There’s always a temptation in government to overcomplicate issues needlessly. Maybe it
makes politicians feel more intelligent, maybe others hope by layering issues they can “hide the
ball” from voters and deflect blame. Either way, our Nebraska Legislature is staring down a
special session full of overcomplications. One of my high school volleyball coaches put it best:
Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Over the last month, details of the Governor’s plan for special session have leaked. While it
remains unclear what his final plan will be, there will be a few simple tenets that guide my
approach to this issue:

1. I take orders from District 1 and no one else.
2. Our district’s biggest political threat is a tax crisis that kills growth and forces
property taxpayers (especially farmers) to carry a disproportionate burden to
keep our rural schools open. In short: Taxes are too damn high.
3. Any proposal must directly benefit taxpayers in Southeast Nebraska to earn my
support.
4. Our schools better serve our communities when decision-making is on a local
level, not in Lincoln.
5. A government spending crisis is at the root of every tax crisis. Any tax cut plan
must include spending cuts (especially on a state level) to be sustainable in the
long term.
6. See #1.

You might have seen me calling out Governor Pillen’s draft plan online, pointing out issues with
his math (he’s off by $1 billion, at least), questioning his motives when it appears his proposal
would only cut taxes for the wealthiest landowners in the state, and hammering home my
support for working Nebraskans. The stakes of this special session are far too high for me to sit
quietly on the sidelines while billions of dollars in tax relief could be squandered. We have the
chance to make a generationally positive difference for Nebraska taxpayers. I’ll be bringing my
own proposal, as will other senators. Hopefully, we’ll be able to debate these proposals
alongside the Governor’s plan.

You have my word that I’ll be fighting for you, the taxpayers of District 1, every step of the way.
I’ll honestly share my thoughts with you and put in the extra hours of prep work to ensure our
district has a seat at the table for long-term, sustainable tax relief.

Let’s keep it simple, shall we?

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and
Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at
Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604;
telephone 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.