Krusin' the Capitol
By Nebraska State Senator Lowen Kruse
2003
Week 13
April 5, 2003
Hi
Today I went to the Memorial Service for a dear old friend, who was a tiger
in helping the poor, the exile, the minority person -- anyone who needed
help. The pastor said, "If one child in the world was hungry, Connie felt
guilty -- and made sure someone was doing something about it."
Beginning in the 50s, Connie was in charge of a man's world. Living in a
small apartment in a New York highrise, she was one of the managers of the
far-flung mission power of the Methodist Church. With thousands of workers
and millions of $$$, no place was too small or too remote to get her personal
attention. We had a letter from one of those hungry kids in Africa, grateful
that he is now graduating from African University because of Connie. There
could be no measure of the changes her compassion and her immense management
skills created.
The comments, and her model, made me realize I have had to give up on guilt
and compassion in my job this horrible budget year. The bottom line is the
dollar and concern for children without medicine is a luxury we cannot
afford. Terribly sad, for I feel most of my colleagues have a good heart for
people.
The base resolve is alive and well. This week in Appropriations Committee we
called it "To try to do the right thing." Our chair said he had reviewed
these past weeks in his mind, with all the pressures to cut everything in
sight, and he decided "I am not going to preside over the dismemberment of
Nebraska."
It was like a weight lifted from our spirits. Perhaps we cannot save a
single essential program, but at least we will try. So we rebelled and
started by reducing the cuts to education by half. Since University leaders,
for example, have announced only half of the cuts they would have to take,
our proposal would not change any of that.
We found our greatest concern for the future was education and health care.
Several of the other programs received greater cuts. We simply are
prioritizing big-time.
The Forest Service was restored enough that volunteer fire departments can
keep their firetrucks. Since college tuition will take a jump, we are hoping
to provide more scholarship $$$ so that low income youth will not be forced
out. And so on.
What happens next is this. Revenue, who provides income proposals, is forced
to be a little less secret about what they are thinking. The senators can
start talking with each other in earnest, trying to determine where the
bottom line is. Some will develop packages of add-backs with a revenue
source, for testing on the floor.
For example, three of us are working on a way to fund more community
corrections and drug treatment. They are the two key strategies to take the
pressure off our prisons. Both will save mega-dollars down the road, but
obviously we have no chance of new money from the General Fund this year. So
we are proposing an additional tax on alcohol, as, about one and a half cent
on a can of beer, to pay for added treatment. Alcohol abuse costs taxpayers
in Nebraska at least $300 million a year. The added tax would be $9 m., to a
total tax of $30 m. That's right, one-tenth of the cost. This is the
heaviest subsidized industry in our state -- about equal to our deficit.
By the way, if you care about this, write a senator you know. I never ask
for that, but this is so critical to future tax control.
Just listen to them howl when this hits the floor! I have already had
letters that this will be the end of beer sales, and that barkeeps have
warned their staff members they could well be out of a job if our amendment
passes. The howl will be heavy, but the floor is with us, as we must pay now
or pay later. See why I find humor in this job? Ain't it wunnerful?
The flap on Las Vegas continues to be silly. It is not silly to be sensitive
to who comes up with money in political circles. But to suggest that no one
should have gone to a national conference on budgeting? That would be
irresponsible. Sad news for those who put their money on lobbyists: we are
not that easily impressed.
Hang in there.
Lowen
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