
think I can explain why it seems so complicated. So
(04:31):
we started. We started in June our budget. In business,
right in business, we compare months by months or quarter
by quarter, how we did the previous year. In the
first quarter of this year, we were we had decreased
spend two hundred million and we had one hundred million
more revenue than the year before. But because of the
(04:53):
balanced budget, there's this thing called the forecasting board, and
I'm not. And it's a part of the process until
you understand it. So the forecasting board deals with only
one side of the business. If the forecasting board comes
in with projections of revenue, and here's what's pretty fasting.
(05:15):
If the forecasting board comes in with more revenue, the
unicamal spends it, and the good news would be for
shrinking government. The forecasting board came in with less revenue projections.
I I'm not crazy. I view that as a positive
because that helps us shrink government, say no and quit
(05:37):
spending and decrease spending. So that's what we're working on.
We started. I have an awesome cabinet. I have twenty
five out of twenty nine new cabinet members since I've
become governor. Governor. They believe in fiscal responsibility, they believe
in running government like a business. And as I always say,
(05:57):
if you believe you can't. If you believe you can't,
you're one hundred percent correct. We have a team that
believes we can. So we started back June fourteenth. We
started way back last summer. I called it make or
break Nebraska. Didn't matter what the forecasting board, we are
going to run government like a business. We are going
(06:20):
to improve our services, decrease our costs, and we are
going to in the end improve our bottom line a
billion dollars. We were working on that and that is
pretty well what we put forth in our budget in
January fifteenth. We're really excited. I don't have the exact
(06:42):
numbers because things were getting worked on yet lace last night,
but the bottom line, our budget is balanced. We've said
we've said no to spending to about four hundred and
twenty million dollars. We have worked on some rev new
items that will get more revenue that will help. And
(07:03):
then also it's hard to believe, Gene, but we have
over six hundred cash accounts within state government. I call
it pillowcase money. It's money that's accrued up that's not
being utilized. So we have taken and swept some of
those counts because it's the people's money. So it's between
(07:25):
decrease spending, more revenue and utilizing some money that's sitting
in rat holes doing nothing for us. So that's how
we've been able to balance it and filled it in.
And last but not least, what's really really important. We
have the highest credit rating we've ever had for the
(07:45):
state with the triple A. So the state is doing great,
but it is hard because when the Forecasting Board says
there's less revenue coming, it's interpreted that we're broke. No,
we just decreased and like we do in business. So
it's it's it's it's it's really not complicated. Sometimes it's
(08:07):
a little bit harder, but there's there's there's Uh, there's
just simple things that we've done to be able to
make sure every Nebraska that needs services get it gets
it done. Uh and uh, you know, we make sure
and with that we're decreasing spend to shrink government. I
(08:28):
totally believe we've done too many things in the state
that we don't need to be doing and that's our money.
So that's that's kind of the Does that make sense?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
It does make sense.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Explain a little bit more about the Economic Forecasting Advisory Board, though,
I mean, how how often do they meet and they
give these estimates because I know when I did the
City of Omaha's budget twelve times and when we start,
we start in January and we take an estimate of
what our major revenues are going to be, and that
(09:00):
is number one, sales tax, followed by property tax, followed
by that heated tax, the restaurant tax, and then I
look at last year's budget and see where we are,
and then start developing the budget. How does that economic
forecasting board? How do they meet? And in January, for example,
have a deficit of four hundred and seventy million, and
then in February they say, oops, it's a lot more
(09:23):
than we thought.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
How does that work?
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, so the so like four, I used the answer
where we started on our new budget July one, and
then the forecast and where we were three months in
one hundred million over revenue from the previous year, two
hundred million less spend. And then the forecasting board came
in and said we're going to be two hundred two
hundred and twenty million a year short, four hundred and
(09:48):
forty million in the buy aium. So that's their responsibility.
So they say the revenue is going to be down
from where it was when the when the budget started,
and then they did it again in in uh I
think it was in February where that it's another two
hundred down. So those are the things that make it
(10:11):
makes it confusing to people trying to under read the press,
because the press has another two hundred your million in
a hole. It's like, and then somebody's same pillin's bowling
all the money. Well, no, you can be rest assured.
I treat nickels like manhold colors. I don't spend the dime.
It's a decrease in the revenue. So I think it's awesome.
(10:32):
It really really helps us decrease government and really really
helps everybody keep saying, Look, you know a lot of
times people don't want to decrease spend when they have money.
Anybody that's in business and running a very very good business,
you're doing it all the time. You are only using
money when it's creating value, and if you're not creating value,
(10:55):
you stop doing it. And so that that's in pre
in essence what we're doing. So the forecast board comes
out with three different forecasts over the course of the year,
and that's what makes it complicated. But yet you know,
once you understand it, it makes a little more sense.
But it's very very difficult. You know. Hell, it took
me to become governor to figure it out. I didn't
(11:17):
understand it either.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Yeah, it's hard to understand, and even somebody that follows it.
Like me, I know that there were two failed attempts
at advancing the main budget bill. It seemed like the
third one was a charm. I know, I had Senator
von gillern On a week or so ago chair of
Revenue Committee. But can you let me first say so,
is it accurate to say that you balance the budget
(11:41):
with a combination of cuts, revenue generators, and transfers? Is
that pretty much?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Okay? Exactly, decrease spending, some transfers of idle cash, and
a little bit in revenue okay.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
And I just mentioned I know there were two failed
attempts to advance a main budget built forward.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
What were the main roadblocks?
Speaker 1 (12:02):
If you could just describe a few of the things
that the legislature was debating, you know why why were
there too failed attempts?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah? I think that it had to do with in
our original budget, we had had seven million dollars in
it for opportunities scholarships for all kids, kids in private schools,
kids in public schools, so we could help kids have fit.
(12:31):
Some people just totally interpreted as nothing but school choice.
So that that was a really really heavy debate, and
that created a lot of politics and then also in
regard to childcare. So those were the those were the
really the two I don't know if you want to
call them values issues, whatever you want to call them. Honestly,
(12:53):
you know, when we presented originally there were there were
like to the the appropriations, but committee on all the cuts,
you know, I mean there was hundreds of issues. They
approved all of them. So I think in our original budget,
ninety five percent of the issues and ninety some percent
(13:16):
of the cash everybody in the appropriations agreed on. So
sometimes it seems like it's through a controversial it gets
down to you know, I'll call them nitpicking issues, choice issues.
Some are really disappointed with that. One of the things
that's really important on this conversation, Genie, is we were
the first state in the country to do an executive
(13:39):
order on the big beautiful bill that has no sunset. Hopefully,
what that means is it will go on forever. I'm
a believer in getting more than our first share of
federal money to Nebraska. So this federal scholarship program is
for homeschool kids, private school kids, and public school kids,
(14:02):
and we will be working really hard. It starts in
twenty seven to make sure that every school system has
a nonprofit and that they have a scholarship granting organization. So, Gene,
what you can do is write a check to your
favorite school, public or private, for seventeen hundred dollars to
their scholarship granting organization, and then when you fill out
(14:25):
your income tax for twenty seven, you decrease what you
owe the federal government seventeen hundred dollars. Think about what
kind of impact that will do. It can be used
for school lunch programs, for after school programs. We're working
on JAG for tutors, so for tuition in private schools.
(14:47):
So it's really an incredible opportunity to keep our money
home and help it make a difference on our kids.
So that in the end probably was one that took
up more time than it should have been.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
My humble opinion will say as a former school board
member myself for the Miller Public Schools, I can't I
can't even over emphasize how important that is. Are the
the were the teachers union or were they? Were they
some body that was opposed to this or not?
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Yeah, I think that the I think that the interpretation
again was that it was exclusively exclusively for private schools,
so they were totally against it. Again the again you
read the fine the fine print. The it was it
was for the gap year of opportunity scholarships, and it
(15:37):
was in it the money could be used for any
school and and as and that will be with the
federal scholarship program. And you know, originally there were some
folks in public schools when we made that announcement went
at us really hard. I called him and said, let's meet,
let's really talk about this, because, uh, do you want
(15:58):
to take away? Do you want to turn back the
three hundred and ten million that we get from the
federal government for a K twelve education? I don't think
we do. And you know, if we get we have
a million taxpayers in Nebraska gene if twenty percent, if
twenty percent participate, that's seventeen hundred dollars on two hundred
thousand taxpayers. That's that's three hundred and forty million more
(16:20):
dollars it would come into our K twelve system. And
what a difference that way in our school system for
our kids. It's a big deal.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yes, it is now now the process now, as far
as the legislature goes, you have with the budget bill.
You have five calendar days I think I'm correct, excluding Sunday.
You can either sign veto or line item veto and
then of course it would take thirty three votes to
override a veto.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yes? And so well actually, uh yeah, it'll take thirty
three votes over ride a veto, and it takes twenty
votes to sustain to sustain of vetos, So you know
we're working on that. You know, I think that, Yeah,
there's overall and overall I'm really pleased with where we're
at there. There's yeah, there's some things that I'm more
(17:09):
debating whether to swallow on, and we've got to make
those decisions in the next twenty four hours.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
And you can line item veto right correct.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yes, okay, yeah, we sure, Ken.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Well I have you if you have a few more minutes.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
I did want to ask you about LB eleven sixty five,
which is kind of referred to as the the up
merger bill, and you had I think that you and
Senator von Gilleran he supported that bill for you moved
it forward, and so talk a little bit about that
(17:40):
if you can, because we often talk about how important
it is to have more incentives for employees to retain
their employees that they have here in Nebraska, and then
to attract new employees and new businesses. Speak a little
bit about tax incentives in Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, thanks, yeah, thank you, Gene. It was a full
team effort. We worked a ton on this issue in
the off season, and I think that year one on
the campaign trail, all I heard is everywhere across the state,
everybody in business is short people. We need more people. Well,
(18:16):
we've got to track people to Nebraska. So originally I
had an idea that maybe we had five years of
no income tax that would get people drop a barrier
to get more people. Well, in the end that didn't
make sense, so we should have gotten it done sooner.
But the bottom line, what this tax incentive does is
it's to help every size business. Somemmer calling at up. Yeah,
(18:41):
up's a big deal, but every business gosh key with
FNBO businesses in Grand Island and Norfolk and Columbus and Hastings.
We've got extraordinary businesses across the state Scott's Bluff, So
any business can benefit to grow their business and bring
people from out of state. I call it six eight
(19:02):
and ten with a focus on ten economic development. You know,
we're such a hard working, humble people gene. In my lifetime,
I've viewed, let's bring companies here. In our pitches. We
got great people, hardworking and you don't have to pay
them anything, and we have to change that, and we're
(19:22):
changing it. And that's one of the goals of this
is at ten percent, any company that brings people from
out of state pays them one hundred and twenty thousand
dollars or more, you get a ten percent tax credit
for ten years. So if Union Pacific, or if a
(19:44):
big feed lot brings an accountant in and pays them
two hundred thousand dollars a year, they get a twenty
percent tax break on your state income tax for ten
ten years or intel as long as that person works
for them. So it's a it's extraordinarily competitive. It will
it will break the barriers down. If you pay somebody
(20:06):
ninety thousand dollars, you'll get an eight percent break. If
you pay somebody sixty thousand dollars, you get a six percent.
The focus is to sub to make sure we've got
businesses doing great, we have stakeholders doing great. We need
to we want to pay our people more so it
really stimulates our economy so that we buy more stuff,
(20:27):
we go out to eat more, we buy more cars,
you name it. It really will have a great impact
on our economy.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
And I know we've talked about this before when I
was still mayor, but I think that it is referred
to as a UP merger bill because as most people
understand and know now, that UP is mergered with an
Atlanta based railroad, Norfolk Southern, and the last thing we
want to see happen it would be UP to move
(20:53):
their headquarters out of Omaha. It is one of four
five Fortune five hundred companies left in Omaha. We have
Union Pacific Key with Mutual of Omaha and Berkshire. We
did have ConAgra, and when Conagara got a new CEO,
that CEO was from Chicago and they moved their headquarters
to Chicago. We don't want to see that happen again.
(21:13):
We want to have a Nebraska to make it a
business friendly state for all businesses. But we want to
make sure that those that are here that may have
the opportunity to move, that they don't and that they
want to stay here. Because boy UP has a lot
of employees here in Omaha. And look at Mutual they
have four thousand employees here.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
So we will make stop question I met And you
know the other thing that we need to make sure
we appreciate the incredible things we have. And on banking,
we have family banks. We have the largest family owned
bank in the United States of America headquarter in Omaha. Yes,
we have now an engineering firm, the largest employee owned
(21:55):
engineering firm in the world, headquartered in Omaha. We want
to help them grow, so they build another tower of
engineers in Omaha key with one of the greatest builders
in the world. We want to make sure that they
grow and stay in Omaha. And then countless other medium
(22:15):
sized business and small businesses. We have extraordinary businesses in
Omaha and in Nebraska. And you know, somebody said, well,
you can't afford, you can't afford not to This doesn't
cost the state a dime. This far exceeds when you
bring somebody in from out of state that brings the family.
(22:38):
You your way on the positive side of the ledger
of creating value to grow the economy in the state
and for revenue for the state and cities.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
And I know people sometimes they just don't understand how
important it is because you take a business like Keywit,
or you take a business even like HDR. They have
businesses and offices all over the world. They can move
a headquarter anywhere and still function just like they do
here in Omaha. But we want to keep them here.
I know we're running out of time, but Governor, how's
(23:07):
the campaign going?
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Hey? You know, people are gracious. We were able to
make it down to Houston and be with Nebraska fans
and I just get humbled every day people coming up
thanking us for our work. We we have over five
thousand people who have stepped up and helped us. We've
got extraordinary momentum and humbled to have the privilege. And
(23:32):
we're very, very Yeah. We we feel great where we're
at today, and we don't take anything for granted. We
just keep working hard every day and keep building our team.
And you know, only only in Nebraska do people stop
and say thanks for all your work, thanks for not
giving up on property taxes. We're praying for you, and
so maybe that's a great way to end it. On
Holy Week. Nebraska, We're about faith, family, hard work, the
(23:58):
American dream. And you know, we may not agree on everything,
but by elly, stand up for our values, standing up
for who we are. And with the fires that we're
out west, thank God for the rain, and Nebraska came
together like one little bitty village. Everybody help and across
(24:18):
the state. It was really, really tough, but extraordinarily extraordinary
privilege to see people doing things for each other, from
Omaha to Scott's Bluff, across the state. We live in
the greatest places. I love to say, it's the people.
Let me finish with this one. I had a lady
tell me, Jean, I moved to Nebraska. Our family moved
(24:39):
to Nebraska from California twenty two years ago because of safety, education,
and cost of living. We could create wealth for our
family in Nebraska. And she said, twenty two years later,
that's still true. But she said, we will never leave
Nebraska because of the people.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Well, you know, I could say the same thing. This
is a fifth state that I I've lived in, and
I love Omaha, I've loved Nebraska. I've been here for
thirty three years now, and this is where I'm gonna
stay too. So Governor, good luck with the campaign. Thank
you so much for being here. You are very informative
today Happy Easter and go big Red.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Hey, have a good one. Thanks Jane, Thanks for.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
You dude, You're bet Thanks for being on.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
This is in response to the governor. This is coming
from Patrick. It is never an income problem. It is
always a spending problem. Get rid of all non government spending.
Everything needs to be cut by at least fifteen percent
every program, if it is not essential to running the state,
get rid of it.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Well, you know, I understand where he's coming from, but
I can't say that I agree one hundred percent. Cut
everything by just a I don't know where fifteen percent came.
But let me tell you, if you try to cut
everything by fifteen percent, you will be decreasing your services.
And really it depends on whose ox you're gonna go are,
because I mean, what are you gonna say, I'm gonna
I'm gonna cut DJHS.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
So I'm going to cut whatever.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
You are going to run into a lot of issues,
like I said, of decreasing services, and is that what
you want to do. I will go back to the
City of Omaha budget, which I did twelve of them,
and you know you could say, maybe you could say
to me, well, cut everything, cut every city department fifteen percent.
Maybe if they would lay that on the City of Omaha,
it should apply. I would think if he says we
(26:25):
could do this with the state, well, are you going
to cut the Omaha Police Department fifteen percent? Or are
you going to cut the fire department? Are you going
to cut public works and you're not going to have
enough people to plow snow or fill up potholes? I mean,
it depends on if you really can cut those departments
and then also provide the services. And I've said this
(26:46):
before with the City of Omaha, is two thirds of
the general fund city budget is fire and police. And
fire and police are under labor contracts collective bargaining agreements.
You are contractual obligated to pay them the salary that
you agreed on. So where are you going to cut?
So it does make a big difference. Say it's not
(27:08):
a revenue problem, it's just a spending problem. I would
think it is both, because you know, a revenue problem.
When COVID hit in twenty twenty, we were first estimating
maybe a seventy million dollar budget shortfall because of the
decrease in sales tax. Try to deal with that in
the middle of the year. And say we got a
budget done, and it shouldn't matter that your revenue has
(27:30):
just been cut seventy million dollars.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
You should be able to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
It should be hard, though, I'm saying this is not easy,
and every mayor across Nebraska, the governor, the legislature, the
city councils, they should all struggle with that budget because
they should never forget whose money they're spending, and it's
not theirs, it's the tax beyers.
Speaker 5 (27:51):
I have a good one here for you. This one.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Is from Sharon Sorry, excuse me. This one is from
Aaron Gene. What do you think of Mayor Ewing calling
Sheriff Hansen and the county sheriffs quote occupying force end quote?
Are the Omaha police and county sheriffs not good partners?
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
You know what I would say that was that in
my opinion here, I would say that that was a
reckless statement that was made by the mayor. I think
that was an emotional response, a tactical air. It does
not go over very well with folks. You know, the
Sheriff's department covers Douglas County, although Omaha occupies about eighty
(28:39):
percent of Douglas County. It's still in Douglas County, and
the Sheriff's department and the Omaha Police Department should be
good partners and they should be working together all the time.
There are parts you know of Douglas County that obviously.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Are still part of Omaha.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Omaha continues to grow a get bigger with annexation, but
we still should have a very good working relationship and
they can work side by side together. And so I
don't know why the mayor, as a former police officer,
would say something like that. He should be very much
aware of what the sheriff does and what the sheriff's
(29:20):
responsibilities are. And remember it is state law that there
is a sheriff for each county. And so it's not
that Omaha continues to grow so much that we don't
need the Douglas County sheriff anymore. If Omaha really you'd
have to stop and think by state law, if Omaha
grew so much that it completely took over Douglas County,
(29:44):
in my opinion, by state what is in state law,
And I'd have to verify if what I'm saying is
one hundred percent accurate, But I think it would be
the sheriff, would be the chief officer, law enforcement officer
rather than the police chief.
Speaker 5 (30:00):
You're saying in terms of hierarchy.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
In terms of state law, right, right, And so they
should be working together. And I think, you know, I
I think people will have a lot to say about this.
I know Sheriff Hanson has been on the show a lot.
I know Chief Schmier has been on this show a lot.
But there should be a good working relationship and that
that response, I think was a bit reckless.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
And when you were a mayor, how was the relationship
with between them and you in your office?
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Well, if you recall it first, you know Tim Dunning
was was the Douglas County sheriff. Aaron Hanson was elected sheriff.
I supported Aaron when he ran for sheriff. I think
when I ran for mayor this fourth time in that
the the before the primary, Aaron did not come out
and support me where I supported him.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
But did that make me angry at him?
Speaker 5 (30:50):
No?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Heck no. I mean it's his choice, but he.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Still serves and his sheriff's department serves a very very
important role, and they should be working together with the
City of Omaha. And with the Omaha Police Department, and
they have different responsibilities. You know, the Sheriff's department is
over the jail, the Sheriff's department is over the courthouse,
and so they do have different responsibilities and a good
(31:15):
working relationship is vital for public safety. Now let me
bring up one other point though, and I brought this
up before, that when I was mayor for twelve years,
my goals were repeated constantly to the public what my
goals were as mayor. My number one priority as mayor
was public safety. It should be every mayor's number one
(31:36):
priority should be public safety. That is, government's number one
responsibility is keeping the citizens safe. Mary Ewing's number one
priority is affordable housing. Public safety isn't even listed in
his list of priorities.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
So take that for what it is.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
I'm gonna switch gears here a little bit. I've witnessed
something for the first time yesterday that I've never witnessed before.
Tell me, and we had it live on the radio
here in the five o'clock hour. Artemis two.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Oh you and Chris Baker. Yeah, uh huh, Artemis too.
I mean, I'm totally excited.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
About you get the chance to watch that you watched
it live yesterday.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Of course I watched it.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
You know, I've been down to the Kennedy Space Center
when we lived in Texas. This is such an important
mission too, and god speed those astronauts. I did hear
that there was a problem with the toilet and feel
bad for that one woman astronaut's on board. But this
is the first highest stakes mission that NASA had in
(32:34):
fifty four years. And you know right now are they
are orbiting the Earth, which is what they are going
to do with those I mean, it's unbelievable, and those
big rockets are going to shoot them right towards the Moon.
Orian is the capsule that they will be in as
a loop around the Moon. But there's so much important
(32:55):
information that they are going to get from this mission.
You know, are going to be on the dark side
of the Moon, which no one has ever been on
and be able to take pictures. But you know, this
is just a jumping start to get to Mars. And
that's what it's really all about. It's it will human
life be able to be supported to take off from
(33:19):
Earth land on the Moon, make fuel, our get refueled,
and then that be our station there and then send
a rocket to If we can send a rocket to
the Moon and refuel on the Moon, then can we
eventually get to Mars. And that's what this is about.
What is so amazing too, is when they are done
with their ten days, they're going to splash down in
(33:40):
the Pacific Ocean right on the point that they have
planned for them. It's amazing is what the information that
they are going to do. So, like I said, godspeed
to them up there, and I love watching all of this.
But the lift off I thought was so exciting it
sent chills at my back.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Yeah, it was really cool. And like I said, I've
never seen anything like this. I know Tesla and SpaceX
like they've done some, but to have real you know,
those are not manned rockets either.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
You know this is a fact humans.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Yeah, yeah, this is a lot about humans well, and
they will get a lot of information about the humans
on board the Orion. And also I like I said
that the real goal is to figure out if we
can get humans to launch from the Earth, make it
to the Moon, refuel on the Moon, and then explore
(34:30):
what we have in space and so much we can
learn from that.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
Right into this we have Sue on the line. Sue,
thank you for calling news radio eleven to ten KFAB.
You're live with Jeans Author.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Good morning, Good morning.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
Like I told the person that answered, I want to
be educated. I understand that we have to educate all
children in our state. What I'm failing to understand is
why as taxpayers are we having to pay for the
(35:07):
school bus system and why isn't that put on the
people that are using it?
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Oh, okay, you know you don't have a specific tax
for the school bus system. The schools, the public schools
are able. They have their own school board that sets
their own tax. Levey and I brought this up before.
In the city of Omaha, the school districts, if you
look at your property tax bill, are about sixty two
(35:35):
percent of your total bill goes to the school districts.
But there's not a specific tax for bussing the kids.
It's just part of the school district's budget. Now, the
issue is, you are very correct that we are required
by law to educate our students, but some students need
to get to the schools is the issue, and by
(35:57):
state law. And I would have to review on this
one because it's been a long time since I've been
on the school board. But I do believe it's required
that if a student lives more than I believe it's
three miles, or it might be it might be about
three miles from school. I think Millard was two miles
(36:19):
from school. That the school board adopted that, then the
school needed to provide bussing for that student. And so
students that live very close to the school, they did
not have to provide bussing for them, but kids that
lived further away that walking was out of the question.
And a lot of these kids don't have parents that
(36:39):
can get them to school. They are obligated and required
by law to bust those kids to make sure that
they get there. They're also required for kids that receive
special education services because a lot of times they don't
go to the school that is nearest them. They go
to another school, so they have to bust them to there.
So it is just part of the school district's budget,
(37:01):
the cost of what bussing is. But you know, you're
not going to have a good community unless you have
good schools, and we are very very fortunate in the
state of Nebraska to have a good public school system.
We just got to make sure we get our kids there,
and we get our kids there safely and get them
back home again.
Speaker 6 (37:18):
To Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Oh, you're very welcome. Thanks for calling. Very good.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
I got another one for you here. This one comes
from sharing that I mistakenly read earlier.
Speaker 5 (37:32):
But here we go.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
I do not know if you have the answer to this.
Is there reflective paint that could be used for lane
markers when it rains and it's dark, it's impossible to
see the lane.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Yeah, they do use it.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
I mean it is when they repaint and restripe the roads,
which they do every year. They do have reflective paint
that they use. But it fades with time and that's
just what happens. And it depends on the weather. And
we do have some harsh weather conditions here too that
it just fades with time. Now, I will say this,
I don't know what they use in Europe, but I
(38:05):
was when I was in France for a sister city trip,
because we have a new sister city in the northeast
or northwest part of France. Now, they have some reflective
paint they use in France. That is I mean, it's
like a light bulb is under the pavement. I mean
it is bright and it glows, and I don't know
(38:27):
what they use over in Europe or over in France,
but I know there is different products. The issue is
always this too, is how much those other products are
going to cost?
Speaker 3 (38:40):
You know.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
I mean when I talk about the roads here, our
roads are primarily asphalt. For this I'm getting away from
the striping. Asphalt and concrete. Concrete lasts twice as long
as twice as expensive. I am sure that they are
coming up or could come up with other composite materials
that you could do roads with, but it would be
cost prohibitive. I mean, concrete cost a lot of money.
(39:04):
And if you are going to redo all of our
roads in Omaha all you know, fifty five hundred lane
miles a road with some extremely expensive composite, how are
you going to pay for it?
Speaker 3 (39:14):
That's the issue.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
I don't want to pay for it now, and it
would be the.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Taxpayers would pay for it. So you always have to consider.
There are always looking at and making new products that
are more durable, that show up better, say as far
as striping and the paint. But it's what is the
cost to the citizens and as the governor just said,
we want to keep the cost of government as low
as we possibly can, so we want to provide good
(39:38):
services that keep it at a cost that is affordable
for the taxpayers.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
I've seen the white black stripes, you know that those
are back to back. Those have been decently helpful too.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
But I think so too.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
The only time I really don't like just striping alone
is for bike lanes because people don't pay a lot
of attention if there's a stripe along the side of
a road for a bike lane, I think if we
do do bike lanes, they need to be protected, not
just with a stripe of paint.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
So you got about thirty seconds. But how do you
protect it? I mean you do some sort of barriers.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
Have some sort of barriers, some sort of concrete barriers.
I mean they do concrete flower pots, they do concrete
things that are raised bollards and things that are raised
from the concrete itself. But something that is a lot
more permanent that people understand. You don't go over here,
you know, just using paint. When it snows, you can't
(40:33):
see it. So that's what the issue is there.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
People aren't paying attention to. You drift into the Lane but.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
Absolutely and when we have snow here, I mean, this
was a really mild winter, but boy we've had some
that you really can't see.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
For months and months and months.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
This is the kfab comment line. Your host of the show,
Jean Stouthard. I'm Peyton Highlock. We will see you guys tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
Thanks for listening, Thanks for being with us today
I am very happy, happy to have our guest with
us today, the governor of the great State of Nebraska,
Jim Pillen. Governor Pillen, welcome to the show today.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Hey, good morning, Jean. Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Great to be with you, and I hope you're great
absolutely this nice rainy day. Well, I have so many
questions to ask you today and for you to tell
us what we need to know. But you know, first
I want to say a little bit about Jim Pillen
because I want to toot your horn a little bit
because I remembered when I first met you. You were
a regent, You're from Columbus, Nebraska, and I remember it
(00:33):
very humbly. You kept on referring to yourself as I'm
just a pig farmer, but you are so much more
than that. I think people forget since you have been
governor that you're a veterinarian, you're a livestock producer, you
have a big family business. They kind of have forgotten
about your past. And one of the things with your
(00:53):
past I wanted to mention is you you were a Husker.
You were defensive back from what seventy.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Five to seventy eight yea, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
And played under coach tom Osmoorrene. You were on the
Board of Regents from twenty thirteen to twenty twenty three,
and then you became our forty first governor in twenty
twenty three. So you've been a busy guy. And I'm
going to say this. You were born in nineteen fifty five.
Oh my gosh, I'm a year older than you. You
probably won't let me forget that.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Hey, I'm still fifty years old. I don't know about you.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, I always say seventies is the new forties, so
we'll just stick with that note.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I've liked every decade as I got older.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
I enjoyed it because I just thought, ah, this just
makes me, you know, old, maybe older, and hopefully a
little bit wiser. But Governor boy, I tell you, what
has been going on in Lincoln is something that I
think is really hard to follow. I mean it's hard
for me to follow. I've been trying to follow it.
But I really want you to tell the audience today
(01:57):
really what we need to know. I mean, number one
is in the state of Nebraska, I know is still taxes.
People think their taxes are too high. We want people
to stay here, but just kind of of a review.
Just yesterday the lawmakers passed three measures containing appropriation committees,
(02:17):
mid by any and budget adjustments. Just a little history.
I remember when you spoke in January and the session began,
you said they were facing about a four hundred and
seventy I believe million dollars shortfall. And then when the
Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met in February, that lowered the
(02:38):
predictions of our raise of predictions. It was a deeper
hole that the state got in. So number one, how
did we go from a surplus to such a deficit
in your opinion, what was going on? And then tell
us what we need to know about how you solve
that problem and where we are right now with the budget.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yeah one of them. Yeah, thank you, Thank you, Gene.
And by the way, thanks for all your public service.
There's there's lots of great things happening in Nebraska, a
lots of great things happening in Omahan. You you had
a great impact, so on behalf of Nebraska's Thanks for
all you've done. Gene. You know, I think that I
(03:22):
think that what's really really important is I'm committed to
running government like a business. And that means that what
we've done the past. We have to do things different
because our tax, our tax policy. We've made progress right
and year one nobody, nobody could believe that we were
(03:44):
charging income tax on our seniors for their social security.
That got ended. Income tax. It was historic in twenty
three where we took it down from just under seven percent,
it'll be three point nine twenty seven. That's a step
in the right direction. Decreasing income tax. We have to
go more. The great big bugaboo is our property tax,
(04:08):
and we've made progress. But I'll get to that. But
the first thing, what as governor and the unit camera,
what we have to do is we have to have
a balanced budget. Thank god, we don't operate like the
federal government. We balance our budget. It gets very I
think I can explain why it seems so complicated. So
(04:31):
we started. We started in June our budget. In business,
right in business, we compare months by months or quarter
by quarter, how we did the previous year. In the
first quarter of this year, we were we had decreased
spend two hundred million and we had one hundred million
more revenue than the year before. But because of the
(04:53):
balanced budget, there's this thing called the forecasting board, and
I'm not. And it's a part of the process until
you understand it. So the forecasting board deals with only
one side of the business. If the forecasting board comes
in with projections of revenue, and here's what's pretty fasting.
(05:15):
If the forecasting board comes in with more revenue, the
unicamal spends it, and the good news would be for
shrinking government. The forecasting board came in with less revenue projections.
I I'm not crazy. I view that as a positive
because that helps us shrink government, say no and quit
(05:37):
spending and decrease spending. So that's what we're working on.
We started. I have an awesome cabinet. I have twenty
five out of twenty nine new cabinet members since I've
become governor. Governor. They believe in fiscal responsibility, they believe
in running government like a business. And as I always say,
(05:57):
if you believe you can't. If you believe you can't,
you're one hundred percent correct. We have a team that
believes we can. So we started back June fourteenth. We
started way back last summer. I called it make or
break Nebraska. Didn't matter what the forecasting board, we are
going to run government like a business. We are going
(06:20):
to improve our services, decrease our costs, and we are
going to in the end improve our bottom line a
billion dollars. We were working on that and that is
pretty well what we put forth in our budget in
January fifteenth. We're really excited. I don't have the exact
(06:42):
numbers because things were getting worked on yet lace last night,
but the bottom line, our budget is balanced. We've said
we've said no to spending to about four hundred and
twenty million dollars. We have worked on some rev new
items that will get more revenue that will help. And
(07:03):
then also it's hard to believe, Gene, but we have
over six hundred cash accounts within state government. I call
it pillowcase money. It's money that's accrued up that's not
being utilized. So we have taken and swept some of
those counts because it's the people's money. So it's between
(07:25):
decrease spending, more revenue and utilizing some money that's sitting
in rat holes doing nothing for us. So that's how
we've been able to balance it and filled it in.
And last but not least, what's really really important. We
have the highest credit rating we've ever had for the
(07:45):
state with the triple A. So the state is doing great,
but it is hard because when the Forecasting Board says
there's less revenue coming, it's interpreted that we're broke. No,
we just decreased and like we do in business. So
it's it's it's it's it's really not complicated. Sometimes it's
(08:07):
a little bit harder, but there's there's there's Uh, there's
just simple things that we've done to be able to
make sure every Nebraska that needs services get it gets
it done. Uh and uh, you know, we make sure
and with that we're decreasing spend to shrink government. I
(08:28):
totally believe we've done too many things in the state
that we don't need to be doing and that's our money.
So that's that's kind of the Does that make sense?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
It does make sense.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Explain a little bit more about the Economic Forecasting Advisory Board, though,
I mean, how how often do they meet and they
give these estimates because I know when I did the
City of Omaha's budget twelve times and when we start,
we start in January and we take an estimate of
what our major revenues are going to be, and that
(09:00):
is number one, sales tax, followed by property tax, followed
by that heated tax, the restaurant tax, and then I
look at last year's budget and see where we are,
and then start developing the budget. How does that economic
forecasting board? How do they meet? And in January, for example,
have a deficit of four hundred and seventy million, and
then in February they say, oops, it's a lot more
(09:23):
than we thought.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
How does that work?
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, so the so like four, I used the answer
where we started on our new budget July one, and
then the forecast and where we were three months in
one hundred million over revenue from the previous year, two
hundred million less spend. And then the forecasting board came
in and said we're going to be two hundred two
hundred and twenty million a year short, four hundred and
(09:48):
forty million in the buy aium. So that's their responsibility.
So they say the revenue is going to be down
from where it was when the when the budget started,
and then they did it again in in uh I
think it was in February where that it's another two
hundred down. So those are the things that make it
(10:11):
makes it confusing to people trying to under read the press,
because the press has another two hundred your million in
a hole. It's like, and then somebody's same pillin's bowling
all the money. Well, no, you can be rest assured.
I treat nickels like manhold colors. I don't spend the dime.
It's a decrease in the revenue. So I think it's awesome.
(10:32):
It really really helps us decrease government and really really
helps everybody keep saying, Look, you know a lot of
times people don't want to decrease spend when they have money.
Anybody that's in business and running a very very good business,
you're doing it all the time. You are only using
money when it's creating value, and if you're not creating value,
(10:55):
you stop doing it. And so that that's in pre
in essence what we're doing. So the forecast board comes
out with three different forecasts over the course of the year,
and that's what makes it complicated. But yet you know,
once you understand it, it makes a little more sense.
But it's very very difficult. You know. Hell, it took
me to become governor to figure it out. I didn't
(11:17):
understand it either.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Yeah, it's hard to understand, and even somebody that follows it.
Like me, I know that there were two failed attempts
at advancing the main budget bill. It seemed like the
third one was a charm. I know, I had Senator
von gillern On a week or so ago chair of
Revenue Committee. But can you let me first say so,
is it accurate to say that you balance the budget
(11:41):
with a combination of cuts, revenue generators, and transfers? Is
that pretty much?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Okay? Exactly, decrease spending, some transfers of idle cash, and
a little bit in revenue okay.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
And I just mentioned I know there were two failed
attempts to advance a main budget built forward.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
What were the main roadblocks?
Speaker 1 (12:02):
If you could just describe a few of the things
that the legislature was debating, you know why why were
there too failed attempts?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah? I think that it had to do with in
our original budget, we had had seven million dollars in
it for opportunities scholarships for all kids, kids in private schools,
kids in public schools, so we could help kids have fit.
(12:31):
Some people just totally interpreted as nothing but school choice.
So that that was a really really heavy debate, and
that created a lot of politics and then also in
regard to childcare. So those were the those were the
really the two I don't know if you want to
call them values issues, whatever you want to call them. Honestly,
(12:53):
you know, when we presented originally there were there were
like to the the appropriations, but committee on all the cuts,
you know, I mean there was hundreds of issues. They
approved all of them. So I think in our original budget,
ninety five percent of the issues and ninety some percent
(13:16):
of the cash everybody in the appropriations agreed on. So
sometimes it seems like it's through a controversial it gets
down to you know, I'll call them nitpicking issues, choice issues.
Some are really disappointed with that. One of the things
that's really important on this conversation, Genie, is we were
the first state in the country to do an executive
(13:39):
order on the big beautiful bill that has no sunset. Hopefully,
what that means is it will go on forever. I'm
a believer in getting more than our first share of
federal money to Nebraska. So this federal scholarship program is
for homeschool kids, private school kids, and public school kids,
(14:02):
and we will be working really hard. It starts in
twenty seven to make sure that every school system has
a nonprofit and that they have a scholarship granting organization. So, Gene,
what you can do is write a check to your
favorite school, public or private, for seventeen hundred dollars to
their scholarship granting organization, and then when you fill out
(14:25):
your income tax for twenty seven, you decrease what you
owe the federal government seventeen hundred dollars. Think about what
kind of impact that will do. It can be used
for school lunch programs, for after school programs. We're working
on JAG for tutors, so for tuition in private schools.
(14:47):
So it's really an incredible opportunity to keep our money
home and help it make a difference on our kids.
So that in the end probably was one that took
up more time than it should have been.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
My humble opinion will say as a former school board
member myself for the Miller Public Schools, I can't I
can't even over emphasize how important that is. Are the
the were the teachers union or were they? Were they
some body that was opposed to this or not?
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Yeah, I think that the I think that the interpretation
again was that it was exclusively exclusively for private schools,
so they were totally against it. Again the again you
read the fine the fine print. The it was it
was for the gap year of opportunity scholarships, and it
(15:37):
was in it the money could be used for any
school and and as and that will be with the
federal scholarship program. And you know, originally there were some
folks in public schools when we made that announcement went
at us really hard. I called him and said, let's meet,
let's really talk about this, because, uh, do you want
(15:58):
to take away? Do you want to turn back the
three hundred and ten million that we get from the
federal government for a K twelve education? I don't think
we do. And you know, if we get we have
a million taxpayers in Nebraska gene if twenty percent, if
twenty percent participate, that's seventeen hundred dollars on two hundred
thousand taxpayers. That's that's three hundred and forty million more
(16:20):
dollars it would come into our K twelve system. And
what a difference that way in our school system for
our kids. It's a big deal.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yes, it is now now the process now, as far
as the legislature goes, you have with the budget bill.
You have five calendar days I think I'm correct, excluding Sunday.
You can either sign veto or line item veto and
then of course it would take thirty three votes to
override a veto.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yes? And so well actually, uh yeah, it'll take thirty
three votes over ride a veto, and it takes twenty
votes to sustain to sustain of vetos, So you know
we're working on that. You know, I think that, Yeah,
there's overall and overall I'm really pleased with where we're
at there. There's yeah, there's some things that I'm more
(17:09):
debating whether to swallow on, and we've got to make
those decisions in the next twenty four hours.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
And you can line item veto right correct.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yes, okay, yeah, we sure, Ken.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Well I have you if you have a few more minutes.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
I did want to ask you about LB eleven sixty five,
which is kind of referred to as the the up
merger bill, and you had I think that you and
Senator von Gilleran he supported that bill for you moved
it forward, and so talk a little bit about that
(17:40):
if you can, because we often talk about how important
it is to have more incentives for employees to retain
their employees that they have here in Nebraska, and then
to attract new employees and new businesses. Speak a little
bit about tax incentives in Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, thanks, yeah, thank you, Gene. It was a full
team effort. We worked a ton on this issue in
the off season, and I think that year one on
the campaign trail, all I heard is everywhere across the state,
everybody in business is short people. We need more people. Well,
(18:16):
we've got to track people to Nebraska. So originally I
had an idea that maybe we had five years of
no income tax that would get people drop a barrier
to get more people. Well, in the end that didn't
make sense, so we should have gotten it done sooner.
But the bottom line, what this tax incentive does is
it's to help every size business. Somemmer calling at up. Yeah,
(18:41):
up's a big deal, but every business gosh key with
FNBO businesses in Grand Island and Norfolk and Columbus and Hastings.
We've got extraordinary businesses across the state Scott's Bluff, So
any business can benefit to grow their business and bring
people from out of state. I call it six eight
(19:02):
and ten with a focus on ten economic development. You know,
we're such a hard working, humble people gene. In my lifetime,
I've viewed, let's bring companies here. In our pitches. We
got great people, hardworking and you don't have to pay
them anything, and we have to change that, and we're
(19:22):
changing it. And that's one of the goals of this
is at ten percent, any company that brings people from
out of state pays them one hundred and twenty thousand
dollars or more, you get a ten percent tax credit
for ten years. So if Union Pacific, or if a
(19:44):
big feed lot brings an accountant in and pays them
two hundred thousand dollars a year, they get a twenty
percent tax break on your state income tax for ten
ten years or intel as long as that person works
for them. So it's a it's extraordinarily competitive. It will
it will break the barriers down. If you pay somebody
(20:06):
ninety thousand dollars, you'll get an eight percent break. If
you pay somebody sixty thousand dollars, you get a six percent.
The focus is to sub to make sure we've got
businesses doing great, we have stakeholders doing great. We need
to we want to pay our people more so it
really stimulates our economy so that we buy more stuff,
(20:27):
we go out to eat more, we buy more cars,
you name it. It really will have a great impact
on our economy.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
And I know we've talked about this before when I
was still mayor, but I think that it is referred
to as a UP merger bill because as most people
understand and know now, that UP is mergered with an
Atlanta based railroad, Norfolk Southern, and the last thing we
want to see happen it would be UP to move
(20:53):
their headquarters out of Omaha. It is one of four
five Fortune five hundred companies left in Omaha. We have
Union Pacific Key with Mutual of Omaha and Berkshire. We
did have ConAgra, and when Conagara got a new CEO,
that CEO was from Chicago and they moved their headquarters
to Chicago. We don't want to see that happen again.
(21:13):
We want to have a Nebraska to make it a
business friendly state for all businesses. But we want to
make sure that those that are here that may have
the opportunity to move, that they don't and that they
want to stay here. Because boy UP has a lot
of employees here in Omaha. And look at Mutual they
have four thousand employees here.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
So we will make stop question I met And you
know the other thing that we need to make sure
we appreciate the incredible things we have. And on banking,
we have family banks. We have the largest family owned
bank in the United States of America headquarter in Omaha. Yes,
we have now an engineering firm, the largest employee owned
(21:55):
engineering firm in the world, headquartered in Omaha. We want
to help them grow, so they build another tower of
engineers in Omaha key with one of the greatest builders
in the world. We want to make sure that they
grow and stay in Omaha. And then countless other medium
(22:15):
sized business and small businesses. We have extraordinary businesses in
Omaha and in Nebraska. And you know, somebody said, well,
you can't afford, you can't afford not to This doesn't
cost the state a dime. This far exceeds when you
bring somebody in from out of state that brings the family.
(22:38):
You your way on the positive side of the ledger
of creating value to grow the economy in the state
and for revenue for the state and cities.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
And I know people sometimes they just don't understand how
important it is because you take a business like Keywit,
or you take a business even like HDR. They have
businesses and offices all over the world. They can move
a headquarter anywhere and still function just like they do
here in Omaha. But we want to keep them here.
I know we're running out of time, but Governor, how's
(23:07):
the campaign going?
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Hey? You know, people are gracious. We were able to
make it down to Houston and be with Nebraska fans
and I just get humbled every day people coming up
thanking us for our work. We we have over five
thousand people who have stepped up and helped us. We've
got extraordinary momentum and humbled to have the privilege. And
(23:32):
we're very, very Yeah. We we feel great where we're
at today, and we don't take anything for granted. We
just keep working hard every day and keep building our team.
And you know, only only in Nebraska do people stop
and say thanks for all your work, thanks for not
giving up on property taxes. We're praying for you, and
so maybe that's a great way to end it. On
Holy Week. Nebraska, We're about faith, family, hard work, the
(23:58):
American dream. And you know, we may not agree on everything,
but by elly, stand up for our values, standing up
for who we are. And with the fires that we're
out west, thank God for the rain, and Nebraska came
together like one little bitty village. Everybody help and across
(24:18):
the state. It was really, really tough, but extraordinarily extraordinary
privilege to see people doing things for each other, from
Omaha to Scott's Bluff, across the state. We live in
the greatest places. I love to say, it's the people.
Let me finish with this one. I had a lady
tell me, Jean, I moved to Nebraska. Our family moved
(24:39):
to Nebraska from California twenty two years ago because of safety, education,
and cost of living. We could create wealth for our
family in Nebraska. And she said, twenty two years later,
that's still true. But she said, we will never leave
Nebraska because of the people.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Well, you know, I could say the same thing. This
is a fifth state that I I've lived in, and
I love Omaha, I've loved Nebraska. I've been here for
thirty three years now, and this is where I'm gonna
stay too. So Governor, good luck with the campaign. Thank
you so much for being here. You are very informative
today Happy Easter and go big Red.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Hey, have a good one. Thanks Jane, Thanks for.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
You dude, You're bet Thanks for being on.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
This is in response to the governor. This is coming
from Patrick. It is never an income problem. It is
always a spending problem. Get rid of all non government spending.
Everything needs to be cut by at least fifteen percent
every program, if it is not essential to running the state,
get rid of it.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Well, you know, I understand where he's coming from, but
I can't say that I agree one hundred percent. Cut
everything by just a I don't know where fifteen percent came.
But let me tell you, if you try to cut
everything by fifteen percent, you will be decreasing your services.
And really it depends on whose ox you're gonna go are,
because I mean, what are you gonna say, I'm gonna
I'm gonna cut DJHS.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
So I'm going to cut whatever.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
You are going to run into a lot of issues,
like I said, of decreasing services, and is that what
you want to do. I will go back to the
City of Omaha budget, which I did twelve of them,
and you know you could say, maybe you could say
to me, well, cut everything, cut every city department fifteen percent.
Maybe if they would lay that on the City of Omaha,
it should apply. I would think if he says we
(26:25):
could do this with the state, well, are you going
to cut the Omaha Police Department fifteen percent? Or are
you going to cut the fire department? Are you going
to cut public works and you're not going to have
enough people to plow snow or fill up potholes? I mean,
it depends on if you really can cut those departments
and then also provide the services. And I've said this
(26:46):
before with the City of Omaha, is two thirds of
the general fund city budget is fire and police. And
fire and police are under labor contracts collective bargaining agreements.
You are contractual obligated to pay them the salary that
you agreed on. So where are you going to cut?
So it does make a big difference. Say it's not
(27:08):
a revenue problem, it's just a spending problem. I would
think it is both, because you know, a revenue problem.
When COVID hit in twenty twenty, we were first estimating
maybe a seventy million dollar budget shortfall because of the
decrease in sales tax. Try to deal with that in
the middle of the year. And say we got a
budget done, and it shouldn't matter that your revenue has
(27:30):
just been cut seventy million dollars.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
You should be able to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
It should be hard, though, I'm saying this is not easy,
and every mayor across Nebraska, the governor, the legislature, the
city councils, they should all struggle with that budget because
they should never forget whose money they're spending, and it's
not theirs, it's the tax beyers.
Speaker 5 (27:51):
I have a good one here for you. This one.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Is from Sharon Sorry, excuse me. This one is from
Aaron Gene. What do you think of Mayor Ewing calling
Sheriff Hansen and the county sheriffs quote occupying force end quote?
Are the Omaha police and county sheriffs not good partners?
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
You know what I would say that was that in
my opinion here, I would say that that was a
reckless statement that was made by the mayor. I think
that was an emotional response, a tactical air. It does
not go over very well with folks. You know, the
Sheriff's department covers Douglas County, although Omaha occupies about eighty
(28:39):
percent of Douglas County. It's still in Douglas County, and
the Sheriff's department and the Omaha Police Department should be
good partners and they should be working together all the time.
There are parts you know of Douglas County that obviously.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Are still part of Omaha.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Omaha continues to grow a get bigger with annexation, but
we still should have a very good working relationship and
they can work side by side together. And so I
don't know why the mayor, as a former police officer,
would say something like that. He should be very much
aware of what the sheriff does and what the sheriff's
(29:20):
responsibilities are. And remember it is state law that there
is a sheriff for each county. And so it's not
that Omaha continues to grow so much that we don't
need the Douglas County sheriff anymore. If Omaha really you'd
have to stop and think by state law, if Omaha
grew so much that it completely took over Douglas County,
(29:44):
in my opinion, by state what is in state law,
And I'd have to verify if what I'm saying is
one hundred percent accurate, But I think it would be
the sheriff, would be the chief officer, law enforcement officer
rather than the police chief.
Speaker 5 (30:00):
You're saying in terms of hierarchy.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
In terms of state law, right, right, And so they
should be working together. And I think, you know, I
I think people will have a lot to say about this.
I know Sheriff Hanson has been on the show a lot.
I know Chief Schmier has been on this show a lot.
But there should be a good working relationship and that
that response, I think was a bit reckless.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
And when you were a mayor, how was the relationship
with between them and you in your office?
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Well, if you recall it first, you know Tim Dunning
was was the Douglas County sheriff. Aaron Hanson was elected sheriff.
I supported Aaron when he ran for sheriff. I think
when I ran for mayor this fourth time in that
the the before the primary, Aaron did not come out
and support me where I supported him.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
But did that make me angry at him?
Speaker 5 (30:50):
No?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Heck no. I mean it's his choice, but he.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Still serves and his sheriff's department serves a very very
important role, and they should be working together with the
City of Omaha. And with the Omaha Police Department, and
they have different responsibilities. You know, the Sheriff's department is
over the jail, the Sheriff's department is over the courthouse,
and so they do have different responsibilities and a good
(31:15):
working relationship is vital for public safety. Now let me
bring up one other point though, and I brought this
up before, that when I was mayor for twelve years,
my goals were repeated constantly to the public what my
goals were as mayor. My number one priority as mayor
was public safety. It should be every mayor's number one
(31:36):
priority should be public safety. That is, government's number one
responsibility is keeping the citizens safe. Mary Ewing's number one
priority is affordable housing. Public safety isn't even listed in
his list of priorities.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
So take that for what it is.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
I'm gonna switch gears here a little bit. I've witnessed
something for the first time yesterday that I've never witnessed before.
Tell me, and we had it live on the radio
here in the five o'clock hour. Artemis two.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Oh you and Chris Baker. Yeah, uh huh, Artemis too.
I mean, I'm totally excited.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
About you get the chance to watch that you watched
it live yesterday.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Of course I watched it.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
You know, I've been down to the Kennedy Space Center
when we lived in Texas. This is such an important
mission too, and god speed those astronauts. I did hear
that there was a problem with the toilet and feel
bad for that one woman astronaut's on board. But this
is the first highest stakes mission that NASA had in
(32:34):
fifty four years. And you know right now are they
are orbiting the Earth, which is what they are going
to do with those I mean, it's unbelievable, and those
big rockets are going to shoot them right towards the Moon.
Orian is the capsule that they will be in as
a loop around the Moon. But there's so much important
(32:55):
information that they are going to get from this mission.
You know, are going to be on the dark side
of the Moon, which no one has ever been on
and be able to take pictures. But you know, this
is just a jumping start to get to Mars. And
that's what it's really all about. It's it will human
life be able to be supported to take off from
(33:19):
Earth land on the Moon, make fuel, our get refueled,
and then that be our station there and then send
a rocket to If we can send a rocket to
the Moon and refuel on the Moon, then can we
eventually get to Mars. And that's what this is about.
What is so amazing too, is when they are done
with their ten days, they're going to splash down in
(33:40):
the Pacific Ocean right on the point that they have
planned for them. It's amazing is what the information that
they are going to do. So, like I said, godspeed
to them up there, and I love watching all of this.
But the lift off I thought was so exciting it
sent chills at my back.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Yeah, it was really cool. And like I said, I've
never seen anything like this. I know Tesla and SpaceX
like they've done some, but to have real you know,
those are not manned rockets either.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
You know this is a fact humans.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Yeah, yeah, this is a lot about humans well, and
they will get a lot of information about the humans
on board the Orion. And also I like I said
that the real goal is to figure out if we
can get humans to launch from the Earth, make it
to the Moon, refuel on the Moon, and then explore
(34:30):
what we have in space and so much we can
learn from that.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
Right into this we have Sue on the line. Sue,
thank you for calling news radio eleven to ten KFAB.
You're live with Jeans Author.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Good morning, Good morning.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
Like I told the person that answered, I want to
be educated. I understand that we have to educate all
children in our state. What I'm failing to understand is
why as taxpayers are we having to pay for the
(35:07):
school bus system and why isn't that put on the
people that are using it?
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Oh, okay, you know you don't have a specific tax
for the school bus system. The schools, the public schools
are able. They have their own school board that sets
their own tax. Levey and I brought this up before.
In the city of Omaha, the school districts, if you
look at your property tax bill, are about sixty two
(35:35):
percent of your total bill goes to the school districts.
But there's not a specific tax for bussing the kids.
It's just part of the school district's budget. Now, the
issue is, you are very correct that we are required
by law to educate our students, but some students need
to get to the schools is the issue, and by
(35:57):
state law. And I would have to review on this
one because it's been a long time since I've been
on the school board. But I do believe it's required
that if a student lives more than I believe it's
three miles, or it might be it might be about
three miles from school. I think Millard was two miles
(36:19):
from school. That the school board adopted that, then the
school needed to provide bussing for that student. And so
students that live very close to the school, they did
not have to provide bussing for them, but kids that
lived further away that walking was out of the question.
And a lot of these kids don't have parents that
(36:39):
can get them to school. They are obligated and required
by law to bust those kids to make sure that
they get there. They're also required for kids that receive
special education services because a lot of times they don't
go to the school that is nearest them. They go
to another school, so they have to bust them to there.
So it is just part of the school district's budget,
(37:01):
the cost of what bussing is. But you know, you're
not going to have a good community unless you have
good schools, and we are very very fortunate in the
state of Nebraska to have a good public school system.
We just got to make sure we get our kids there,
and we get our kids there safely and get them
back home again.
Speaker 6 (37:18):
To Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Oh, you're very welcome. Thanks for calling. Very good.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
I got another one for you here. This one comes
from sharing that I mistakenly read earlier.
Speaker 5 (37:32):
But here we go.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
I do not know if you have the answer to this.
Is there reflective paint that could be used for lane
markers when it rains and it's dark, it's impossible to
see the lane.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Yeah, they do use it.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
I mean it is when they repaint and restripe the roads,
which they do every year. They do have reflective paint
that they use. But it fades with time and that's
just what happens. And it depends on the weather. And
we do have some harsh weather conditions here too that
it just fades with time. Now, I will say this,
I don't know what they use in Europe, but I
(38:05):
was when I was in France for a sister city trip,
because we have a new sister city in the northeast
or northwest part of France. Now, they have some reflective
paint they use in France. That is I mean, it's
like a light bulb is under the pavement. I mean
it is bright and it glows, and I don't know
(38:27):
what they use over in Europe or over in France,
but I know there is different products. The issue is
always this too, is how much those other products are
going to cost?
Speaker 3 (38:40):
You know.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
I mean when I talk about the roads here, our
roads are primarily asphalt. For this I'm getting away from
the striping. Asphalt and concrete. Concrete lasts twice as long
as twice as expensive. I am sure that they are
coming up or could come up with other composite materials
that you could do roads with, but it would be
cost prohibitive. I mean, concrete cost a lot of money.
(39:04):
And if you are going to redo all of our
roads in Omaha all you know, fifty five hundred lane
miles a road with some extremely expensive composite, how are
you going to pay for it?
Speaker 3 (39:14):
That's the issue.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
I don't want to pay for it now, and it
would be the.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Taxpayers would pay for it. So you always have to consider.
There are always looking at and making new products that
are more durable, that show up better, say as far
as striping and the paint. But it's what is the
cost to the citizens and as the governor just said,
we want to keep the cost of government as low
as we possibly can, so we want to provide good
(39:38):
services that keep it at a cost that is affordable
for the taxpayers.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
I've seen the white black stripes, you know that those
are back to back. Those have been decently helpful too.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
But I think so too.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
The only time I really don't like just striping alone
is for bike lanes because people don't pay a lot
of attention if there's a stripe along the side of
a road for a bike lane, I think if we
do do bike lanes, they need to be protected, not
just with a stripe of paint.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
So you got about thirty seconds. But how do you
protect it? I mean you do some sort of barriers.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
Have some sort of barriers, some sort of concrete barriers.
I mean they do concrete flower pots, they do concrete
things that are raised bollards and things that are raised
from the concrete itself. But something that is a lot
more permanent that people understand. You don't go over here,
you know, just using paint. When it snows, you can't
(40:33):
see it. So that's what the issue is there.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
People aren't paying attention to. You drift into the Lane but.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
Absolutely and when we have snow here, I mean, this
was a really mild winter, but boy we've had some
that you really can't see.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
For months and months and months.
Speaker 4 (40:47):
This is the kfab comment line. Your host of the show,
Jean Stouthard. I'm Peyton Highlock. We will see you guys tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
Thanks for listening, Thanks for being with us today
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