It is amazing how, in just a few days, the world can change so drastically. News and images from the blizzard conditions in western Nebraska and the flooding across eastern Nebraska, and in our own district, show the magnitude of rebuilding needed in our state. I am confident that we will pull together to restore the damage – but it will take time. And of course, there will be stress factors from multiple sides.

We are grateful for our capable first responders, the National Guard, the Salvation Army and Red Cross, all on the scene from the start. In addition, there are many excellent resources available for longer term assistance. If you need help of any kind, good places to begin are the www.nema.nebraska.gov or www.nebraska.gov/nebraska-strong/ websites.  You can also simply call 402-817-1551.

Rebuilding will also require money. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, we are charged with balancing the state budget which was already tight. Now we are looking at needs we never dreamed of just days ago.  The President granted the state’s request for a disaster declaration and corresponding aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Even with the declaration, the state will need to supply 12.5% of the funding, and local governments another 12.5%, with the remaining 75% coming from federal FEMA dollars.

With 79 of the state’s 93 counties reporting disasters so far, preliminary estimates of local damage are already in the multiple millions of dollars. The statewide total of these approximations is nearing a billion dollars at this writing and I am certain those numbers will rise as farmers, ranchers, homeowners, businesses, adjusters and inspectors are able to get a good look at the aftermath of the storms and floods.

As for District 30 at this time, Gage county’s dollar estimate remains below $1 million. Lancaster county sustained damage closer to $4 million between roads, bridges and well field issues.

Our thoughts are on the survivors and clean-up efforts, yet the work of the Legislature must continue. We have passed the halfway mark of the session and much work remains. This week was the deadline for designating priority legislation. The Speaker chooses 25 bills for his priority list and selected one of mine for that list, LB 524, which harmonizes dates to clarify when tax valuations on newly annexed properties take effect.

Each senator can designate one bill as their priority. My bill, LB 472, could be on the agenda for floor debate as early as next week, and would give a county the ability to create a sales tax of one half of one percent, which could only be used to pay a federal judgment, and would terminate when that payment was complete.

We have one more week of committee hearings; the first bill I introduced, LB 106, will be heard on the last day for hearings, March 28. LB 106 puts our state regulations for the DNA data base in line with federal procedures.  We will begin all day floor debate on April 2^nd.

Please contact me with your concerns at mdorn@leg.ne.gov or call 402-471-2620. I always appreciate hearing from you.