The first eight days of the ninety day session are behind us.  Over 400 bills have been introduced so far and more will come in the final two days of bill introduction.  All of the bills I have introduced this year are a result of my being Chair of the Education Committee and the extreme budget deficit looming before us.  My obligation this past year has been to present proposals for consideration as it relates to education and possible (and feasible) reductions to state aid.  This has been an immense task which has been the primary focus of my office this past interim.  Even though I haven’t introduced bills in other areas this year, I am aware of the issues and want to ensure my constituents that I will pay close attention to those subjects when they are discussed. A bill does not need my name on it in order for me to impact the issue.  But the focus of this legislative session will be the budget.

The stark reality is that the state is facing is a situation wherein revenues are negative or flat at best. The fiscal office informs me that the state has not experienced a revenue decline like this for decades. Simply stated, the state does not have the money and we are constitutionally obligated to balance our budget. Hard decisions have to be made and not just in education.

The Governor has submitted his budget and it is a starting point. Ultimately, it is the legislature that will decide the budget for the next two years, which is why I submitted to state aid reduction proposals. As committee chair I have the responsibility to develop plans and proposals. To not have developed proposals for the committee to consider or to have developed proposals that were unrealistic would have been irresponsible. The Education Committee will spend considerable time examining the two proposals, the governor’s recommendations, and the impact on schools as we amend together a final plan to send to the floor for consideration. Whatever the committee finally sends out and whatever the rest of the legislature finally passes into law for state aid, it will be a cut to all schools in the state. A cut that we have been warning schools of for two years. It is a cut that none of us like to have to make.

Much of the current budget recommendations are based on assumptions that we may be at the bottom of the economic trough and hopefully we will begin to see signs of recovery which means that state revenues will improve. If the preliminary assumptions hold true we can begin to adjust appropriations back to more normal levels, but given the severity of this current recession, there most probably will be a new “normal”. Until we actually see state revenues increase we are required to balance the budget with what we have.

Besides the Governor’s recommendations for education, he presented an interesting and challenging budget. Like with all preliminary budgets from the Governor or the Appropriations Committee, there are parts I’m pleased with and other parts that cause me a great deal of concern.

As always I encourage you to call, write or email my office. Your concerns and comments are important to me. My office phone number is 402-471-2756, my email is gadams@leg.ne.gov.  If you wish a response, please indicate that information and I will do my best.

In this first newsletter or 2011, I would like to thank my constituents for allowing me to serve another four years as your state senator. I am honored.  I will work tirelessly on your behalf and do my best to represent you.  We may not agree on every issue but my door is open to you and I am always willing to listen to your perspectives. Again, thank you.

On the morning of January 5, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. the 102^nd Legislature, first session began a 90 day legislative session.  The first day of a new biennium begins with the election of our officers and committee chairs.  My colleagues were supportive in my bid to be re-elected as Chairman of the Education Committee.  No committee chairmanships or leadership positions changed hands this time around.  The only open committee chair was for the Nebraska Retirement Committee and Senator Jeremy Nordquist (who used to work as the research analyst for the committee) was elected Chair.

In the four years I have served in the Unicameral, no year has been (and I predict) none will be as challenging as this one.  Bills will be introduced relating to roads, education, health, agriculture and many other topics.  However, the dominating issue will be the projected $986 million shortfall over the next two years.

The $986 million is based on 3.5% revenue growth which is far below normal and 10% spending growth, which will not occur.  To make the numbers balance there will be substantial cuts, cuts much deeper than 1% or 2%.  The legislature will need to see the February and April forecasting board’s predictions in order to set the final two year budget.  But the consensus is one of caution, restraint and cuts.

All programs will be impacted, particularly K-12 aid.  Potentially, K-12 state aid could experience as much as $380 million cut during this next two year budget cycle.  Schools like everyone else need to cut back; yet, as we make these cuts to K-12 I have to keep in mind that regardless of the economic condition students still show up at the school door and reactions in state aid can potentially result in local property tax increase.

Another task that must be completed this year is the redrawing of legislative district boundaries, and federal congressional districts, these are usually the most contentious of the redistricting tasks.  Other district boundaries which need to be redrawn are the State Board of Education, Public Service Commission, and the Supreme Court  to name a few.  Nebraska will retain its three member congressional delegation at the federal level.  As for the districts for the state legislature, the population growth has again been in the Omaha/Lincoln area.  Most districts outside of the general vicinity of these population centers have lost people which means the western and central districts will most likely grow in land size in order to encompass enough population numbers to reach the required number of people.  We will be looking at a district size of approximately 36,660 people.

I want to remind you of different ways you can keep up with the events and issues in the legislature.  First, your local papers are an excellent source of information but so much happens in the Unicameral, it is difficult to cover it all.  The legislature has a great website with all the information you will need to follow issues, find out about hearing dates, learn about the process or watch live video streaming of the floor debate.  The web site is www.nebraskalegislature.gov.  If you need personal assistance, please contact my office.  Janet Anderson is my Legislative Aide and helps with constituent issues relating to state government.  Becki Collins is my Administrative Assistant and Committee Clerk and takes care of my schedule.  I do have two committee staff that works on education issues, Kris Valentin the Research Analyst and Tammy Barry, the Legal Counsel.  My office phone number is 402-471-2756 and my email is gadams@leg.ne.gov.

Please feel free to contact me with any issues or concerns you may have regarding public policy or your state government, and let me know how I may assist you. My staff in my State Capitol office in Lincoln look forward to hearing from you and assisting you. Please feel free to contact me using the contact information on the right.

Sincerely,
Sen. Greg Adams