Buffett Supports Hassebrook

June 24, 2014 Leave a comment


Post primary financial reports for the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission (NADC) were due yesterday, Monday, June 23. Chuck Hassebrook, candidate for Governor, has issued the following statement:

“I am proud to have the financial support of many Nebraskans, including Omaha’s most well-known and respected business leader, Warren Buffett.

“Mr. Buffett is celebrated for his hard-earned success in business and his instinct for sound investments. His significant investment in my campaign, coupled with the close results in recent public opinion polls demonstrates that this truly is one of the most competitive races for Governor that we’ve seen in decades.

“Mr. Buffett’s contribution adds to our fundraising total of $1.4 million, including nearly $580,000 since the last report at the end of April.

“I’ll be spending the rest of the summer working hard to earn Nebraskans’ votes, and look forward to a robust campaign as we head in to November.”

Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

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Governor’s Race Within Four Points

June 20, 2014 Leave a comment


Last week Public Policy Polling surveyed 900 voters on the Nebraska Governor’s race. The results were publicly released this morning. Chuck Hassebrook, candidate for Governor, has released the following statement:

“I am very encouraged about the results from the PPP poll that were released earlier this morning. Despite a significant Republican registration advantage, the race is within four points and I am leading in favorability overall and among independent voters.

“The poll demonstrates that this is the most competitive race for Governor in decades. It also explains why Pete Ricketts rejected my proposal for a Nebraska Clean Elections Pact: more Nebraskans view him unfavorably than favorably, so it’s clear that his strategy will be to drag me down, just as he did with Jon Bruning in the Republican Primary. He claimed to run a positive campaign while having shadowy groups with hidden donors sling the mud for him.

“Fellow Nebraskans, brace yourselves to be pelted by more mud from Pete’s friends and family. When that begins, just remember what it represents. It is a brazen ploy of a billionaire family to use its money and influence to buy your vote through negative advertising, rather than earn it by presenting a practical vision for moving our whole state forward.

“Our state needs leaders who will stand up for ordinary Nebraskans by creating genuine opportunities for them to succeed. That’s the kind of leader I have been, and that’s how I will continue to lead as Governor.”

Chuck Hassebrook. Photo Courtesy of Meg Mandy.

Chuck Hassebrook. Photo Courtesy of Meg Mandy.

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Hassebrook Challenges Ricketts Claim on Minimum Wage

June 12, 2014 Leave a comment


Yesterday, the Columbus Telegram reported that Pete Ricketts said “many of the Nebraskans receiving the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour are high schoolers who need the entry-level positions to gain work experience and training. This opportunity would be eliminated if employers can’t afford to pay the higher wages.” Chuck Hassebrook has released the following statement, challenging Ricketts’ claim:

“My opponent’s claim characterization of the minimum wage as an issue primarily affecting high schoolers is out of touch. In truth, the proposed increase is critical to thousands of Nebraska families who rely on minimum wage jobs to make ends meet.

“Half of the workforce that makes minimum wage in Nebraska are over the age of 25, which means there are thousands of adult Nebraskans that work in jobs where they are not earning a living wage. People who work hard every day ought to be able to support themselves without needing the help of public assistance programs like food stamps or housing assistance.

“Twenty years ago, the average CEO earned 20 times the average worker. Today, the average CEO makes 275 times the average worker.  At McDonalds, the CEO makes 1,200 times the average worker. We’re in the midst of the largest gap in earnings in history.

“Many studies show that increasing the minimum wage has little or no effect on employment prospects of low wage workers. An increase in wages actually stands to benefit employers through reduced costs associated with employee turnover.

“In fact, in the first four years following the last minimum wage increase the U.S. economy created more jobs than were ever created in any four year period.

“A majority of Nebraskans support increasing the minimum wage, which just goes to show how out of touch Pete is with average, hardworking families. There is no reason that our tax dollars should go to subsidizing businesses that do not pay their workers a living wage.”

Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

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Hassebrook Responds on Ricketts Running Mate Choice

June 3, 2014 6 Comments


This afternoon, Republican candidate for Governor Pete Ricketts announced that he picked current Lieutenant Governor, Lavon Heidemann, to be his running mate in the upcoming November election. Chuck Hassebrook has released the following statement in response:

“Mr. Ricketts’ made this choice because he needed to make up for his lack of knowledge about government, agriculture, and small town Nebraska. While Mr. Ricketts has spent his life in a corporate board room or in his family’s pro-baseball team’s stadium, I have been here working to create opportunity for all Nebraskans.

“I have spent my career fighting for ordinary Nebraskans as a Regent for the University of Nebraska and as the Executive Director for the Center of Rural Affairs. I am running for Governor to do more to create good jobs and genuine opportunity for every Nebraskan and a bright future for our state.

“I am currently working through a short list of potential running mates, and I look forward to announcing my choice later this summer. But I’ll tell you one thing – whoever I choose will be ready on day one to be a partner in making the changes necessary to get our state back on track, grow our economy, and create new opportunities for all Nebraskans to prosper.”

Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

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Hassebrook Challenges Ricketts to Nebraska Clean Elections Pact

May 27, 2014 Leave a comment


This morning Chuck Hassebrook challenged Pete Ricketts to join him in a Nebraska Clean Elections Pact, through a letter delivered to the Ricketts campaign.

If Mr. Ricketts agrees to the Pact, both candidates will pledge to stop hidden donors from assaulting Nebraskans with mudslinging ads, limit negative advertising to statements that they personally make themselves, and keep general election spending under $3 million for each campaign.

“The Nebraska Clean Elections Pact will only work if both parties agree to abide by every component,” said Hassebrook. “No candidate can unilaterally disarm and survive, so I will not pledge to take these steps alone. I am challenging Mr. Ricketts to agree to this Pact because it is the only practical way for Nebraskans to get the kind of campaign they want and deserve.”

“We just endured the ugliest campaign in recent history. In the last two weeks, I’ve been in communities all across the state, and without fail, people approach me about the excessive amount of spending and negative advertising that we saw in this last primary election.”

“Elections are serious business. Nebraskans deserve a campaign that respects the democratic process and is focused on solutions to the issues facing our state. They deserve a campaign that does not insult their intelligence.”

Misguided U.S. Supreme Court rulings that equate buying elections with free speech and treat corporations as people endowed with inalienable rights have made the problem worse. We cannot change the Court’s decisions, so Nebraska leaders must step forward with practical, common sense solutions.

“It is in that spirit that I challenge Mr. Ricketts to sign this Pact”, said Hassebrook.  “I have already signed it and am committed to abide by it if he agrees. I sincerely hope Mr. Ricketts agrees so we can have a constructive campaign focused on a meaningful, robust debate about our different visions for Nebraska’s future.”

Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

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Hassebrook Within Seven Points in Governor’s Race

May 21, 2014 Leave a comment


Omaha, NE – A Rasmussen poll released on Sunday that shows Chuck Hassebrook is within seven points of Republican opponent, Pete Ricketts.

The poll was conducted on May 14th and May 15th and surveyed 750 likely voters. Of those surveyed:

·         50% were men and 50% were women. Women were underrepresented in results by 2% — of the total registered voters in Nebraska, 52% are women, and 48% are men.

·         48% were Republicans, 28% were Democrats, and 24% were unaffiliated with either party.

Survey results show that 47% of those surveyed supported Ricketts, while 40% supported Hassebrook. This single-digit lead is well under the double-digit registration advantage that Republicans hold – 50% of registered voters in Nebraska are Republicans, while 30% are Democrats.

Additionally, among those surveyed 41% viewed Ricketts unfavorably, nearly twice that of Hassebrook (25%). Finally, only 6% were unsure or didn’t know Ricketts, which is nearly six times fewer than Hassebrook (35%). This shows that there is a much greater likelihood for Hassebrook to gain favorable ground with voters than Ricketts, who has run multiple campaigns and has already polarized voters.

This initial poll is important for a few reasons. The survey was conducted on the first two days after a brutal Republican primary battle that dominated the airwaves for months. Ricketts and outside groups spent millions of dollars promoting his campaign and attacking his opponents, and won by the least number of votes in 100 years, while Hassebrook, who ran unopposed, did not spend any money on television or radio ads before the primary election. Ricketts has previously run in a high profile race, voters have examined him, and even after his most recent campaign he has not gained any ground.

The results of the Rasmussen poll indicate that voters have made up their minds about Ricketts – not favorably – and therefore may be open to supporting another candidate that is not affiliated with their own registered party.

Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

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Chuck Hassebrook’s Plan as Governor

May 16, 2014 Leave a comment


A Fair Shake for Rural Nebraska

Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

and

Support for the Small Town and Rural Way of Life

A new generation of jobs and small business opportunities is waiting to be developed to revitalize the small town and rural way of life in Nebraska.

The internet has enabled small businesses to tap lucrative distant markets. Value added agriculture and agricultural tourism are flourishing, creating new opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers. Opportunities are growing in rural manufacturing, employing the latest technology and skilled workers. Nebraska has the natural resources to become the nation’s leader in renewable energy production.

But current state policy is ill-suited to realize the full potential of these new opportunities. State government has neglected small town and rural community development. Tax incentives, economic development, and regulatory policies are biased against small business. We are only beginning to address growing workforce training needs. Nebraska has fallen far behind in policies that support renewable energy development and lags behind neighboring states in wind development

As Governor, Chuck Hassebrook will pursue four priority strategies to create genuine opportunity and a better

future in Nebraska’s small towns and rural communities, including support for small business and beginning

farmers and ranchers, renewable energy development, job training, and community development.

This plan provides not only a road map for rural development policy, but a starting point for a conversation with

rural Nebraskans. Chuck Hassebrook has spent his entire life working with, listening to and learning from rural

Nebraskans. As he takes this plan out across our state, he will seek ideas and input to strengthen it.

1) Foster small business development and new farm and ranch enterprises.

 Expand the Small Business and Beginning Farmer/Rancher Tax Credit – The Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise tax credit provides a shot in the arm to start or grow a business, farm, or ranch. It provides a 20%, $10,000 refundable credit for businesses with up to five employees and for beginning farmers and ranchers, but the credit is capped at $2 million annually for all beneficiaries combined. The low annual cap prevents it from achieving its potential to grow our economy, and with bigger firms each receiving tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks, it presents a clear bias against small business. Chuck Hassebrook will work to phase out the $2 million cumulative cap and gradually broaden the program to businesses with up to ten employees.

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  •   Increase Small Business Training and Technical Assistance – Increase funding in the Nebraska Microenterprise Assistance Program for small business training and technical assistance from $300,000 annually to $1 million annually. A portion of new funding will be used to expand small business planning, training, and finance related services in underserved rural and urban areas. The remainder will be used to fund small business marketing assistance and assistance in technology transfer to new business startups and existing Nebraska based manufacturers.
  •   Nebraska Entrepreneurs Website and Hotline – Connect entrepreneurs to loan programs and appropriate training, business planning, marketing, and technology transfer assistance through aggressive outreach and establishment of a centralized small business and beginning farmer and rancher website/hotline. The initiative will be a partnership of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Cooperative Extension, colleges, universities, and other economic development service providers. The initiative will also actively promote the Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise Tax Credit, encourage landowners to rent to beginners through the Nebraska Beginning Farmer and Rancher Tax Credit, and promote the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority program, which encourages loans and contract agricultural land sales to beginning producers.
  •   Remove the Anti-Small Business Regulatory Bias – Conduct a comprehensive review to identify regulations that impose disproportionate costs on small business and devise common sense alternatives that achieve health, environmental, and public safety objectives in a manner practical for small business.

    2) Improve and expand job training programs.

  •   Create a partnership between learning institutions and employers – Nebraska has good jobs going unfilled due to a mismatch between worker skills and available jobs. Lack of trained workers is preventing employers from growing their businesses and our state’s economy, especially in manufacturing. By creating a partnership between the state, schools, community colleges, unions, and employers, we can work together to fill good paying jobs and grow the economy.
  •   Encourage dual credit classes for high school students – Make the state a partner in collaborations that enable high schools students to receive dual credit for community college courses as early as their junior year. The state can help these programs by increasing tuition assistance, and cost sharing for purchase of equipment needed for job training.
  •   Expand state funded apprenticeships in workforce shortage areas
    3) Support wind development, grow the Nebraska market for corn-based ethanol, and develop a

    strategy for next generation biofuels.

 Develop Nebraska’s World Class Wind Resource – Nebraska has the nation’s best wind for electric generation, but in actual development, Nebraska lags behind most surrounding states – foregoing thousands of good jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue and landowner payments. To strengthen our rural economy and communities and make Nebraska a leader in wind generation, Chuck Hassebrook will:

Provide leadership to enable Nebraska to become a leading exporter of wind generated electricity by drawing on the transmission study being prepared by the Nebraska Power Review Board to connect Nebraska wind farms to growing markets for renewable electricity in high population states.

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Develop a state production tax credit to jump start wind development that supports local businesses and provides an opportunity for Nebraskans, including wind farm employees, to share in wind farm ownership. The cost of the tax credit could be quickly recaptured – a typical 100 turbine wind farm generates $1 million annually in local tax payments, which can be used to increase property tax relief. Wind farms also generate state tax revenues from payments to landowners, direct jobs, spin-off jobs, and related income and sales.

 Champion Nebraska Ethanol – As America’s second leading ethanol producer, Nebraska needs an outspoken ethanol champion as its top elected official. Our corn ethanol industry has made significant investments that have created good jobs across rural Nebraska, while protecting farmers from price depressing surpluses and providing an environmentally friendly, cost effective fuel source. As Governor, Chuck Hassebrook will:

Stand up for Nebraska’s ethanol industry by challenging anti-ethanol attacks like the EPA’s proposal to reduce the amount of ethanol used in the nation’s fuel supply under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Expand Nebraska markets for Nebraska ethanol by shifting the state’s fleet of vehicles to E-15 and working with commodity boards and the ethanol industry to finance and promote an increase in the number of blender pumps in our state. It’s common sense to use more of our ethanol close to home, where we have a large, low cost supply.

Develop a strategy for next generation biofuels from grass, crop residue, and other sources of cellulose, with the help of a task force of farmers, ethanol producers, scientists and environmentalists. To create goods jobs and genuine opportunity, we must keep our state on the forefront of biofuel production, while protecting our soil and water and addressing the growing challenge of climate change.

4) Create a new partnership between the state of Nebraska and small towns to foster community development.

  •   Community Grants – Reauthorize and refine the Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act and award $1 million annually in matching grants to small towns to support entrepreneurship, community philanthropy, leadership development, and community development.
  •   Loan Forgiveness for Rural Health Professionals – Sustain the recent increase in educational loan repayment assistance for health professionals who work in underserved rural areas.
  •   Planning and Technical Assistance to Small Towns and Rural Communities – Work in partnership with local development districts, local governments and the University of Nebraska’s Rural Futures Institute to provide training to local leaders and technical assistance in community planning, zoning, and housing development. Help communities use historic preservation tax credits, community development block grants, and local philanthropy to revitalize rural Main Streets and refurbish aging storefronts as business incubators.

 Protect and More Effectively Leverage State Funds for Workforce Housing – Across rural

Nebraska, communities are struggling with a lack of affordable housing for the workers they need.

Assist communities in drawing on state and federal programs to address housing needs, including

housing rehabilitation. Block efforts to raid the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund for other

purposes, and provide leadership in more effectively using state funds to leverage federal housing

programs, the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority and other resources. Review Trust Fund income

guidelines for rental units and adjust as needed to address workforce housing needs.

 

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Hassebrook Releases Plan for Rural Economic Development

May 15, 2014 Leave a comment


Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

The day after the primary election, Chuck Hassebrook, Democratic nominee for Governor, has released his plan for rural economic development.

Hassebrook’s plan for rural economic development includes beefing up the state’s support for small businesses and beginning farmers and ranchers, renewable energy development, job training, and community development.

“I’ve spent my entire career dedicated to strengthening the small town and rural way of life. I’m proud today to share with you my plan to create economic opportunity in small town and rural Nebraska,” Hassebrook stated.

Hassebrook spent 36 years at the Center for Rural Affairs, 17 of those years as the Executive Director, and helped 10,000 small businesses in Nebraska with loans and planning, training, and technical assistance.

Hassebrook says that he sees “many of the same issues that plague rural Nebraska in our urban communities as well. The bottom line is that to allow our communities to continue growing, the state has to make some changes to its policies and become more of a partner in economic development. As Governor, I’ll lead the charge, and move Nebraska forward.”

Steve Buttress of Kearney, who previously served as the Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development under then Governor Ben Nelson supports the plan, and says that “Chuck’s plan will deliver, it will make a difference, and it will build a better economy. It’s a blueprint that will work across the state, small town and large, Omaha to Scottsbluff.”

·         Foster small business development and new farm and ranch enterprises

o   Expand the Small Business and Beginning Farmer and Rancher tax credit

o   Increase small business training and technical assistance

o   Create a centralized website and hotline for Nebraska entrepreneurs

o   Remove the anti-small business regulatory bias

·         Improve and expand job training programs

o   Create a partnership between learning institutions and employers

o   Encourage dual credit classes for high school students

o   Expand state funded apprenticeships in workforce shortage areas

·         Support wind development, Nebraska’s corn ethanol industry, and develop a strategy for next generation biofuels

o   Develop Nebraska’s world class wind resource by creating a state production tax credit and building transmission lines

o   Champion Nebraska ethanol by expanding our local markets and keeping our state at the forefront of next generation biofuels.

·         Create a new partnership between the state of Nebraska and small towns to foster community development

o   Community grants

o   Loan forgiveness for rural health professionals

o   Planning and technical assistance to small towns and rural communities

o   Protect and more effectively leverage state funds for workforce housing

 

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Hassebrook Urges Legislators to Override LB 690 Veto

April 9, 2014 Leave a comment


Democratic candidate for Governor Chuck Hassebrook has issued the following statement urging state legislators to override Governor Dave Heineman’s veto of LB 690, a bill introduced by Lincoln Senator Kate Bolz that would have allowed for the state to apply to receive federal funding for in-home care services for the elderly:

“This bill was passed by 34 of our state’s 46 lawmakers, which shows that there is a wide margin of bipartisan support for a measure that would both save the state money in the long-term, and allow Nebraska’s seniors to receive much needed care in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.

“Governor Heineman’s veto of LB 690 is penny wise, but dollar foolish. It makes good short term politics, but at the future expense of Nebraska taxpayers.

“When I’m Governor I won’t play these sorts of games, which only stand to hurt Nebraskan seniors and our state’s long term financial outlook.

“Senator Bolz has filed a motion to override the veto, and I call on our legislators to uphold their support for LB 690 when it comes time to vote again.”

Chuck Hassebrook

Chuck Hassebrook

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Hassebrook supports LB887

March 26, 2014 Leave a comment


LB 887, the Wellness in Nebraska Act, will be debated today on the floor of the Unicameral. Democratic candidate for Governor Chuck Hassebrook has issued the following statement in support of LB 887:

“Nebraska lawmakers are again face-to-face with one of the most important issues of the year. Today the merits of LB 887, the Wellness in Nebraska Act (WIN), will be debated on the floor of the legislature. This is a law that, if passed, would extend much needed healthcare to 54,000 hard-working Nebraskans.

Chuck Hassebrook. Photo Courtesy of Meg Mandy.

Chuck Hassebrook. Photo Courtesy of Meg Mandy.

“There are two primary beneficiaries of Medicaid expansion in Nebraska — the working poor, who are struggling to make ends meet from one, two, or even three low wage jobs that don’t provide their workers with healthcare, and the other is every individual and every employer that buys private insurance.

“We faced this same decision last year, and have since lost millions of federal dollars that could have been used to take care of our neighbors right here in Nebraska. Instead, Governor Heineman and a filibustering majority of the Legislature caused Nebraskans to pay twice. We pay federal taxes to fund this program and we pay higher insurance premiums to cover emergency room medical care for those who were denied Medicaid.

“We must stop playing political games with the lives and well being of fellow Nebraskans. It’s time to start caring for our neighbors again and do what is best for all Nebraskans by supporting and passing LB 887 today.”

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