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The Lancaster County
Democrat
March 2015
Candidates for Office – Primary Election April 7, 2015
Chris Beutler
Mayor
Meg Mikolajczyk
City Council
District 1
John Cartier
Lincoln Board of Education
Subdistrict 4
Mitch Paine
City Council
District 1
Annie Mumgaard
Lincoln Board of Education
Subdistrict 4
Patte Newman
City Council
District 2
Jane Raybould
City Council
District 3
Katie McLeese Stephenson
Lincoln Board of Education
Subdistrict 6
Carl Eskridge
City Council
District 4
Tai Pleasant
Airport Authority
The County Party has also endorsed a vote of Yes on the ballot issue to
raise city sales tax by 1/4% to pay for increased safety measures: new radio system and four new fire stations.
See ballot language at http://lincoln.ne.gov/city/council/agenda/2015/012615/15r31.pdf
Note: candidates from districts with more than one Democrat running are listed in alphabetical order in the above table.
Lincoln City Primary Election!
Vote by Mail: Beginning March 23: http://lancaster.ne.gov/election/Abs2015.pdf.
Or Vote In-Person at the Election Commissioner’s office 601 N 46th St, between March 23 and April 6.
Or Vote April 7, at your polling place: https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/VoterView/PollingPlaceSearch.do
Meet Our Candidates
“Thank You for Serving”
By Carl Eskridge, Candidate for Lincoln City
Council, District 4, Central and NW Lincoln
These words, whether addressed
to uniformed or civilian public
servants are important words to
offer. As an ombudsman, having
served as an attorney in the State
Ombudsman’s Office for 20 years
by assisting people who have
problems with state government
everyday, I have a sense of the
how thankless public service can be. I average about
one thank you note every other year. Fortunately,
elected service is much more appreciated. Yet every
wise candidate knows, the credit belongs to an
impressive contingent of people who make candidates
succeed.
Lincoln voters are in the heat of our city
election season. (After a cold winter, don’t you love the
word “heat”?) To all candidates putting themselves out
there, I have a profound respect for you and for your
courage to run. “Thank you for your willingness to
serve.”
In my inaugural campaign, 4 years ago, I was
given two pieces of sage advice. First: Run hard.
Second: Listen to your staff. Fortunate is the candidate
who is blessed with staff who know what it takes to run
a successful campaign. Candidates get the attention.
Campaign staff do the heavy lifting. “Thank you for
your service.”
Just as your car takes gas to run, so too are
financial resources essential to a successful campaign.
Supporters who provide financial resources are
absolutely critical for success. This reality has never
been more true than it is today when billionaires pump
seemingly unlimited resources into national, state and
even local races. By supporting progressive candidates
you are a crucial player. “Thank you for your service.”
presence of an army of volunteers who donated their
Saturdays to spend the day calling in behalf of Mayor
Beutler and other candidates. That day I happened to be
sitting next to a Republican volunteer who was talking to
my neighbors. It was a lot of fun to hear what he said
they had to say. For everyone who chooses to spend
evenings and weekends calling voters in behalf of
candidates, “Thank you for your service.”
During nicer days, and even in the lousy days
that spring campaigns inevitably endure, we have scores
of volunteers who take to the streets, walking precincts,
seeking to inform voters about their choices in the
upcoming election. You encounter angry dogs, upset
voters, unknown conditions, and war stories that you
couldn’t believe. “Thank you for your service.”
Committee members, party workers, neighbors,
friends, co-workers, bosses, and especially family
members of candidates, “Thank you one and all for your
service.”
Now, let’s get to work. We have an important
city primary on April 7th, following by the city’s general
election on May 5th. We need to reelect our outstanding
mayor, Chris Beutler. We must also provide him with
the support that he needs to continue to be successful by
electing 3 or more district City Council members. We
need to provide the resources via the 3-year ¼ cent sales
tax in order to make citizens safer by replacing the 27year-old 911 system and relocating four fire stations.
Finally, the Lincoln Public Schools are the very
foundation of our city. We all need to support
progressive candidates to keep Lincoln’s Schools on
track to serve every child equally!
Let’s all come together and work hard for a
successful city campaign season, continuing to move
Lincoln forward with our positive momentum. And,
thank you everyone for your service!
The recruitment, training, and deployment of an
army of volunteers is where successful campaigns
happen. This February was a cold and snowy month, a
challenging month for candidates who are always eager
to get out and meet people. One Saturday afternoon
while calling voters in NW Lincoln, I was in the
2
Meet Our Candidates
Patte Newman Announces Candidacy for City
Council
Patte Newman, former
Lincoln City Councilwoman,
has announced her candidacy for
the Southeast Lincoln City
Council seat.
“It is time for new
representation in Southeast
Lincoln. For too long, the
citizens of Southeast Lincoln have been
underrepresented. They need someone who will work
full time for them and their families,” said Newman.
While on the Lincoln City Council from 2003
to 2007, Newman worked hard for all Lincoln citizens,
protecting the city services that matter to families, and
was a staunch defender of neighborhoods. She worked to
increase funding for neighborhood street repair and park
maintenance, and led the effort to reduce and erase
graffiti, increase penalties for party houses and deal with
neglected properties.
Prior to her election to the City Council,
Newman served four years on the Lincoln-Lancaster
County Planning Commission. She has volunteered on
over 30 committees and task forces dealing with
planning, transportation and human services over two
decades. After her term on the city council, Newman
worked as the coordinator for the Substance Abuse
Action Coalition and served on the board of the Capital
Humane Society. She was a member of the LPLAN
2040 Advisory Committee in 2010-2011, helping to
develop the update to the comprehensive growth plan for
Lincoln and Lancaster County.
“Council members should not have conflicts
of interest. I will not be asking for taxpayer money for
myself or my family. Public service is about community
and not personal interests,” said Newman.
Newman is married to Darrell Klein, and has a
son, Marc. She returned to Lincoln to raise her son after
working for a multinational corporation in Switzerland
where she managed export administrative work, budget
operations and accounting.
Meet Our Candidates
Jane Raybould, Candidate for Lincoln City
Council
No words can adequately
describe how grateful I am
to all in our party and
community for their
encouragement and support.
It is thrilling and humbling
and a tremendous relief to
be running unopposed in
District 3. Thank you. It is a
gift and a wonderful
opportunity to unite with the other Democratic
candidates in assuring that they are elected through the
primary and general election. We will be successful if
we get out our voters to deliver a school board that
works to educate all our children. We will be successful
when we get out our voters to deliver a City Council that
will support and work with a re-elected Mayor Beutler in
making our city better, stronger and safer. Let’s keep
moving forward!
A member of the Lincoln Charter Revision
Commission since 2007, Newman led the successful
effort to pass a charter amendment that prohibited the
mayor and council members from having contracts with
the city while in office. “Voters recognized that elected
officials cannot both oversee the city budget and get paid
from that same budget. The charter amendment helps
prevent abuses of the public trust. My opponent,
regrettably, voted against even putting the charter
amendment on the ballot, which passed with
overwhelming voter support,” said Newman.
3
Meet Our Candidates
Mitch Paine, Candidate for Lincoln City
Council, District 1
carry the largest number of riders. We have world-class
bike trails that entice many drivers out of their cars. We
have shopping districts like Havelock and University
Place to which nearby residents walk.
The way City Council solves urban planning
challenges sets up the financial challenges in the next 50
years. We have the opportunity to set a new direction
when we develop the Steven’s Creek area east of 84th
Street. We can put huge streets in that cost a fortune to
maintain, we can have zero businesses to walk to, we
can forget about our bike trails. Or, we can develop
walkable neighborhoods that have destinations and we
can create a bike trail along Steven’s Creek that connects
to the MoPac and the Murdock Trails. We can design
roads that adequately carry traffic, but aren’t a burden on
the rest of Lincoln. The city council helps make those
decisions and we only have onc chance to get it right.
What Challenges Does Lincoln Face in the Next
Century?
Lincoln faces challenges similar to cities all
across this country: tight budgets, crumbling
infrastructure, stiff competition for jobs, and more
demand for services.
Our city’s challenges come down to two types:
financial and urban planning challenges. The debate over
the number of police officers is a financial challenge.
The number of streets we rehab or sidewalks we fix
every year is a financial challenge. The solutions to these
include debates, community input, and ultimately
decision-making on what to fund, by how much, and
what not to fund.
Those urban planning challenges will define our
city for the next century. We need a leader on City
Council that understands those and ensures Lincoln truly
becomes a great American city. I am a city planner who
understands these important issues and I would ask for
your vote on April 7th!
You can find out more at my website,
www.MitchForLincoln, or contact me at 402-430-7942.
All politics is local.
Thomas “Tip” P. O'Neill
Underlying all of our financial challenges are
our urban planning ones. It would be exponentially
cheaper to fix Adams Street than it would be to fix Old
Cheney Street because there are at least 2 more lanes on
Old Cheney. How we lay our city out, how we decide
where to allow development, how we redevelop parts of
the city—–those are the challenges that pervade every
city council that’s ever been elected. And they affect all
councils and taxpayers to come.
Northeast Lincoln is largely laid out on a grid
pattern, which means we have more houses and
businesses per mile of street than much of south Lincoln.
So, Northeast Lincoln’s streets and sidewalks are a lot
cheaper and easier to maintain. We have bus routes that
4
Meet Our Candidates
Meg Mikolajczyk, Candidate for Lincoln City
Council, District 1
District, paving the way for me to run. I look forward to
carrying on this tradition of leadership.
The most challenging part, I have found as a
female candidate, is actually deciding to get in the race!
As Annie Mumgaard shared March 3rd at the NDC
Women on the Run event, it can take a lot of
encouraging, even cajoling, from several friends and
family members before deciding to announce one’s
candidacy. If it weren’t for Patte Newman and an entire
female posse gently nudging me to the starting line—I
knew I wanted to run but needed that push—I would
have hemmed and hawed about throwing my name in for
much longer. I bring my step-daughter Holly along to as
many campaign events and canvasses as possible, in
hopes that she and her generation feel less sheepish
about wanting to hold public office.
Meg Mikolajczyk, Kathy Danek, Marian Price
Happy Women’s History Month!
Some say that a woman running for office can
be a difficult task. Thankfully, that hasn’t been my
experience. Yes, it is difficult to run for office,
particularly during the spring elections. Days are long
but sunlight short; blizzards are likely throughout the
entire cycle, doors are sometimes (but not often!)
slammed in faces after the intense November cycle, and
the primary-to-general campaign time is a full out sprint.
But, thankfully, I have never been made to feel like a
lesser candidate because of my gender. I attribute that to
the amazing job the Democrats and our previous and
current leaders have done to mentor, lift up, and
encourage strong female leadership in the State, County,
City, and most important to me, Lincoln City Council
District 1.
There is something in the water in Northeast
Lincoln that helps make strong, fierce women leaders.
One simply need look to the history of the District 1 seat
to know this is true. Councilwomen Ahlschwede, Seng,
and Newman all leave legacies of dedicated leadership
in Northeast Lincoln. (Councilman Emery is fierce in his
own right, but this month, it’s about the ladies.) LPS
School Board Member Kathy Danek and Senators
Marian Price, Danielle Conrad and Amanda McGill also
hail from my District; their leadership has enriched the
Not enough women currently hold public office.
This is evident by simply examining the makeup of the
current council—seven seats, one woman. This has to
change. And this election cycle, it will change! We have
an opportunity to elect three incredible and diverse
women: Jane Raybold, Patte Newman, and yours truly,
to the Council. Getting to serve on the Council would be
a privilege. Serving on a Council where the majority are
women would be history making and something of
which I want to be a part.
So, with approximately thirty days before the
Primary, a majority of which is Women’s History
Month, let’s get out and knock doors, make calls, plant
yard signs, write checks and support our strong, talented,
and brilliant women candidates for City Council and
School Board. Thank you Lancaster County Democrats,
and all the strong women who have paved the way, for
encouraging and supporting women to run. Jane, Patte,
Katie, Annie, let’s go make history this election season!
It's easier to run for office
than to run the office.
Thomas “Tip” P. O'Neill
5
Meet Our Candidates
Knowing My Why
By Annie Mumgaard, Candidate for Lincoln
School Board of Education, District 4
There’s a saying
that goes something like
this: “If you know why
you do something, it
makes the how much
easier.” In the month plus
since I filed and publicly
said, “I want to be on the
Lincoln Board of
Education!” I’ve been asked over and over: Why?
I am running for the Lincoln School Board
because I believe in the power of education; I believe in
the right of all children to receive an education; and I
believe that public education is the backbone of our
democratic society.
Business? Higher Ed? Parents? And again, how are we
meeting the needs of all of our children?
And so, my “why” is my “how” as I believe
every child in our city should be able to find their place
to best learn and grow in the Lincoln Public Schools. As
a member of the LPS school board, this would be my
guiding principal as I confront, contemplate, and act
upon the issues, ideas, and needs that face our school
district.
I hope I may count on your support with this
goal. After all, we are all in this together.
Thank you.
Annie Mumgaard
www.anniemumgaard.com
In short, I believe all children have the right to
learn, to expand their minds, focus their creativity, and
prepare for the future.
When that means 39,066 children, that means
39,066 have that right. That amount of inquisitive souls
requires a steady, reasonable, creative support system. I
have the skills, motivation, and love for children to take
on this duty.
Fifty years ago it was not the mainstream vision
that children of color, or in wheelchairs, or children with
behavior issues, or cognitive issues, or from refugee
camps, or any child that did not fit our sense of “normal”
would be an integral part of our everyday schools and
classrooms. But due to vision, openness and hard work,
our schools are as diverse as our world.
Let us think of education as the means
of developing our greatest abilities,
because in each of us there is a private
hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be
translated into benefit for everyone and
greater strength for our nation.
John F. Kennedy
And yet, our world is still ever changing. And so
must our schools.
I also believe that teachers are central to the high
quality educational experience that LPS seeks to deliver
for every child. And so, I believe LPS has a responsibility to assure that every teacher has the support and
resources necessary to deliver that learning experience.
How to meet those needs, with what resources?
Today I do not know the specifics, but I would start with
asking questions. What are our needs to be truly serving
all children? How are we meeting that? How are we
failing that? Why? Who could become better players:
6
Opinion
Meet Connie Duncan
Hi, I’m Connie Duncan. I am running for the
District 2 School Board seat in the center of Lincoln. I
would like to thank you for the opportunity to allow me,
a Republican, to address Democratic voters.
It’s good that our school board seats are nonpartisan. The people that represent Lincoln, our families,
and students represent all people, not just singular points
of view.
I am running for the LPS School Board to make
sure that every child receives the best educational
opportunities, each day and at every grade level.
My priorities are early childhood education,
after school programs, and ensuring every child has
equal opportunities.
I grew up in Lincoln. I attended school at
Sheridan Elementary and Irving Junior High, and then
graduated from Lincoln Northeast. I fell in love with my
husband, Todd, while participating in the Lincoln Youth
Symphony. After high school, I stayed in Lincoln,
graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan University
Todd and I raised our children here. They
attended Sheridan, Lincoln Lutheran, and Lincoln East
High School. While in high school, they had the
opportunity to participate in the Entrepreneurship Focus
program. Lincoln is so lucky to have options like this.
LPS certainly allowed our family to receive one of the
best educations in the country.
I taught for 17 years in the Lincoln Public
Schools, working with Special Needs students. I went on
from there to work with Southeast Community College
students to advance their skills and knowledge.
Education is a value that I hold very dear.
Lincoln must keep our schools as strong and
innovative as our children. After school programs, such
as the Boys and Girls Club where I serve on the Board of
Directors, are vital assets for our children. I worked to
help get the 2014 school bond issue passed. Such an
investment is worth it to make sure every child, at every
school in Lincoln, has access to the same kinds of
resources and opportunities.
I am committed to making Lincoln’s schools
strong, now and into the future, and fostering
opportunities for parents and students in every part of
Lincoln.
Meet Our Elected Officials
Lincoln Airport Takes Flight
By Anna Wishart, Lincoln Airport Authority Board
Member
I have served on the
Lincoln Airport Authority for over
4 years, elected in May of 2011.
My service on the board has been
one of the most rewarding
experiences of my life.
The Lincoln Airport
Authority was established in 1959
by Nebraska State Statute as a
political body to manage the Airport Assets. We are a 5
Member Elected Board and manage 5,500 acres
including a terminal, airfield (including a 12,901 ft.
runway that can handle a space shuttle landing), general
aviation and 1,000 acres of industrial park. The Lincoln
Airport Authority works closely with the Air and Army
National Guard and has over 300 lease relationships with
its’ tenants.
The Airport Authority has a taxing authority of
$.035/$100 taxable valuation, which would accumulate
approximately $5,988,000 if levied. Over 20 years has
passed since we have used this authority. This is a
success we are very proud of as we are one of the few
municipal entities in the country that does not use its
taxing authority.
The Lincoln Airport currently has service
through United Airlines to Chicago and Denver and
through Delta Airlines to Minneapolis and Atlanta,
which is our newest flight added in 2014. Just last week
we heard news of United adding additional flights to
Chicago and Denver.
With the addition of flights and patronage from
Lincolnites, our airport recorded its first increase in
passenger statistics in years with passenger traffic up in
2013 and 2014. So far we are continuing to see
improvement with passenger traffic up by 10% in
January.
Most people know the Lincoln Airport for air
service, but we are also an economic engine which
greatly supports the local and regional economy. The
Lincoln Airport employs 75 people directly and
indirectly thousands who work in businesses at in the
terminal, industrial park, and general aviation area.
Currently I serve as Chair of our Development Board,
which is a board of 5 members from the Lincoln Airport,
City of Lincoln and Chamber of Commerce. This board
7
Anna Wishart – continued from page 7
was developed to continue to prioritize economic
development at our industrial park, which we have
recently rebranded as LNK Enterprise Park.
Over the past two years we have experienced
outstanding growth at LNK Enterprise Park, including
the construction of new state-of-the-art State Patrol
Crime lab and facilities for Hexagon Lincoln, Sadoff &
Rudoy and GTE/IAC Acoustics. Other industries that are
thriving in the Park include Duncan Aviation, Tri Con
Industries, Sensory Effects, and many more.
Revenues year to date are 12 percent higher than
last year for a total revenues of $7,601,255. This
increase is due mostly to increased revenues at our
Enterprise Park. Expenses have also increased due to the
costs associated with bond financing. Total assets are
$124,550,781. In 2015 we have $28.8 million budgeted
in capital improvement projects for LNK Enterprise
Park.
The Lincoln Airport has partnered with the City
of Lincoln to contribute $80,000 a year for five years to
help pay for the city’s project to improve the West
Cornhusker Highway entryway into the city.
Improvements include pavement repair and resurfacing,
curb construction and new storm drainage inlet tops and
wheelchair ramps, as well as streetscape enhancements
such as district markers, pole-mounted banners, trees,
median plantings and irrigation.
Last year the Lincoln Airport Authority voted to
work with Wastecap Nebraska to go green and reduce
our waste. We have developed a Green Team at the
airport and are working with Wastecap to do just that.
Besides daily flights to Chicago, Denver,
Minneapolis and Atlanta, we have several events coming
up at the airport that may be of interest to you. We have
the Formula SAE & Sports Car Club of America car
events throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall at our
airport. On June 20th, the Insane 5k Inflatable Race will
be held in LNK Enterprise Park. In this event, runners
have to navigate inflatable obstacles while completing a
5k. We are also preparing for the 2016 Airshow, which
is an incredible event to attend with your family and get
up close to every kind of plane you can imagine. In
addition to all these exciting events going on at the
Airport, we have also partnered with the Cornhusker
State Games this Summer.
As you can see, we are a bustle of activities at
our Lincoln Airport. We hope this article has helped you
understand the variety of ways that our airport serves the
community. We welcome constituents to come to our
Airport Board Meetings. Please check
www.lincolnairport.com for date, time and location.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or
ideas. And don’t forget to like us on Facebook and
follow us on Twitter!
On a personal note, I plan to run for District 27
of the Nebraska State Legislature in 2016. My
experience on the Lincoln Airport Authority and 6 years
working as a staff member at the State Legislature, have
prepared me to serve as a State Senator. I would be
happy to talk more with you about this journey. You can
email me at wishartforlegislature@gmail.com.
Meet Our Elected Officials
Governments, Trails and the Public Good
By Karen Amen, LPSNRD Subdistrict 10 Board
Member
“Is it too cool to lay
concrete?” we wondered as we
gathered along the edges of our
back yards. It was late fall of
1989, chillier than normal. Our
little group of friends and
neighbors were peering north
along the old Rock Island
railway, eagerly waiting for the
slipform paver to reach our stretch of the newest section
of Lincoln’s expanding trail system.
Exactly a year earlier, the City of Lincoln had
asked voters for their approval of a $1.7 million bond
issue to support certain projects at the Folsom Children’s
Zoo and to build a new hiker/biker trail from A Street to
Highway 2. There had been a certain amount of debate
about whether a project like this was worth the money,
but in the end, Lincolnites approved the bond issue by a
76.8% majority, an unusually high margin of support for
a public infrastructure project.
Much of the momentum for this project came
from a dedicated band of volunteers who had formed the
Great Plains Trails Network. At the time that they were
beginning to build interest in an extended city-wide trails
system, Lincoln and Lancaster County were also
undertaking a community-wide planning process named
StarVenture. It was the late 1980s in Lincoln, and not
many people could visualize the concept of a network of
trails throughout the city. But the fledgling trails group
had a vision that was too powerful to ignore and soon, a
network of trails was listed as one of the StarVenture’s
priorities. Thus the bond issue and, a year later, the
slipform paver.
8
Karen Amen – continued from page 8
Meet Our Elected Officials
But the trails group was not willing to limit
themselves to the city only. Next came plans for trails
throughout the county and beyond. And here’s where
Lower Platte South NRD came to the forefront. The
LPSNRD Board and staff took a strong leadership role
in the next stages of development; they deserve the
credit for the MoPac and Valparaiso-Brainard trails and
conservation corridors. A strong public-sector
partnership evolved among the city, the NRD, the state
and even federal representatives to fund and build a
variety of rails-to-trails projects. The Great Plains Trails
Network [find them at http://www.gptn.org/] raised
private sector funds. And ultimately, working within its
statutory ability to promote both recreation and
conservation, the NRD took on ownership and
management responsibilities for over 50 miles of trails
outside of, but connecting to, Lincoln’s trails.
Furthermore, we are currently making some progress on
connecting to the City of Omaha’s trail that now reaches
the Platte River pedestrian/bicycle bridge.
“The Good Life is a process, not a state of being.”
- Carl Rogers
Some people still think trails should be a low
priority undertaking for governmental bodies. I have the
opposite view: these are projects that clearly belong in
the realm of public sector endeavors for the good of the
whole. A network of well-designed trails that is both
functional and beautiful and open to the public is of
great benefit to a community.
In proposing an expanded trails network for city
and county, the 1988 Plan for (Trails) Development
stated: “If taken, this opportunity can provide a Park
and trails system that unites the city like no other
development.” I’m proud of LPSNRD for moving into
this realm, long before I became a board member. And I
will continue to support trail projects in the future.
As for that slipform paver slowly inching toward
Calvert Street in the fall of 1989, there was no doubt
how the children of the neighborhood felt about the new
trail. There were excited ooh’s and ah’s and boys and
girls eager to use this new opportunity for their bikes and
big wheels. At last the concrete hardened and the trail
opened up to the public on a bright, clear Sunday. We
neighbors sat on our back yard porches and watched in
amazement as a constant, day-long stream of people
came out to use this wondrous new way to enjoy being
outdoors. Twenty-five years later, the steady stream of
people continues. Now that is truly a great public sector
project.
By Mary Harding, Nebraska Public Power District
If you have seen my
campaign logo,* you know
that I am a strong advocate for
developing renewable energy,
with the wind turbine
prominently displayed next to
my name. The economic
benefits of local jobs and new
property tax revenues, the
potential to keep electric rates
low and the opportunity to
reduce our carbon footprint
are all compelling arguments to modernize our public
electric system.
Siting a power plant of any kind is not a simple
calculation, however. Location is so very important; the
efficiency of the plant is governed by its location. The
ability and cost of going to market with that energy is
likewise affected by its location. The wildlife and habitat
surrounding the plant must be considered. Last, but
certainly not least: the effect on landowners and
property values must be carefully evaluated.
I recently was able to tour one of the newest
wind farms in operation in Nebraska, just north of
Broken Bow. Operated by Sempra U.S. Gas and Power,
Broken Bow 2 is a 75 MW plant, with 43 turbines
providing power. One megawatt can serve the average
needs of about 400 homes. Broken Bow 2 went into
operation in October 2014. You can see a short video
clip from the dedication at
http://www.semprausgp.com/energy-solutions/windbroken-bow2.html
The highlight of my tour was being able to
attend the quarterly meeting of Sempra with its
landowners and neighbors. Turbines are constructed on
private land under easement to the developer. Landowners typically receive an annual payment for this
easement, which allows construction and operation of
the turbine and access to the property for maintenance.
All easements in Nebraska for wind developments have
been voluntary—there is no provision for the use of
eminent domain.
The landowners I visited with were all very
pleased with the working relationship to date. Without
exception, Sempra’s frequent, timely communication
and commitment to the community were cited as the
bedrock underlying the success of this project. One of
the top concerns mentioned was what would happen to
9
Mary Harding – continued from page 9
the structures when the 25-year project ends (assuming it
would not be retrofitted to continue operation). This
company has a “decommissioning” fund in place, to put
aside the revenue required to take down the turbines.
Issues of access to private land, upsetting grazing
practices or damage to the pastures were addressed so
well in this partnership that every landowner expressed
confidence in the relationship and no one cited any
incident that had caused a problem. All expressed
satisfaction with the restoration of grasslands after the
disruption of construction. And the easement payments
were certainly welcomed as another source of income in
the ups and downs of the agricultural economy.
I asked about noise. Given the very rural nature
of this site, most homes are not immediately near a
turbine, and no one expressed concern about noise or
health impacts, even when asked. Ice shearing (sheets
sliding off a blade) was discussed, and recommendations
were made to avoid injury.
Lancaster County has the opportunity now to
consider siting and zoning regulations for a wind farm
near Hallam. I commend the planning commission for
calling together a committee of residents and local
experts to consider all of the implications of the
proposal. The committee does not begin with a blank
slate, as residents have already taken positions both for
and against the project. The developer has established a
pattern of interaction with landowners and local
officials. I hope that a strong foundation of facts as well
as landowner preferences will be fully debated.
Whether this project is deemed a good fit for the
county or not, the quality of this public process will
determine the future of the Good Life for the people
involved.
Facility Manager Craig Sheridan shows Mary Harding the
control panels inside the turbine tower. All of the feeder lines
from the towers to the substation are underground at this
project.
*
Facility Manager Craig Sheridan addresses the gathering of
landowners and neighbors to the project. Good communication and commitment to the community are keys to success
in making this partnership work.
10
Meet Our Elected Officials
From the State House
By Patty Pansing Brooks
Greetings, fellow
Democrats! The legislative session
is now almost halfway done and we
are in the full swing of floor debate
on a number of hot-button issues,
from voter identification requirements to reproductive health care.
Each day continues to be an
unbelievable learning experience
and trust me, there is never a dull
moment in the Capitol!
Of course, one of the big topics on all of our
minds is LGBT equality. As you know, District Court
Judge Joe Battalion has issued an order striking down
Nebraska’s ban on same-sex marriage, which is an
important step forward in Nebraska for the full respect
and dignity of all people. I am so thrilled about this longoverdue victory! In the Legislature, I am also working
with other Senators on legislation to advance equality for
all Nebraskans. The Judiciary Committee, on which I
serve, was presented with three bills that would protect
other vital rights for LGBT families. Among these is LB
586, introduced by Senator Adam Morfeld, which would
ban employers from discriminating against employees
on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The
Judiciary Committee has voted to advance this bill and I
am hopeful that we can have a rigorous and muchneeded debate among the entire legislative body about
the need for our state to attract and retain talented
employees with inclusive employment protections.
In the last month, I have also been hard at work
presenting my bills to various Committees and getting
ready to discuss them with the entire legislative body.
On that note, I am pleased to share with you that my
very first bill, LB 245, passed unanimously on the first
round of floor debate! It will remove the 3 year statute of
limitations on new evidence and make it less difficult for
those who are wrongfully convicted to have DNA
evidence tested. LB 245 builds on Senator Chambers’
visionary DNA Testing Act in 2001 that gave the
“Beatrice 6” access to DNA testing which led to their
exonerations. I am proud to continue the work Senator
Chambers began and further expand the availability of
DNA testing. I am so pleased that my first bill to
advance deals with an issue which I care about deeply,
ensuring that innocent Nebraskans are not kept in prison
unjustly and that those who are truly guilty can be held
accountable for their crimes and prevented from doing
further harm to society.
As always, remember that my office doors are
open if you have any issues that you would like to
discuss with me and my staff. I always enjoy the
conversations that I have with constituents who call or
stop by my office to express their thoughts on legislation
or to just introduce themselves Thank you for this
opportunity to represent and to serve the people of LD
28 in our Legislature!
Leaving Nothing to Chance in Nebraska
Cartoons courtesy of Steve Kemper
11
Labor’s Perspective
Understanding Organized Labor as a Public
Good
By John Kretzschmar
Government in our democratic republic has a
moral responsibility to use our commonwealth in ways
that protect and empower all of us equally. Even so,
government should never grow larger than the size
needed to adequately fulfill this moral mandate.
Abraham Lincoln was an early advocate for
everyday wage earners. He understood that the
government might need to intervene when our economic
system worked in ways to disadvantage wage earners.
In 1847, Illinois Congressman Lincoln made this
observation, “To secure to each laborer the whole
product of his labor, or as nearly as possible, is a most
worthy object of any good government.”
Congressman Lincoln also believed there were
limits to governmental reach. In 1854, Congressman
Lincoln noted, “The legitimate object of government is
to do for a community of people whatever they need to
have done but cannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for
themselves in their separate and individual capacities.
But in all that people can individually do as well for
themselves, government ought not to interfere.”
Labor Unions are a public good that exist
outside of government. Unions help insure that the
economy functions in ways that advances the general
welfare of all who live within our borders. Unions work
to directly improve the well-being of its members and
indirectly improve the lot of non-represented wage
earners. Every workplace right and safeguard enacted
into legislation was supported by unions and opposed by
large employers and their allies in elected office.
For a brief 25-year period coming out of
WWII, unions helped insure that our nation’s economic
might was broadly and fairly shared. Dwight David
Eisenhower’s Presidency coincided with the beginning
of this era of shared prosperity. President Eisenhower
understood the importance of organized labor to the
nation’s economic health. He spoke for the Republican
Party when he said: “Unions have a secure place in our
industrial life. Only a handful of reactionaries harbor the
ugly thought of breaking unions and depriving working
men and women of the right to join the union of their
choice.”
A decade later Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
understood unions were allies in insuring that civil rights
are accompanied by good paying jobs. Many know that
Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis while helping
public sector employees gain a meaningful voice in
determining their future quality of life. It’s less widely
known that Dr. King had long been an advocate for
organized labor. He shared President Eisenhower’s
understanding of the importance of organized labor.
Here is Dr. King back in 1961: “History is a great
teacher. Now everyone knows that the labor movement
did not diminish the strength of the nation but enlarged
it. By raising the living standards of millions, labor
miraculously created a market for industry and lifted the
whole nation to undreamed of levels of production.
Those who attack labor forget these simple truths, but
history remembers them.”
Sixty-four years later, this basic understanding
of labor as a public good seems forgotten. Too many
elected officials have forgotten the role unions play in
insuring the economy helps everyone who works hard
and plays by the rules. Some elected officials rather than
directly saying all labor unions must go are subjecting
the labor movement to a death by a thousand cuts. Laws
limiting bargaining rights, eliminating dues check off,
and creating hurdles to establishing effective unions are
appearing in Nebraska and elsewhere. That would be a
mistake. It would not only limit access to the American
Dream for today’s workforce, but also do the same for
generations to come.
Cartoon courtesy of Steve Kemper
12
Letter
Open Letter to Nebraska State Board of
Education
Dear Nebraska State Board of Education:
Mr. Patrick McPherson, an elected member of
the Nebraska State Board of Education, and/or another
writer on a political blog Mr. McPherson maintained,
repeatedly referred to President Barack Obama as a halfbreed. I repeat this racial slur because I want to reflect
upon its intense hurtfulness.
I adopted my son over 15 years ago. He is of
Native American descent. He carries the rich and storied
surname of Standing Bear, and is Lakota, Ponca and
European. His ancestors include Chief Standing Bear,
Luther Standing Bear and Crazy Horse. Typically, the
epithet used by Mr. McPherson and/or his associates is
directed at my dear son.
Let me tell you about the tears shed in our home
over the last several months because of Mr.
McPherson’s insensitivity and resolute stance to do little
to nothing about it. My son’s Civics class researched the
controversy and each student wrote a letter to the
Nebraska State Board of Education expressing their
individual opinions. My son wondered how Mr.
McPherson, who as a member of the State Board of
Education wields a lot of power, could really pursue the
best interests of biracial students and students of color
when he so clearly does not think of them as members of
mainstream society, but rather something alien,
something different, something that can be cast aside.
I, too, wonder how Mr. McPherson can advocate
for diverse children, if he cannot even respect the office
of the President of the United States without reaching for
racial slurs to bolster his arguments. I am fully
supportive of free speech. I believe that a robust
dialogue regarding the policies of our government on all
levels is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. But
that dialogue needs to be based on facts and points of
view, not name calling or worse.
So unlike many others, I am NOT calling for
Mr. McPherson’s resignation. Instead, I’d like to share a
little bit about the insights gained by raising a biracial
child and perhaps some suggestions toward resolution of
these frequently polarizing impasses our community,
state and country seem mired in these days.
When my son was younger, we read storybooks
each night. We read the story of Crazy Horse and a
terrible battle in which the U.S. Cavalry attacked
unarmed Lakota women, children and old men. My son
was enamored by the uniforms of the Cavalry and
appalled that they would kill the innocent with
seemingly no consequence. He knew he was Native
American and proud of his heritage. He started to cry,
“But Mommy, I’m both! I’m both Indian and White.
Am I supposed to hate myself?” These are difficult
questions. These are the questions of our youth, our
children of today, and the future of our country. I
replied, “No, son, you are among the peacemakers
because you understand that both sides can live together
as one.”
So I’m making a request of Mr. McPherson, of
the Nebraska State Board of Education, and of ourselves,
the Lincoln Board of Education: Could we embrace the
challenge to learn more about the real needs of our
biracial, minority, new American and low-income
students? Could Mr. McPherson and the State Board of
Education visit the schools in Nebraska’s Indian
reservations, in North Omaha, in Lexington, and
elsewhere? Could they purposefully have a dialogue
with the students and their families that so many would
rather cast aside and forget? Could we here in Lincoln
sponsor dialogues with the same students and families at
places like the Lincoln Indian Center, the Malone
Community Center, the Center for People in Need,
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and the
Mental Health Association of Nebraska? Could we go,
listen, and learn?
In closing, my challenge to all of us adults is:
Could we stop the “us versus them” politics and start
engaging in dialogue? Our children are watching us and
learning. I think it’s time we set a better example.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Baier
Lincoln Board of Education Member
13
The Watchful Citizen
2015 Patriots’ Dinner
In case you haven't discovered the County Party TV
show on community access TV, check us out! The show
airs on Time-Warner Cable Channel 13, at 10:30 p.m. on
Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 12:30 p.m. on
Saturdays.
By Jim Johnson
And check our video archive on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/LancasterCountyDems.
Below are some pictures from the studio and control
room, courtesy of Bennie Shobe.
The 31st annual Lancaster County Democratic
Party Patriots’ Dinner was held on February 21, 2015, at
the Center for People In Need, 3901 North 27th Street,
in Lincoln. This annual event brings Lancaster County
Democrats together for a great night of inspiration and
fun.
The event began with the Mayor’s Reception,
followed by a social hour and then the dinner. As
always, candidates for office supplied desserts which
were auctioned off, proceeds going to the County Party
to be used for the upcoming City elections. A silent
auction was held concurrently with the dinner; bidding
was hot and heavy on several of the items.
As part of the event, the County Party presented
awards to several local Democrats for their outstanding
work in furthering the goals of the County Party.
Winners for 2015 included:

Patriots' Awards: Danielle Conrad and Bill
Avery

Labor Award: Bob Biel

Volunteer Awards: Brodey Weber and Kamryn
Sannicks

Chair's Award: Doug Emery

Young Democrats Awards: Adam Morfeld and
Matt Hansen

Outreach Award: James Michael Bowers

Congratulations to the award winners, and thanks for
your service!
Pictures from the Patriots’ Dinner are on the
next page.
14
Dinner Invitation
Lin Quenzer, Janeen Ward, Joy Shiffermiller,
Lucas Peterson, Barbara Baier, Ruth Ann Wylie
Doug Emery, John Yoakum
Some of the cakes from the Dessert Auction
Ken Haar, Tari Hendrickson
Kamryn Sannicks, Brodey Weber
Mayor Beutler, Doug Emery, John Yoakum, Brodey
Weber, Kamryn Sannicks, Bill Avery, Danielle
Conrad, Matt Hansen, Don Wesely
Ken Haar prepares to present the Labor Award to
Bob Biel
15
Lancaster County
Democratic Party
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Lincoln NE 68501-3213
402-476-2268
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16