Senators question proposed budget cuts; inmate reentry measure advances

Jan. 22, 2018, 5:09 a.m. ·

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Nebraska Capitol tower viewed from an inside office Monday (Photo by Fred Knapp, NET News)

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Gov. Pete Ricketts’ budget director began public discussion of proposed budget cuts with the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee Monday. And lawmakers took a step toward making it easier for released inmates to reintegrate into society.


Monday’s hearing of the Appropriations Committee was low key, but there’s a lot at stake, and some important issues were raised. Budget Director Gerry Oligmueller appeared before the committee to summarize and field questions about Gov. Pete Ricketts’ proposal, which includes across-the-board reductions for many state agencies of 2 percent this fiscal year and 4 percent next, as well as borrowing more than $100 million from the state’s cash reserve.

Those measures are intended to close a projected budget gap of $173 million. At the same time, the state could collect more than $200 million in additional revenue because of federal tax changes. Sen. Anna Wishart asked Oligmueller “Is there any discussion with the governor about using that additional revenue instead of making some of the cuts that we’re making here?”

Budget Director Gerry Oligmueller testifies before the Appropriations Committee Monday (Photo by Fred Knapp, NET News)

Oligmueller said, in effect, no. “The governor’s position is to not increase taxes on Nebraskans. And so the focus on the changes that will be brought forward in that regard are to neutralize what otherwise would be a tax increase,” he said.

Ricketts has had legislation introduced to prevent the state from collecting additional revenue because of the federal changes.

Sen. Kate Bolz questioned Oligmueller about why roads funding was protected, while higher education is on the chopping block. “There were some agencies like Transportation which were not cut last year nor addressed this year. They were held harmless. While entities like higher education…not only took the two and the four (percent cuts) this year but also took the two and the four on top of a deeper cut than other agencies” last year, Bolz said.

Ricketts’ budget proposes to cut a total of $43 million from the University of Nebraska, state colleges, and community colleges. Oligmueller pointed out that unlike some agencies that are totally state funded, higher education has other sources of funding. Bolz replied that was true of the Department of Transportation as well.

Meg Mikolajczyk of Planned Parenthood objected to part of the budget proposal that would deny federal Title X family planning funds to any organization that also offers abortions. Mikolajczyk said that issue did not belong before the budget-writing Appropriations Committee. “This is clearly a substantive policy issue that operates completely independent of the state budget. It deserves to be considered within a committee with proper subject matter jurisdiction,” she said. “And since the proposal deals with compliance with federal regulations on abortion, that committee with proper subject matter jurisdiction is likely (the) Judiciary Committee,” she added.

Nevertheless, the proposal is part of the governor’s budget bill, and Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. John Stinner said it will be taken up in a hearing Feb. 5. The other proposed cuts will also be discussed as the committee proceeds to hold hearings on each individual agency.

Also Monday, lawmakers moved toward making it easier for released inmates to get back into society. Sen. Matt Hansen’s proposal would require the Department of Correctional Services give inmates the opportunity to get a state ID card or renew a driver’s license before release. Currently, the Community Corrections Center of Lincoln is testing a pilot program to do this; Hansen’s bill would extend it to all the state’s correctional facilities. “In the past, individuals released from a correctional facility have received a state-issue(d) card identifying them as a recently released inmate, or none at all. You can imagine the barriers this may bring,” Hansen told his fellow senators.

Just in case they couldn’t imagine, Hansen gave some examples. “Without an ID card, a person may have trouble undertaking some common daily activities, such as cashing a check, opening a bank account, renting an apartment, finding a job, or even gaining access to the Federal Building in order to obtain their Social Security card,” he said.

Hansen’s bill doesn’t spell out how the Department of Correctional Services should accomplish this task, but he said, for example, the Lancaster County DMV office sometimes opens early so people from Community Corrections in Lincoln can get their IDs. His bill would give the Department until 2020 to comply. Senators voted 35-0 to give it first round approval.