Comment on GiN Site Reveals Troubling Attitudes of Too Many

“Unions exist to protect workers and ensure that our children receive a quality education and that those who work for the state and educate your children live healthy, decent lives. I am opposed to CIR reform. The CIR is not the source of the problem. CEO salaries are the source of the problem.” The above [...]

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NE Senators Meeting 11/17 Part 2: Voices Not Often Heard

By Shelli Dawdy Big thanks to Linda for helping with this to refresh my memory! Yesterday we published an article about the meeting of Nebraska State Senators representing districts in Lancaster County that occurred last Wednesday, November 17. As noted, the first half of the meeting was allocated for the purpose of taking public input [...]

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GiN Election Information: Now Available Here In Printable Form

For readers’ convenience, we have prepared a printable PDF version of the election information we’ve put out. Feel free to download, print, and share. Just click anywhere on either snapshot below to download and view. If you’d rather view the full-sized PDF before downloading and printing, click HERE. I have set the link to open [...]

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Amendment 1 Smooths and Widens the Path to Fiscal Irresponsibility

The State of Nebraska already gets 40 percent of its operating funds from the federal government. But such money comes with strings attached. In return, the state relinquishes control over significant parts of its budget to the whims of federal bureaucrats. Now, ask yourself this question — Do you really think it’s wise to allow [...]

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Jeremy Nordquist Confused About What Sustainable Means

This article is part of a continuing series about Nebraska Senator Jeremy Nordquist (7). There are several important reasons why we are allocating so much time to this topic. We ask that regular readers of the GiN site visit daily at least through this weekend and share this information with whomever they believe would be [...]

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Feds Gone Wild? Sure. But What About NE Officials?

By Shelli Dawdy I’m a frustrated taxpayer. Very frustrated. Where’s the frustration coming from? Right here in Nebraska’s capital. As I’ve been looking at Nebraska’s budget, I’ve been very disappointed to realize just how many of those dollars come from the federal government. Recently, I shared two charts that quantify Nebraska’s revenue sources in graphic detail. [...]

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Where Does Nebraska Get Its Money?

I don't know about anyone else, but I am rather shocked to discover that Nebraska receives so very much of its budget from the Federal government. Silly, silly me. So much for state sovereignty...Seems rather curious that our Governor has been complaining about the acceptance of federal funds recently...

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NE Budget: Senators Hope Feds Will Bail Us Out

In late June, Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, Mike Flood, convened an Ad Hoc Committee meeting that is part of the special LR 542 process to deal with the projected 2011 - 2013 budget shortfall. It seems as if our legislature is too eager to accept federal money and federal strings.

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Federal Funding Tap Dance: Are States Puppets Or Partners?

When considering how to get out of the way of the growing red ink tsunami gushing out of D.C., one of the first questions that comes to mind is what states can do about it. Many federal programs could be rejected by states, but they aren't. Obviously, they want the money. Prior governors and legislators have opted to accept federal funds in an effort to tout how much they accomplish while in office, handing the strings and increased obligations to the next set of officials.

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