LIBA PAC Candidate Questions for County Commission District 5, submitted last night per email 1. Please give us a very brief background of yourself. I am a Nebraska native, graduated from Beatrice High School and earned a B.A. in business administration from Hastings College. I lived in Switzerland for 16 years and worked for several multi-national corporations and smaller businesses in import/export work with Europe and Asia. I returned to Nebraska in 1993 and got very involved in Lincoln’s neighborhoods and organizing volunteers in efforts to make our community a better place. Over the past twenty years my community involvement and leadership positions have been extensive, both as a volunteer and in my employment choices. 2. Why are you running for County Commissioner? I was employed from 2007 to 2012 working with over 50 agencies dealing with substance abuse prevention, treatment and criminal justice. Several gaps in services with juvenile justice and other human service issues were very noticeable and I feel strongly that they need to be addressed. With four years of zoning/planning experience on the Planning Commission and four years experience with policy on the City Council – I think I have a lot to offer Lancaster County citizens representing their varied interests on the County Board. 3. If elected what would be your priorities as County Commissioner? I’m fiscally conservative and want the best use of tax dollars. I want to make sure that as Stevens Creek opens up that it is done in an environmentally sustainable manner to avoid any future problems as experienced with the Antelope Valley project. We need to prioritize a paved, continuous north/south corridor east (98th Street) of 84th now before more development overloads 84th. At the top of my list is ensuring that more problem solving courts are explored and implemented where feasible. Lancaster County’s Drug Court has been a perfect example of how those cost efficiencies (and very commendable success rates) makes fiscal sense. 4. Have you read the report of the recent City/Count Consolidation Committee? What is your opinion regarding the Committee recommendations? I read the recent report online and will be looking at more of the information shared with that group, in particular the Arthur D. Little study from the ‘70’s. Obviously several departments have already been consolidated and numerous City and County interlocal agreements show how effectively local government agencies work together. The Committee recommendations reflect the political realities of moving forward. If there are savings to be realized, timing is everything and the general public needs to be educated and buy in before further steps are attempted. 5. The Railroad Transportation Safety District has committed to dedicating $13 million for rail projects associated with the South Beltway. Would you support this position? I strongly support the use of RTSD funds for RTSD projects, wherever the highest benefit from those projects would be. If federal funds are available for the same projects, I would prefer to eliminate or reduce the use of local money. 6. The County has currently allocated $.013 of a possible $.026 tax levy to the RTSD. What is your position on the current allocation of tax levy? The reasons for RTSD funding has been discussed repeatedly over the past decade. Until there is no need, or an alternative source of funding is offered for these extremely expensive overpasses, it seems a reasonable amount to set aside for high cost projects. 7. Is property tax relief one of your priorities? My family owns agricultural land in Saunders and Gage Counties, where my mother and father grew up, and farmers are extremely sensitive to high property tax. Finding an alternative source of funding for federally and state mandated county services is crucial, especially in light of reduced aid to counties from the state. 8. Do you feel that current County Commissioners are sufficiently demanding of county department heads and elected officials, especially when it comes to their budgets? Yes. As an aside, watching some other counties struggle, I would challenge anyone to find a better run Election Commission Office than what we have with David Shively and his staff here in Lancaster County. 9. Currently, the County has taken a position in favor of Medicaid expansion. Do you support Medicaid expansion in Nebraska? Yes. Senator Kathy Campbell has used her past experience as a Lancaster County Commissioner to lead the way in the Unicameral in support of Medicaid expansion in Nebraska. 10. Recently, there has been a push at the state level to eliminate the inheritance tax. Would you support or oppose elimination of the inheritance tax? One argument for elimination of the inheritance tax is that family farms and family businesses suffer. The various exemptions in the law help reduce the impact on surviving spouses and close relatives or siblings, especially for modest estates. However, large estates with few liquid assets (e.g. land) are significantly impacted. Since this tax is one of the only sources of income for funding necessary county services like roads, elections, zoning and licensing, the ultimate effect of elimination would appear to be higher property taxes, also hitting landowners. Weighing an annual impact vs lifetime impact, I oppose elimination. 11. How much money have your raised as of today? Less than $5,000. 12. Do you want a LIBA PAC endorsement? A LIBA PAC endorsement of a highly qualified Democratic candidate, in a partisan race, would refute LIBA critics who believe LIBA is a Republican organization. 13. If the LIBA PAC does endorse you would you accept LIBA PAC contributions? I accept contributions from supporters, with and without accompanying endorsements. 14. Do you have any experiences or expertise that you feel makes you uniquely qualified to serve as county commissioner? With four years zoning experience on the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning commission, service on over two dozen committees or task forces, including the Stevens Creek Watershed Advisory Committee, Cost Savings and Efficiencies work group to the Infrastructure Finance Committee and various long range transportation committees, and tackling tough budget decisions for four years on the Lincoln City Council, I bring unmatched experience. In addition, since my father’s death in 2004, I have been managing the family’s farms. Growing up in a small town, having a solid education and broad experience with business, budgets and farming gives me a unique outlook and ability to represent all the citizens of Northeast Lincoln and Lancaster County
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:47:51 +0000