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Krusin' the Capitol

By Nebraska State Senator Lowen Kruse

2004
Week 2
January 16, 2004

Hi

Is there any good news? Yes!

Our Appropriations hearing this week provided excitement. Information Technology [IT] is a complex, challenging subject, but in Nebraska good programs and great savings have been created simultaneously. In simple terms, we are experiencing such great cooperation by government and public service groups that we have greatly increased 'distance learning' while decreasing the cost.

Ten years ago, when our Ed Service Units [ESUs] created a network for schools to access the Internet for class use, they had 935 "hits" the first month. Presently they have a usage rate of two million a week! Access costs for one part of this have been reduced from $20,000 a month to $8,000. Impressive numbers!

Telephone companies fight each other [their favorite indoor sport] but they were forced to cooperate. Satellite transmission will not do the job. We needed land lines and very sophisticated switching to create a "backbone" track through the state, with access routes to hubs on the back bone. They did it. [There is still work to be done in adequately connecting the hubs.]

The "Nebraska Network" is an aggressive, innovative system which brings cooperation to a new level. The university, state colleges, K-12 schools, ESUs and hospitals are providing education and medical diagnostic sharing at an amazing level.

In the process, our planners discovered that Wayne State was paying six times the Internet access rate paid by the university. By getting together and bringing in others, the lower rate soon will be cut in half, which reduces Wayne College's access rate to 1/12 of the original. Way to go!

In another session, Dr. Alan Rosenthal of Rutgers University described the brief course he was presenting to government teachers gathered at the capitol. He said we should shout it out: representative government works well in the United States.

In spite of all our gripes, our system is representative. We have a process for continuous and intense evaluation of laws. We have tremendous exchange of ideas as we develop public policy. And it is not predictable lockstep -- results vary in the same body, on different days and in different years. O my yes.

I have thought of that last statement as negative, but he is correct. Truly representative democracy is not rigid, but flowing. [Watch the gurus as they scramble to wisely predict the Iowa caucuses and what a free people will do.]

The press covered the governor's proposals well, so will not repeat. Much better this year. In general, the plans and the budget can be done.

The so-called "plan to close Norfolk and Hastings regional centers" is poorly named. It is a proposal to restructure the delivery of mental health care, which is essential. Re: the democracy comments, I am optimistic. I have never seen this much input from citizens and community groups. Cheers.

The gov's proposal to "study" Initiative 300 is an attack on I-300, the constitutional amendment which blocks non-family corporations from farming. The language of the proposal directs part of the outcome, which is a curious way to propose an open-ended study. Participants are to be appointed by the governor, who is reported in the press as wanting to eliminate I-300. The Task Force "shall" propose amendments to I-300. Several attorneys feel it cannot be broadened without being destroyed. After over 20 years, certainly an evenhanded study is warranted. This is not it.

This is a flat-out effort of corporate interests to control animal production and thereby gain more control of farm prices. They want to take over a small cattle operation, for example, make the owner their hired man, and add the production to the power of their system. Such an outcome would hurt our family operations, reduce the number of farm people, and seriously impact our farm economy. [The only way we could get some of it back would be to increase the corporate income tax. Hmmm.]

Corporations are bringing us some very good news these days, with developments and expansions. The real danger of the I-300 attack, as I see it, is it will poison the well with most of our rural citizens. There is already a big anti-corporate tax incentive rumble and this study, which is only a small blip on the screen, will fuel the rumble big time.

Finally, we will be presenting a constitutional amendment that would establish a commission to set the salaries of legislators. Folks, work for this. If elected, this will be my last term. Over 90% of persons interested in government simply cannot afford this job, which is full time. I hope to break even. But most people, as they work, hope to get a little help at paying the bills.

Cheers,

Lowen

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