Krusin' the Capitol
By Nebraska State Senator Lowen Kruse
2003
Week 9
March 8, 2003
Hi
The World-Herald had an article on stormwater runoff this past week, which
grabbed the attention of several of you. Well it should.
I have attended two briefings on it, one on each side. One was called a
"Stormwater luncheon." I did not want anything to drink.
The article is good background, but a bit misleading. It takes statistics
from other states and applies them to three of our counties -- all urban.
Well, we do not have as much rain as some places, and the NRD that serves
Omaha, for example, has already done some good work on runoff control.
LB 32 would allow cities, counties and NRDs to assess a fee on each property,
to pay for its runoff. The operative word here is "impervious." The fee
would be on the impervious area, which is basically roof and
driveway/parking. Exhaust deposits and other nasty chemicals which rinse off
in a rain must be filtered out some way.
This is a federal EPA mandate, to clean up our rivers. One should be able to
eat the fish you take out of the Missouri. At present, you better not.
Obviously, one of the prime duties of government is to ensure clean air,
clean water, safe food and pure drugs. None of us can do this on our own.
The problem with collecting fees on impervious surfaces is the built-in
unfairness. A modest size church would have twice the roof and parking
surface as a bank. Our new 40 story First National has much less roof than
many churches or schools. And would pay one third the fee. Ouch.
In summary, here is what you can count on.
The feds have mandated cleaner rivers and that will cost money.
We do not know how much the Omaha bill would be.
If we do not do a fee alternative the cost will go on property taxes.
The first objective in the program is education. Get people to stop pouring
their oil change, radiator flush and toxic chemicals down the drain.
The county extension today is taking all surplus fertilizer, sprays, lawn
chemicals -- free of charge. More to come.
If fees were established, no one knows what they might be. The cost of a $3
to $7 million program in Douglas County would be about $6-15 per person.
Farmland is exempted because farmers are already doing it, or will under NRD
programs. Large feedlots are limited to zero runoff. Their lagoons are
expensive to maintain.
The other big news of the week was the casino debate, which went on and on.
The resolution moved ahead with barely 25 votes, needs 30 on the final round.
Does not look like they will get it. However, we have a year to do
something on the matter, as it cannot be on the ballot until November 2004.
I tried to hold my nose and vote for this dog, but could not do both at the
same time.
So that we are all singing from the same page, the proposal puts a cap of 8
casinos, plus any Indian casinos. If all moved fast, the earliest we could
have a Nebraska casino going would be 2007. The Indian Nations would have
one or two going in 2005.
I have spoken to casino tax costs before, but a new item. Council Bluffs
taxes are going up a chunk this year, and they will cut some fire and police
personnel. In fairness, they are doing extra things in C. B., because of the
casino action.
Two of my bills bit the dust: remove tax levy caps and switch the rest of
public transit costs from general taxes to gas tax.
Fun side. If you are anywhere near the capital bldg next week, the
fiberglass cranes in the lower level are exceptional. We have 20 of them,
seven feet tall, from Kearney, painted in wild colors, with cornstalks and
vines growing around the necks. One has children intently peering through
thick glasses and periscopes, in a collage called "Craning for Vison."
I put out grass seed yesterday. Call me "Craning for a vision of spring."
Lowen
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