April 7, 2025 • 30 mins
This week’s show featured Radio Talking Book program director Ryan Osentowski promoting their service for the blind and visually impaired, SHARE Omaha executive director Teresa Mardesen discussing Do Good Days as part of National Volunteer Week later this month, and Gov. Jim Pillen talking about some of the early work done this session by the legislature.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from news radio eleven ten KFAB. It's
Scott for Heats and thank.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You so much for being a part of our program
this week. We welcome back to this show the program
director at the Radio Talking Book here in the Omaha area.
It's Ryan Ozenowski. Ryan, welcome back to Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Scott, thanks for having us back.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Love talking to you about what you do over at
your radio entity over there. We talk shop a little
bit and talk about how you're helping people who are
visually impaired. And there's a big event coming up that
does the fundraising for your organization here in just about
a week's time. Here coming up on Sunday, April thirteenth,
(00:56):
next weekend, it's Whining in the Dark. And before we
talk about what this fundraiser is all about, let's talk
about what you're raising money for. Tell me about Radio
Talking Book.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Well, Scott, I'm happy to tell you that we've just
celebrated our fiftieth year in broadcasting. We came to be
in nineteen seventy four. We are a what I kind
of call a private radio station, which kind of sounds counterintuitive,
but essentially we are a niche broadcast. We broadcast for
people who are blind and visually impaired, and we make
it possible for them to hear the newspapers and other
(01:28):
print materials like magazines and special interest programs.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
All right, people hear this and say, well, doesn't everyone
on radio broadcasts for those who are blind are visually impaired.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, they sure do. But we're specialized because, of course,
when you lose your site, particularly those who are older,
and the biggest segment of the population to go blind
are those who are middle aged and older, they miss
the newspapers. I realized that young people have the Internet
and Google and now there's AI all over the place,
but a lot of older people miss what now passes
for local and state print media. And I say that
(02:02):
jokingly because the World Herald and Lincoln Jurtle Start are
getting smaller and smaller. But we're still here, man, We
are still broadcasting. We have programs that we do every day.
For instance, the Lincoln Turtle Star in the Omaha World Herald,
they go for two hours every day from ten to noon.
We broadcast all over the state papers everywhere from Council
Bluffs to Scott's Bluff, from Norfolk to Carney, Columbus, Fremont,
(02:26):
North Platte. And we just added about a year ago
the Southeast Nebraska segment, So that's Beatrice, Nebraska City, Auburn
and that area.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, so that's wonderful. And you've been there how long?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I've been there seven years now, man, seven and a
half years.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
So I love talking with other people who are in
the radio business about what they personally get out of
their job. When you get feedback from your listeners, what
do they tell you that makes you so happy to
come to work every day.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, I'll tell you what it is, Scott, and it's
you know, it's the fact that for a lot of
older people, and some of them who lose their vision,
they are not living with their relatives or independently anywhere.
They live in retirement facilities and whatnot. And they tell
us that we are a companion to them because we
speak directly to them. Whereas KFAB or other iHeart stations
(03:17):
they broadcast to a wider public interest. We talk directly
to them and they know that we understand what they're
going through. So that always just hits you right here
in the heart. And I'd say the other thing that
we love is our volunteers. We are a volunteer based organization.
We have about eighty five active volunteers that come in
and read and they are such great people. We never
have to write herd on them and chase them down.
(03:38):
They're always there when they're supposed to be Because we're
scheduled based, you know, they have to be in at
a certain time, and they're always there, come rain or shine.
And we love our volunteers, We love our listeners.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
We certainly want to talk about how people can volunteer.
But one more thing about you personally being a part
of this, because you are also blind.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I am indeed, yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
So when you're relating various things going on in the
news and all of this, you're doing it from the
perspective of, here's what I would love for someone to
do for me someone in my situation. This comes directly
from your life.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
It does. I loved radio since I was a kid,
and so I was one of those weird kids that
when I was I always say middle school age, I
started getting at the current events. But I couldn't read
the newspaper man we had. I grew up in Carney
and we had the Carney Daily Hub and other papers
from around the area, including the Lincoln Journal, Star in
Omaha World Herald, and I couldn't read them. But I
(04:32):
love radio, and so this at this stage of my life,
it's a way to meld the two together and stay
on top of current events and also bring the word
to others that need it.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, you couldn't read the column and the Carney Hub
from I want to say his name was Bill O'Neil.
I think was doing that.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I forget. I remember Buck Mahoney, the sports writer, but
I don't remember Bill O'Neill. He wrote a great Yeah,
ask my dad about it.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I went to college at Karney for a little bit. Yeah,
I remember that.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Yeah, reading it's fel drunk without you n K. Yes,
that's right.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Ryan Haasantowski with us from the Radio Talking Book, and
that's online at rtbs dot org Radio Talking Book Service.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You are correct. If you'd like to become a listener
or a volunteer to Radio Talking Book, and if you're
interested in reading out loud. I want to stress that
it's not dramatic reading. A lot of people sign up
thinking it's going to be reading books and doing what
they do on audible to commercial. It's not like that.
We do it a little bit more matter of fact
because a lot of it is news based and current
(05:32):
events based, and so we try not to be overly dramatic.
We do have a program we are called the Nebraska Bookshelf,
which does read books that are either Nebraska focused or
by Nebraska authors. So that's about as close as we
get to literature. Okay, wonderful.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So if someone wanted to volunteer to read, they don't
have to have a radio or broadcasting background.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
They do not. We have people. One of the biggest
segments of people we get are teachers because teachers also
love to read out loud to the kids, whether it's
little kids or high school kids. Teachers they're also very punctual.
You know, if you got to be there at nine
thirty in the morning, they're there. But we have people
from all segments of life. We have people that were
(06:15):
former truck drivers, we have accountants, We have a guy
that used to wear for Omaha Steaks. They run the gambit.
So we do have a couple of radio guys. Steve
sleepers with us and he used to have a show
I Believe on Z ninety two. Cammy Carlisle is our
communications director. Dean Bright used to work with us before
she passed. So we do have a lot of great people.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, Cammy and Dann are products of our radio group
here at darn Stralia and we'll always be part of
our family. Love them both very much. So if people
wanted to volunteer and fulfill their radio dreams, maybe don't
go on there and go all right, everybody, it's seventeen
minutes past the hour, forty three minutes at the top
of the hour of fifty two degrees in downtown got Town.
(06:58):
Let's tell you what's in the new. You don't have to.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Be like that on the radio.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
As long as you would joy roaming out loud, we
probably prefer you didn't do all of that.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
That would be a little distracting for what we do.
It's a little bit more calm. It's not in pr
though some people read like it's this, like it's in
p or you know, you can jazz it up a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, yeah, you you're relating this the same as you
would if your mom was sitting there and she said,
tell me about what's going on here with this news story,
you wouldn't monotone read that. You would converse with her
exactly about it. And that's you know, it's making those connections.
So if people wanted to volunteer, how do they do that?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Again? They can go to www dot rtbs dot org.
They can fill out an application to become a volunteer
or a listener for that matter. If you either are
somebody or know somebody that would benefit from our service,
you can find it on our website. And if you're
not particularly Internet literate or don't have access to a computer,
you can also give us a call. That number is
for zero two five seven two three zero zero three,
(08:00):
and we'll be happy to help you with an application.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Five seven two three zero zero three. Because I know
you get people all the time go what station are
you on? Well, you're on RTBS dot org. And do
we still have special radios where you can pick up
the broadcast of this?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
We do.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Indeed, we partner with Kios Radio. We have what we
call a super secret radio frequency, so you can't hear
it on a normal commercial radio like you would kfab.
You have to have a specialized radio to hear it.
We're also were broadcast on the Internet, but we're now
giving away Alexa smart speakers echo dots and those are
much easier for blind people to set up than our
(08:38):
Internet radios. And they've been going like gangbusters. Oh yeah,
we be easy to do. Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
It's all at RTBS dot org. Correct or call four
oh two five seven two three zero zero three, yes, sir,
to reach out to Radio Talking Book Service RTBS dot org.
Another few minutes here with Ryan Ozanowski, program director the
Radio Talking Book. So that that's what this organization does,
what it's all about. There is a really fundraiser coming
(09:05):
up here in about a week's time, next Sunday, the thirteenth,
Whining in the Dark, tell me about it.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
It is from four to six pm downtown at Nache
Wine Lounge. And what we do is we just get
together and get schnockered for two hours and celebrate Radio
Talking Book. I can't think of a better fundraiser than that.
What they do is they give out some wine samples
and some more dirve samples, and we sit around, we
talk a little bit about Radio Talking Book, mostly it's
just a chance to come together. The dark part used
(09:32):
to be more of a thing. We would put blindfolds
on people and have them drink their wine and eat
their orders. We kind of dispent with that because it
hasn't really dated very well. And where we get just
as many people, if not more, that come in and
you sit down with a group of folks and you
just sample a little bit of wine and some more
dirves and celebrate radio talking book. And the cost is
(09:53):
eighty dollars per person.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Yeah, it's fun to be able to put the blindfold on,
try and eat a dessert and drink some wine, and
you bet and do all that and realize, like, wow,
the things I take for granted, like knowing where my
silverware is, knowing where on the plate this food is,
not knowing what I'm about to put in my mouth,
And we would take all these things for granted. And
it's really fun to be a part of that. But
(10:15):
I'm guessing that the dry cleaning bills, as people are
spilling you know, chocolate cake and wine all over themselves,
probably got to be a little bit too much.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Well for some people, but what we've found is we
don't do the blindfold part anymore, and we still get
people that spill on themselves and they still I'm one
of them. Yeah. Just last year I sloshed a little
bit of wine on my brand new tie, So thanks
a lot for.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
That, right, but in your defense, that was after seven
bottles of one.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
It was I think it was seven, maybe eight. I
lost count. And we also were doing some raffles. We
have some great stuff to raffle off, and we're giving
away a few prizes for someone that's in attendance, including
a collection of books that are signed by Nebraska authors.
So it'll be a good.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Time, excellent, and there's still space, Availa, there is. How
do people get a chance to be a part of
this the evening of Sunday, April thirteenth.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
You can visit our website again www dot rtbs dot
org or give us a call and we will get
you set up with some tickets rt bs dot org.
Four oh two five seven two three zero zero three. Yes, sir,
Winding in the Dark coming up this Sunday, April thirteenth
at nash that's downtown about tenth and Farnham area. What
(11:27):
time does it start? It starts at four pm and
goes to six pm. All right, it's not a do
drop in event. I should say that you want to
be in attendance for the whole thing. So get there
a little before four, get a seat and we will
get you set up.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah, and you want to make that reservation in advance,
correct with a ticket RTBS dot org four oh two
five seven two three zero zero three. Ryan Osanowski, program
director of the Radio Talking Book Service. Always a pleasure.
Thank you so much for what you're doing for the
blind and visually impaired across our area. Thanks for telling
us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Scott, thanks for having us have a you're.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Listening to Community Matters. We are just about two and
a half weeks away from National Volunteer Week, which means
Do Good Days as coming up here April twenty third
through the twenty sixth, and when we've talked about this
over the years on this program, we're happy to talk
with share Omaha. Their executive director, Teresa Martison is back
(12:21):
here on the show, and Teresa, thanks a lot for
coming back on Community Matters.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
All right, So first let's talk about Do Good Days.
What is this whole time period all about so Do.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Good Days is during National Volunteer Week in April, and
it's all about doing good. The doing is the volunteering.
Of course, you know, we can make donations, we can
shop wish list items, but we really are focusing on
the doing and the volunteering. And it's a time to
connect with ways to do good and impact causes that
(12:55):
matter to you.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Absolutely, And this is where we start talking about share
Omaha and what they do as a conduit from those
who want to volunteer but they're not quite sure which
organization needs the most help or what they can do,
or this is a great website, a great organization. Tell
me about share Omaha dot org.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Yeah, so, share Omaha dot org is a way to
connect to find ways to do good, Which means you
can go to share Omaha dot org and search and
sort and filter for volunteer needs and donation needs and
you can think, well, how do I start? Well. You
can search by cause areas, things that are close to
your heart. You can search by day or time that
works for you. You can search by individual or group volunteering.
(13:39):
You can also search by age if you're looking for
something for your.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Kids to do.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, and it's so nice. You can just go on
there and look for veterans, children, pets, you know that
kind of thing, and there's you bet, all these different
organizations that work in that area suddenly populate the page
and you can kind of pick and look through there
and share Omaha. Also, they don't play favorites. It's not
like you search something on Google and whoever is paid
(14:04):
the most to be optimized suddenly jumps up to the
top of the page. That's not exactly how you guys operate.
How do you go about talking with the different organizations
to get everyone listed in the right way on the website.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
Yeah, so a good point. Our platform is completely randomized,
so it doesn't it's not based on a search history
or anything in particular. We want to serve up. We
want to make sure every nonprofit has the right to
be seen for the volunteer needs they have if they
have a profile with us. That's our goal is to
make sure everyone is all the nonprofits are seen for
(14:37):
what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Wonderful Share Omaha dot org and specifically share Omaha dot
org slash do Good Days. What is it? Do you
have a goal in mind here for the do Good
Days coming up the twenty third through to twenty sixth
this month.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Yeah, so here's how we're going to jump start a
new wave of contagious volunteering, all right, which always happens.
Our number is two thousand. We want two thousand new
volunteer sign ups. We always set a goal and we
always achieve it because of the good people in the community.
We can help eclipse. There's a seventeen percent gap of
needs for nonprofits, and we know with you know days
(15:11):
like go do Good Days, we can close that gap.
So that's why we set our goal at two thousand.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Give me an idea here, as we talked with the
executive director of share Omaha, Teresa Martisen, with us on
community matters, give me an idea please. Is some of
the volunteer things that people can do, because I think
that maybe some people say, well, I don't know how to,
you know, build the frame of a house for Habitat
for humanity, And this is the only volunteering I've ever
heard of. So there's lots of things you can do,
(15:39):
including framing OUs if you want.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
But if you can absolutely, if you can hammer a nail,
you can Habitat's awesome. Other things people can do stock
pantry shelves at neighborhood in South Omaha. There's so that's
you know, simple task oriented. A lot of times, like
you know, work can be stressful. Just give me a
t ask at hand type of volunteer thing, right. The
(16:03):
Release Care Closet needs close sorted, so donations and they'll
they'll show you what to do and how to sort them.
They just need people to be there and sort clothes.
The Arthritis Foundation is another great thing to do. They
need people to call past walk participants. So if you're
(16:23):
like I just put me on the phone and I'll
make phone calls to people. I love talking to people. Great,
that's the volunteer thing for you. We've got Radio Talking
Book services. They need book athon readers, so if you
like to read and reading so important, right, So that's
pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Great organization. We just talked to Ryan from Radio Talking
Book earlier in this program.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
I yeah, I love what they do and with the
way people in the community can help that effort is amazing.
So just simple reading if you love to read, and
then I love this. Ronald McDonald house needs some help
around the house, so and that happens a lot with nonprofits.
They just need help around the house, they need help cleaning,
they're not profit or they'll give you. They'll give you
things to do if you're up for that, and which
(17:04):
is great impact because then they can focus on the
mission while they have people in the community volunteering.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Now, when you go to share Omaha dot org, slash
do Good Days and you say you want to volunteer,
do you have some idea what it is you'll be doing,
or you can you tell them what you're able to
do or any limitations you might have Right there when
signing up for volunteering.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
You bet you can search for skills based so that
will really help you understand, Okay, is this a match
with what I'm capable of doing or what I prefer
to do. The each nonprofit who lists a volunteer need
will give details about what it involves, so it'll be
real clear whether you're like no, I don't want to
(17:45):
work outside, or like me, oh, I have bad neees.
I better just do something that's you know, maybe reading
that would be great. So you can search by skills
you can any cause you click on that volunteer need
will be real clear and it'll get down to whether
you need to wear, you know, no open toad shoes
or all the details are there, it'll be real clear.
(18:06):
And the nonprofits listing their needs are always so open
to questions if you ever have questions. So yeah, it's
all about searching the details are there, down to time
to sign up, where to park, all of it.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Wonderful, share omaha dot org, slash do good Days. I
love the phrase you used earlier here. The contagious volunteerism.
I know there are some people that sign up as
individuals to volunteer, but there are a lot of people
that sign up with groups. They get their book club, like, hey,
let's go on and do this this week, a church group,
people at work, family members, they're friends, They go out
(18:44):
and they sign up as groups to do this, and
a lot of times they're bringing in people who've never
done things like this before. And it is contagious to
be able to have that feel good feeling helping out others.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Absolutely, And what happens is people typically find out myself included,
oh I have this skill or this thing I did
growing up, and I in my circle of friends they
do it too. There's a volunteer need there. So of
course then you volunteer together, and then everyone's inspired and
energized and wants more people to come join them. I
mean there's you know, there's things to do if you
(19:18):
grew up doing boxing. I just saw over the weekend
there's a need for people who play pickleball. So that's
a kind of contagious thing where hey, I'm gonna grab
my friends and let's make it contagious.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
You can volunteer to play pickleball.
Speaker 5 (19:35):
That yeah, I think there's a yeah. Right, so they
well to understand the game and like a turn of
need help with a nonprofit focused on sports.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
So surprised they could find an open pickleball court anywhere.
It's a very very popular activity. But you know, and
let's talk also about share Omaha. This is not a
big fundraiser for your organization. You guys are seemingly allergic
to money.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Yeah, right, Well, the neat thing about share omaha dot
org is if you make a donation, which do good
days is also about that. If it's like, you know,
I don't have the time, but I have some treasure
that I'm willing to donate. Absolutely, just know that the
nonprofit you donate too. Through share Omaha, one hundred percent
of that goes straight to the nonprofit. None is kept
to share Omaha.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Yeah, there are certainly some partners that you work with
that help you do this, and if you want to
thank them, this would be an excellent time to do so.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
To you. Bet on that note, we are so grateful
because it makes this possible that we can make sure
the money goes straight to the nonprofits. We've got Fiserv
supporting us for Do Good Days. We've got Metropolitan Utilities
District and UD and Omaha Steaks. We are so grateful
to them. This is how we can drive do Good
Days and keep the energy going through that whole week.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
The week of National Volunteer Week has Do Good Days
as that component. April twenty third through the twenty six
So coming up here and just over a couple of
weeks from now, if for summer and someone says, but wait,
that's the time I was going to go take a
riverboat cruise through Thailand or wherever they're going. This is
not the only week you can volunteer. So this share
(21:10):
Omaha dot Org is there twenty four seven, three sixty five,
And you can always look throughout the year for different
ways to volunteer. But this is just a week to
highlight the different organizations here and we say this is
share Omaha. How many different nonprofits are in the area
that you can sign up to help out.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
We're at about five hundred and eighty plus nonprofit organizations.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Yeah. Absolutely, And it's not an overwhelming thing to visit
the website because, like I said, it's broken down by
different things that maybe you are really passionate about.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
Yeah, all you have to do, you know, it's not
like third eighty. You know, a list of volunteers. You
click the volunteer button, you'll see the search on the
left hand side, skills based cause, passion, area, age group,
individual group, so simple and then it's it's all about
clicking and getting the information. Very simple.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
That is the executive director of share Omaha, Teresa Martisen.
Here as National Volunteer Week and Do Good Days coming
up here April twenty third through the twenty sixth. Visit
share Omaha dot org slash do Good Days and you
can help share Omaha shape the community in which you
live and want to live. Theresa, a great job that
(22:25):
you guys are doing connecting volunteers with these wonderful nonprofits.
Thanks so much for doing it, Thanks for telling us
about it. On Community Matters, thank you. And finally on
Community Matters this week, we go to a recent edition
of kfab's Morning News where the hosts of that program,
Gary Sadelmeyer and Jim Rose talk to legislative and tax
issues with Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
Been a while Governor.
Speaker 6 (22:48):
Good morning, Good morning, how you guys doing well.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Good to have you back here. I just want to
check in because we have reached the stage now in
the legislative session where we're starting to get a little
clarity on what might the survive the various committee and
first and various rounds of debate process and have a
chance to become law. What do you see happening that
you like and what do you not.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Like so far?
Speaker 6 (23:10):
Well, I think that what I like so far is
it up until now we're what sixty fifty days through,
and I think that for the most part, everybody, the
culture of the unit camera has improved. People are working
the unit camera's working for the people. There's not a
(23:32):
lot of gamesmanship going on, and people for the most
part are going at it in a respectful way. I
think that's what we Nebraskans expect of our elective officials
to get in there do the work. We don't have
to play the folly games. Let's just go get work.
So I'm pleased with that. I don't watch it every
single day, every moment, but for the most part of
(23:54):
that part's good, and our team's working very very hard
to partner with every center. We're talking. This doesn't matter
what color vests they have on to make sure that
the policy that we believe in, it's really important that
we can get them home. So we're very upbeak with
where we're at. Obviously, the biggest, the most important job
(24:15):
is to get the budget. You know, we got a
really big stick in the arm from the federal government
last fall with a three percent reduction in our Medicaid reimbursement,
which cost our budget about porn fifty million dollars. So
we've worked very very hard, working very hard with the
Appropriations Committee to make sure that we have a balanced budget.
We feel great where that's at. Our cash reserve funds
(24:39):
are really really good shape, and our general funds real strong.
So there's some people saying the States broke. They obviously
don't understand how that process goes on. We feel very
very good with where we're at. Key to key to
making sure we run the state like a business is
(25:01):
we can't make everybody happy. We have to say no,
we have to be physically constraint. It's the people's money,
and we're making good progress with that.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Jim, how much of the budget four hundred million dollars
shortfall is accounting? Because is some of that ARPA funds
that were spent last year that don't exist this year?
There were one time purchases that really aren't going to
be an ongoing budget appropriation. And if that is so,
why was it positioned differently?
Speaker 6 (25:28):
Yeah? No, no, no, this was It's called the f MAP,
but I didn't understand it until But it's called the
f MAP, and it's a federal government formula that takes
away from some states gives to others. Well, obviously, when
the dust settle, go back to Washington and talk about
and how ridiculous it is that we the state got
(25:51):
a three percent picky because our state's been doing well,
because our per capity income has grown, and because of
our low unemployment. So that's a that's a not a
has nothing to do with any of the funny money.
Our of funding money. This is a this is a
medicaid funding And you know, I want federal government out
of our heirs, but we want to make sure that
(26:13):
we get more than our fair share of the federal
dollars because we're entitled to federal dollars like any other states.
Speaker 7 (26:20):
Now talk about tiff because property taxes are important to you.
You want a formulaic change in how we collect property taxes.
And if that is so, then the hundreds of millions
on just one project in Omaha could be in financial
jeopardy if we change the way we value property and
collect property taxes.
Speaker 6 (26:39):
First off, Jim Jim Pillen, eighty five percent of the
people in Nebraska speak very loud that we have a
property tax crisis. And my job is to respond and
work for the people, and we will solve the property
tax crisis. It is absolutely central. You know, we we
(27:01):
have states right now, right now that are that are
going to zero income tax and their solution is to
develop a sales tax. Nebraska, we have to get out
of stone ages. We have to broaden our sales tax
uh and make sure that we're not in the top
five in property tax. Obviously, when that takes place. We
(27:23):
will get that through uh incrementally in the next several years.
But in that time frame there are some tax increment
financing commitments will have to be lived with. I think
what's really really important in the in the discussion of
tax increment financing and incentives and grants and all that
(27:47):
sort of thing. I think what's really really important is
is this we need to ask ourselves, you know, is
this something government really should be doing? Is this something
that that the free market should be doing? You know,
are we really are we really improving the greater good
of our community? And you know that's that's for everybody
to decide. I believe this. There is certainly great evidence
(28:12):
of the use of tax increment financing to be able
to help stimulate economic development communities. There's there's no ifens or.
But the highest, the highest consumer of our property tax
money is our education. When we have communities, when we
have communities that the school's half empty, and you can
(28:34):
use taxing increment financing for housing projects and so forth
to to grow your community, uh, and you know you don't,
you don't change your cost of educating children at all
because they're half empty. You know, taxing, increment financing is
a fantastic vehicle. Uh, you know, and and and there's
there's there's places where it can really help stimulate economic development. Again,
(28:58):
those are things that are really really important that they're
done at the local level. I don't believe we want
the state telling us what to do. But the thing
everybody's got to understand, we pay the fiddler. And that's
why we've worked very hard on getting caps, getting caps
on local government so that we can control spending where
I'm guilty. I've never gone to the city council meeting
in my life. I've never gone to a school board meeting.
(29:20):
I've never gone to the county board meeting. And Kay,
what are we doing, neighbors? And we're not good at that.
We are two Nebraska nice. And that's why having the
caps is a step, really really powerful step so we
can control property tax. And now we just got to
diverse diversify it. Have the state has to quit quitting
on kids. We have to quit quitting on kids. The
state has to fund CA twelve Education's Crystal Career.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
This has been Community Matters, a weekly public affairs special
on CAT one O three, Omaha's greatest hits ninety nine
point nine kg R News Radio, eleven ten KFAB, Country's
Greatest Hits, ninety three three The Wolf and ninety six
to one kiss FM. Thank you so much for listening,
and enjoy it the rest of your day
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from news radio eleven ten KFAB. It's
Scott for Heats and thank.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You so much for being a part of our program
this week. We welcome back to this show the program
director at the Radio Talking Book here in the Omaha area.
It's Ryan Ozenowski. Ryan, welcome back to Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Scott, thanks for having us back.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Love talking to you about what you do over at
your radio entity over there. We talk shop a little
bit and talk about how you're helping people who are
visually impaired. And there's a big event coming up that
does the fundraising for your organization here in just about
a week's time. Here coming up on Sunday, April thirteenth,
(00:56):
next weekend, it's Whining in the Dark. And before we
talk about what this fundraiser is all about, let's talk
about what you're raising money for. Tell me about Radio
Talking Book.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Well, Scott, I'm happy to tell you that we've just
celebrated our fiftieth year in broadcasting. We came to be
in nineteen seventy four. We are a what I kind
of call a private radio station, which kind of sounds counterintuitive,
but essentially we are a niche broadcast. We broadcast for
people who are blind and visually impaired, and we make
it possible for them to hear the newspapers and other
(01:28):
print materials like magazines and special interest programs.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
All right, people hear this and say, well, doesn't everyone
on radio broadcasts for those who are blind are visually impaired.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, they sure do. But we're specialized because, of course,
when you lose your site, particularly those who are older,
and the biggest segment of the population to go blind
are those who are middle aged and older, they miss
the newspapers. I realized that young people have the Internet
and Google and now there's AI all over the place,
but a lot of older people miss what now passes
for local and state print media. And I say that
(02:02):
jokingly because the World Herald and Lincoln Jurtle Start are
getting smaller and smaller. But we're still here, man, We
are still broadcasting. We have programs that we do every day.
For instance, the Lincoln Turtle Star in the Omaha World Herald,
they go for two hours every day from ten to noon.
We broadcast all over the state papers everywhere from Council
Bluffs to Scott's Bluff, from Norfolk to Carney, Columbus, Fremont,
(02:26):
North Platte. And we just added about a year ago
the Southeast Nebraska segment, So that's Beatrice, Nebraska City, Auburn
and that area.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yeah, so that's wonderful. And you've been there how long?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I've been there seven years now, man, seven and a
half years.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
So I love talking with other people who are in
the radio business about what they personally get out of
their job. When you get feedback from your listeners, what
do they tell you that makes you so happy to
come to work every day.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, I'll tell you what it is, Scott, and it's
you know, it's the fact that for a lot of
older people, and some of them who lose their vision,
they are not living with their relatives or independently anywhere.
They live in retirement facilities and whatnot. And they tell
us that we are a companion to them because we
speak directly to them. Whereas KFAB or other iHeart stations
(03:17):
they broadcast to a wider public interest. We talk directly
to them and they know that we understand what they're
going through. So that always just hits you right here
in the heart. And I'd say the other thing that
we love is our volunteers. We are a volunteer based organization.
We have about eighty five active volunteers that come in
and read and they are such great people. We never
have to write herd on them and chase them down.
(03:38):
They're always there when they're supposed to be Because we're
scheduled based, you know, they have to be in at
a certain time, and they're always there, come rain or shine.
And we love our volunteers, We love our listeners.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
We certainly want to talk about how people can volunteer.
But one more thing about you personally being a part
of this, because you are also blind.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I am indeed, yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
So when you're relating various things going on in the
news and all of this, you're doing it from the
perspective of, here's what I would love for someone to
do for me someone in my situation. This comes directly
from your life.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
It does. I loved radio since I was a kid,
and so I was one of those weird kids that
when I was I always say middle school age, I
started getting at the current events. But I couldn't read
the newspaper man we had. I grew up in Carney
and we had the Carney Daily Hub and other papers
from around the area, including the Lincoln Journal, Star in
Omaha World Herald, and I couldn't read them. But I
(04:32):
love radio, and so this at this stage of my life,
it's a way to meld the two together and stay
on top of current events and also bring the word
to others that need it.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, you couldn't read the column and the Carney Hub
from I want to say his name was Bill O'Neil.
I think was doing that.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I forget. I remember Buck Mahoney, the sports writer, but
I don't remember Bill O'Neill. He wrote a great Yeah,
ask my dad about it.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I went to college at Karney for a little bit. Yeah,
I remember that.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Yeah, reading it's fel drunk without you n K. Yes,
that's right.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Ryan Haasantowski with us from the Radio Talking Book, and
that's online at rtbs dot org Radio Talking Book Service.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You are correct. If you'd like to become a listener
or a volunteer to Radio Talking Book, and if you're
interested in reading out loud. I want to stress that
it's not dramatic reading. A lot of people sign up
thinking it's going to be reading books and doing what
they do on audible to commercial. It's not like that.
We do it a little bit more matter of fact
because a lot of it is news based and current
(05:32):
events based, and so we try not to be overly dramatic.
We do have a program we are called the Nebraska Bookshelf,
which does read books that are either Nebraska focused or
by Nebraska authors. So that's about as close as we
get to literature. Okay, wonderful.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So if someone wanted to volunteer to read, they don't
have to have a radio or broadcasting background.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
They do not. We have people. One of the biggest
segments of people we get are teachers because teachers also
love to read out loud to the kids, whether it's
little kids or high school kids. Teachers they're also very punctual.
You know, if you got to be there at nine
thirty in the morning, they're there. But we have people
from all segments of life. We have people that were
(06:15):
former truck drivers, we have accountants, We have a guy
that used to wear for Omaha Steaks. They run the gambit.
So we do have a couple of radio guys. Steve
sleepers with us and he used to have a show
I Believe on Z ninety two. Cammy Carlisle is our
communications director. Dean Bright used to work with us before
she passed. So we do have a lot of great people.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, Cammy and Dann are products of our radio group
here at darn Stralia and we'll always be part of
our family. Love them both very much. So if people
wanted to volunteer and fulfill their radio dreams, maybe don't
go on there and go all right, everybody, it's seventeen
minutes past the hour, forty three minutes at the top
of the hour of fifty two degrees in downtown got Town.
(06:58):
Let's tell you what's in the new. You don't have to.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Be like that on the radio.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
As long as you would joy roaming out loud, we
probably prefer you didn't do all of that.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
That would be a little distracting for what we do.
It's a little bit more calm. It's not in pr
though some people read like it's this, like it's in
p or you know, you can jazz it up a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, yeah, you you're relating this the same as you
would if your mom was sitting there and she said,
tell me about what's going on here with this news story,
you wouldn't monotone read that. You would converse with her
exactly about it. And that's you know, it's making those connections.
So if people wanted to volunteer, how do they do that?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Again? They can go to www dot rtbs dot org.
They can fill out an application to become a volunteer
or a listener for that matter. If you either are
somebody or know somebody that would benefit from our service,
you can find it on our website. And if you're
not particularly Internet literate or don't have access to a computer,
you can also give us a call. That number is
for zero two five seven two three zero zero three,
(08:00):
and we'll be happy to help you with an application.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Five seven two three zero zero three. Because I know
you get people all the time go what station are
you on? Well, you're on RTBS dot org. And do
we still have special radios where you can pick up
the broadcast of this?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
We do.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Indeed, we partner with Kios Radio. We have what we
call a super secret radio frequency, so you can't hear
it on a normal commercial radio like you would kfab.
You have to have a specialized radio to hear it.
We're also were broadcast on the Internet, but we're now
giving away Alexa smart speakers echo dots and those are
much easier for blind people to set up than our
(08:38):
Internet radios. And they've been going like gangbusters. Oh yeah,
we be easy to do. Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
It's all at RTBS dot org. Correct or call four
oh two five seven two three zero zero three, yes, sir,
to reach out to Radio Talking Book Service RTBS dot org.
Another few minutes here with Ryan Ozanowski, program director the
Radio Talking Book. So that that's what this organization does,
what it's all about. There is a really fundraiser coming
(09:05):
up here in about a week's time, next Sunday, the thirteenth,
Whining in the Dark, tell me about it.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
It is from four to six pm downtown at Nache
Wine Lounge. And what we do is we just get
together and get schnockered for two hours and celebrate Radio
Talking Book. I can't think of a better fundraiser than that.
What they do is they give out some wine samples
and some more dirve samples, and we sit around, we
talk a little bit about Radio Talking Book, mostly it's
just a chance to come together. The dark part used
(09:32):
to be more of a thing. We would put blindfolds
on people and have them drink their wine and eat
their orders. We kind of dispent with that because it
hasn't really dated very well. And where we get just
as many people, if not more, that come in and
you sit down with a group of folks and you
just sample a little bit of wine and some more
dirves and celebrate radio talking book. And the cost is
(09:53):
eighty dollars per person.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Yeah, it's fun to be able to put the blindfold on,
try and eat a dessert and drink some wine, and
you bet and do all that and realize, like, wow,
the things I take for granted, like knowing where my
silverware is, knowing where on the plate this food is,
not knowing what I'm about to put in my mouth,
And we would take all these things for granted. And
it's really fun to be a part of that. But
(10:15):
I'm guessing that the dry cleaning bills, as people are
spilling you know, chocolate cake and wine all over themselves,
probably got to be a little bit too much.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Well for some people, but what we've found is we
don't do the blindfold part anymore, and we still get
people that spill on themselves and they still I'm one
of them. Yeah. Just last year I sloshed a little
bit of wine on my brand new tie, So thanks
a lot for.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
That, right, but in your defense, that was after seven
bottles of one.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
It was I think it was seven, maybe eight. I
lost count. And we also were doing some raffles. We
have some great stuff to raffle off, and we're giving
away a few prizes for someone that's in attendance, including
a collection of books that are signed by Nebraska authors.
So it'll be a good.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Time, excellent, and there's still space, Availa, there is. How
do people get a chance to be a part of
this the evening of Sunday, April thirteenth.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
You can visit our website again www dot rtbs dot
org or give us a call and we will get
you set up with some tickets rt bs dot org.
Four oh two five seven two three zero zero three. Yes, sir,
Winding in the Dark coming up this Sunday, April thirteenth
at nash that's downtown about tenth and Farnham area. What
(11:27):
time does it start? It starts at four pm and
goes to six pm. All right, it's not a do
drop in event. I should say that you want to
be in attendance for the whole thing. So get there
a little before four, get a seat and we will
get you set up.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah, and you want to make that reservation in advance,
correct with a ticket RTBS dot org four oh two
five seven two three zero zero three. Ryan Osanowski, program
director of the Radio Talking Book Service. Always a pleasure.
Thank you so much for what you're doing for the
blind and visually impaired across our area. Thanks for telling
us about it on Community Matters.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Scott, thanks for having us have a you're.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Listening to Community Matters. We are just about two and
a half weeks away from National Volunteer Week, which means
Do Good Days as coming up here April twenty third
through the twenty sixth, and when we've talked about this
over the years on this program, we're happy to talk
with share Omaha. Their executive director, Teresa Martison is back
(12:21):
here on the show, and Teresa, thanks a lot for
coming back on Community Matters.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
All right, So first let's talk about Do Good Days.
What is this whole time period all about so Do.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Good Days is during National Volunteer Week in April, and
it's all about doing good. The doing is the volunteering.
Of course, you know, we can make donations, we can
shop wish list items, but we really are focusing on
the doing and the volunteering. And it's a time to
connect with ways to do good and impact causes that
(12:55):
matter to you.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Absolutely, And this is where we start talking about share
Omaha and what they do as a conduit from those
who want to volunteer but they're not quite sure which
organization needs the most help or what they can do,
or this is a great website, a great organization. Tell
me about share Omaha dot org.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Yeah, so, share Omaha dot org is a way to
connect to find ways to do good, Which means you
can go to share Omaha dot org and search and
sort and filter for volunteer needs and donation needs and
you can think, well, how do I start? Well. You
can search by cause areas, things that are close to
your heart. You can search by day or time that
works for you. You can search by individual or group volunteering.
(13:39):
You can also search by age if you're looking for
something for your.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Kids to do.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Yeah, and it's so nice. You can just go on
there and look for veterans, children, pets, you know that
kind of thing, and there's you bet, all these different
organizations that work in that area suddenly populate the page
and you can kind of pick and look through there
and share Omaha. Also, they don't play favorites. It's not
like you search something on Google and whoever is paid
(14:04):
the most to be optimized suddenly jumps up to the
top of the page. That's not exactly how you guys operate.
How do you go about talking with the different organizations
to get everyone listed in the right way on the website.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
Yeah, so a good point. Our platform is completely randomized,
so it doesn't it's not based on a search history
or anything in particular. We want to serve up. We
want to make sure every nonprofit has the right to
be seen for the volunteer needs they have if they
have a profile with us. That's our goal is to
make sure everyone is all the nonprofits are seen for
(14:37):
what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Wonderful Share Omaha dot org and specifically share Omaha dot
org slash do Good Days. What is it? Do you
have a goal in mind here for the do Good
Days coming up the twenty third through to twenty sixth
this month.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Yeah, so here's how we're going to jump start a
new wave of contagious volunteering, all right, which always happens.
Our number is two thousand. We want two thousand new
volunteer sign ups. We always set a goal and we
always achieve it because of the good people in the community.
We can help eclipse. There's a seventeen percent gap of
needs for nonprofits, and we know with you know days
(15:11):
like go do Good Days, we can close that gap.
So that's why we set our goal at two thousand.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Give me an idea here, as we talked with the
executive director of share Omaha, Teresa Martisen, with us on
community matters, give me an idea please. Is some of
the volunteer things that people can do, because I think
that maybe some people say, well, I don't know how to,
you know, build the frame of a house for Habitat
for humanity, And this is the only volunteering I've ever
heard of. So there's lots of things you can do,
(15:39):
including framing OUs if you want.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
But if you can absolutely, if you can hammer a nail,
you can Habitat's awesome. Other things people can do stock
pantry shelves at neighborhood in South Omaha. There's so that's
you know, simple task oriented. A lot of times, like
you know, work can be stressful. Just give me a
t ask at hand type of volunteer thing, right. The
(16:03):
Release Care Closet needs close sorted, so donations and they'll
they'll show you what to do and how to sort them.
They just need people to be there and sort clothes.
The Arthritis Foundation is another great thing to do. They
need people to call past walk participants. So if you're
(16:23):
like I just put me on the phone and I'll
make phone calls to people. I love talking to people. Great,
that's the volunteer thing for you. We've got Radio Talking
Book services. They need book athon readers, so if you
like to read and reading so important, right, So that's
pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Great organization. We just talked to Ryan from Radio Talking
Book earlier in this program.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
I yeah, I love what they do and with the
way people in the community can help that effort is amazing.
So just simple reading if you love to read, and
then I love this. Ronald McDonald house needs some help
around the house, so and that happens a lot with nonprofits.
They just need help around the house, they need help cleaning,
they're not profit or they'll give you. They'll give you
things to do if you're up for that, and which
(17:04):
is great impact because then they can focus on the
mission while they have people in the community volunteering.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Now, when you go to share Omaha dot org, slash
do Good Days and you say you want to volunteer,
do you have some idea what it is you'll be doing,
or you can you tell them what you're able to
do or any limitations you might have Right there when
signing up for volunteering.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
You bet you can search for skills based so that
will really help you understand, Okay, is this a match
with what I'm capable of doing or what I prefer
to do. The each nonprofit who lists a volunteer need
will give details about what it involves, so it'll be
real clear whether you're like no, I don't want to
(17:45):
work outside, or like me, oh, I have bad neees.
I better just do something that's you know, maybe reading
that would be great. So you can search by skills
you can any cause you click on that volunteer need
will be real clear and it'll get down to whether
you need to wear, you know, no open toad shoes
or all the details are there, it'll be real clear.
(18:06):
And the nonprofits listing their needs are always so open
to questions if you ever have questions. So yeah, it's
all about searching the details are there, down to time
to sign up, where to park, all of it.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Wonderful, share omaha dot org, slash do good Days. I
love the phrase you used earlier here. The contagious volunteerism.
I know there are some people that sign up as
individuals to volunteer, but there are a lot of people
that sign up with groups. They get their book club, like, hey,
let's go on and do this this week, a church group,
people at work, family members, they're friends, They go out
(18:44):
and they sign up as groups to do this, and
a lot of times they're bringing in people who've never
done things like this before. And it is contagious to
be able to have that feel good feeling helping out others.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Absolutely, And what happens is people typically find out myself included,
oh I have this skill or this thing I did
growing up, and I in my circle of friends they
do it too. There's a volunteer need there. So of
course then you volunteer together, and then everyone's inspired and
energized and wants more people to come join them. I
mean there's you know, there's things to do if you
(19:18):
grew up doing boxing. I just saw over the weekend
there's a need for people who play pickleball. So that's
a kind of contagious thing where hey, I'm gonna grab
my friends and let's make it contagious.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
You can volunteer to play pickleball.
Speaker 5 (19:35):
That yeah, I think there's a yeah. Right, so they
well to understand the game and like a turn of
need help with a nonprofit focused on sports.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
So surprised they could find an open pickleball court anywhere.
It's a very very popular activity. But you know, and
let's talk also about share Omaha. This is not a
big fundraiser for your organization. You guys are seemingly allergic
to money.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Yeah, right, Well, the neat thing about share omaha dot
org is if you make a donation, which do good
days is also about that. If it's like, you know,
I don't have the time, but I have some treasure
that I'm willing to donate. Absolutely, just know that the
nonprofit you donate too. Through share Omaha, one hundred percent
of that goes straight to the nonprofit. None is kept
to share Omaha.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Yeah, there are certainly some partners that you work with
that help you do this, and if you want to
thank them, this would be an excellent time to do so.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
To you. Bet on that note, we are so grateful
because it makes this possible that we can make sure
the money goes straight to the nonprofits. We've got Fiserv
supporting us for Do Good Days. We've got Metropolitan Utilities
District and UD and Omaha Steaks. We are so grateful
to them. This is how we can drive do Good
Days and keep the energy going through that whole week.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
The week of National Volunteer Week has Do Good Days
as that component. April twenty third through the twenty six
So coming up here and just over a couple of
weeks from now, if for summer and someone says, but wait,
that's the time I was going to go take a
riverboat cruise through Thailand or wherever they're going. This is
not the only week you can volunteer. So this share
(21:10):
Omaha dot Org is there twenty four seven, three sixty five,
And you can always look throughout the year for different
ways to volunteer. But this is just a week to
highlight the different organizations here and we say this is
share Omaha. How many different nonprofits are in the area
that you can sign up to help out.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
We're at about five hundred and eighty plus nonprofit organizations.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Yeah. Absolutely, And it's not an overwhelming thing to visit
the website because, like I said, it's broken down by
different things that maybe you are really passionate about.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
Yeah, all you have to do, you know, it's not
like third eighty. You know, a list of volunteers. You
click the volunteer button, you'll see the search on the
left hand side, skills based cause, passion, area, age group,
individual group, so simple and then it's it's all about
clicking and getting the information. Very simple.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
That is the executive director of share Omaha, Teresa Martisen.
Here as National Volunteer Week and Do Good Days coming
up here April twenty third through the twenty sixth. Visit
share Omaha dot org slash do Good Days and you
can help share Omaha shape the community in which you
live and want to live. Theresa, a great job that
(22:25):
you guys are doing connecting volunteers with these wonderful nonprofits.
Thanks so much for doing it, Thanks for telling us
about it. On Community Matters, thank you. And finally on
Community Matters this week, we go to a recent edition
of kfab's Morning News where the hosts of that program,
Gary Sadelmeyer and Jim Rose talk to legislative and tax
issues with Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
Been a while Governor.
Speaker 6 (22:48):
Good morning, Good morning, how you guys doing well.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Good to have you back here. I just want to
check in because we have reached the stage now in
the legislative session where we're starting to get a little
clarity on what might the survive the various committee and
first and various rounds of debate process and have a
chance to become law. What do you see happening that
you like and what do you not.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Like so far?
Speaker 6 (23:10):
Well, I think that what I like so far is
it up until now we're what sixty fifty days through,
and I think that for the most part, everybody, the
culture of the unit camera has improved. People are working
the unit camera's working for the people. There's not a
(23:32):
lot of gamesmanship going on, and people for the most
part are going at it in a respectful way. I
think that's what we Nebraskans expect of our elective officials
to get in there do the work. We don't have
to play the folly games. Let's just go get work.
So I'm pleased with that. I don't watch it every
single day, every moment, but for the most part of
(23:54):
that part's good, and our team's working very very hard
to partner with every center. We're talking. This doesn't matter
what color vests they have on to make sure that
the policy that we believe in, it's really important that
we can get them home. So we're very upbeak with
where we're at. Obviously, the biggest, the most important job
(24:15):
is to get the budget. You know, we got a
really big stick in the arm from the federal government
last fall with a three percent reduction in our Medicaid reimbursement,
which cost our budget about porn fifty million dollars. So
we've worked very very hard, working very hard with the
Appropriations Committee to make sure that we have a balanced budget.
We feel great where that's at. Our cash reserve funds
(24:39):
are really really good shape, and our general funds real strong.
So there's some people saying the States broke. They obviously
don't understand how that process goes on. We feel very
very good with where we're at. Key to key to
making sure we run the state like a business is
(25:01):
we can't make everybody happy. We have to say no,
we have to be physically constraint. It's the people's money,
and we're making good progress with that.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Jim, how much of the budget four hundred million dollars
shortfall is accounting? Because is some of that ARPA funds
that were spent last year that don't exist this year?
There were one time purchases that really aren't going to
be an ongoing budget appropriation. And if that is so,
why was it positioned differently?
Speaker 6 (25:28):
Yeah? No, no, no, this was It's called the f MAP,
but I didn't understand it until But it's called the
f MAP, and it's a federal government formula that takes
away from some states gives to others. Well, obviously, when
the dust settle, go back to Washington and talk about
and how ridiculous it is that we the state got
(25:51):
a three percent picky because our state's been doing well,
because our per capity income has grown, and because of
our low unemployment. So that's a that's a not a
has nothing to do with any of the funny money.
Our of funding money. This is a this is a
medicaid funding And you know, I want federal government out
of our heirs, but we want to make sure that
(26:13):
we get more than our fair share of the federal
dollars because we're entitled to federal dollars like any other states.
Speaker 7 (26:20):
Now talk about tiff because property taxes are important to you.
You want a formulaic change in how we collect property taxes.
And if that is so, then the hundreds of millions
on just one project in Omaha could be in financial
jeopardy if we change the way we value property and
collect property taxes.
Speaker 6 (26:39):
First off, Jim Jim Pillen, eighty five percent of the
people in Nebraska speak very loud that we have a
property tax crisis. And my job is to respond and
work for the people, and we will solve the property
tax crisis. It is absolutely central. You know, we we
(27:01):
have states right now, right now that are that are
going to zero income tax and their solution is to
develop a sales tax. Nebraska, we have to get out
of stone ages. We have to broaden our sales tax
uh and make sure that we're not in the top
five in property tax. Obviously, when that takes place. We
(27:23):
will get that through uh incrementally in the next several years.
But in that time frame there are some tax increment
financing commitments will have to be lived with. I think
what's really really important in the in the discussion of
tax increment financing and incentives and grants and all that
(27:47):
sort of thing. I think what's really really important is
is this we need to ask ourselves, you know, is
this something government really should be doing? Is this something
that that the free market should be doing? You know,
are we really are we really improving the greater good
of our community? And you know that's that's for everybody
to decide. I believe this. There is certainly great evidence
(28:12):
of the use of tax increment financing to be able
to help stimulate economic development communities. There's there's no ifens or.
But the highest, the highest consumer of our property tax
money is our education. When we have communities, when we
have communities that the school's half empty, and you can
(28:34):
use taxing increment financing for housing projects and so forth
to to grow your community, uh, and you know you don't,
you don't change your cost of educating children at all
because they're half empty. You know, taxing, increment financing is
a fantastic vehicle. Uh, you know, and and and there's
there's there's places where it can really help stimulate economic development. Again,
(28:58):
those are things that are really really important that they're
done at the local level. I don't believe we want
the state telling us what to do. But the thing
everybody's got to understand, we pay the fiddler. And that's
why we've worked very hard on getting caps, getting caps
on local government so that we can control spending where
I'm guilty. I've never gone to the city council meeting
in my life. I've never gone to a school board meeting.
(29:20):
I've never gone to the county board meeting. And Kay,
what are we doing, neighbors? And we're not good at that.
We are two Nebraska nice. And that's why having the
caps is a step, really really powerful step so we
can control property tax. And now we just got to
diverse diversify it. Have the state has to quit quitting
on kids. We have to quit quitting on kids. The
state has to fund CA twelve Education's Crystal Career.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
This has been Community Matters, a weekly public affairs special
on CAT one O three, Omaha's greatest hits ninety nine
point nine kg R News Radio, eleven ten KFAB, Country's
Greatest Hits, ninety three three The Wolf and ninety six
to one kiss FM. Thank you so much for listening,
and enjoy it the rest of your day
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