FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rhonda Porter: 402-391-2273, Dave Nabity: 402-618-6759

Nabity Asks Nebraskans to Choose Problem Solving over Politics in Governor Race

(November 1, 2005—Omaha, NE) Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Nabity, in response to recent news of excessive travel by Governor Dave Heineman, today urged Nebraskans to choose a governor who will spend his time solving the state’s problems, rather than practicing politics.

“One of the main reasons I’m running is to make sure we have a governor in 2007 who will spend four years dedicated to solving our state’s critical problems, rather than four years campaigning for re-election on the taxpayers’ dime.

“There’s no question that our elected officials must listen and implement policies with a lot of good ideas from the citizens of our state. It’s important that the governor meet with the people of Nebraska from east to west regularly. But I’m not sure taxpayers should be footing the bill for anyone’s campaign-style events. Sure, it’s nice to have the Governor attend special events in communities around the state, but with the fiscal, educational and social problems facing Nebraska, I think the first priority should be working with Nebraskans to solve these problems rather than glad handing for votes,” Nabity said.

Nabity pointed out that newly appointed Governor Heineman, in his first eight months in office, made 599 visits across the state, an average of 16.6 stops per week. Our last governor in the same period of his first term had 447 appearances that averaged 12.7 per week.

Heineman's schedule exceeded his predecessor’s by 152 stops in 36 weeks. “Maybe this is why he could find only one-tenth of 1% to cut out of the budget, and why he signed off on a 14% increase in the bi-ennial budget and found no way to bring tax relief in his first session as governor,” Nabity said. “He wasn’t around enough to work on problem solving."

“This attitude toward governing takes the focus off of what is important and leads to the status-quo, go-along-get-along leadership that we’ve had in Nebraska for far too long. It causes one to ignore the growing tumors of problems that are draining the lifeblood out of our state. If we don’t change the focus of our state’s top official and adjust our priorities, it will mean big trouble for all of us.”

Nabity said Nebraska has fallen seriously behind other states and is not addressing critical issues in the following areas:

  • We are the eighth highest-taxed state, according to the Tax Foundation, and retirees are leaving in huge numbers.
  • We are one of the worst states in America at getting people off of welfare.
  • Those who deal with the Medicaid system will tell you the system is rife with waste, fraud and inefficiency.
  • Our bloated state government is second in the nation for number of government employees per person.vOur government is actively taking business away from private sector businesses, becoming a direct competitor to tax-paying companies.
  • We have not successfully transformed Nebraska into a technologically efficient state.
  • Nebraska has become one of the most difficult states in the nation to do business in if you are a cattle or hog feeder, or if you want to operate a dairy.
  • We’ve fallen behind other states in the growth of ethanol and bio-diesel operations, which prevents the growth of jobs in rural areas.
  • Many agribusiness companies have decided to grow in other states, because the Department of Environmental Quality is so difficult to work with.
  • Counties suffer from mandates not funded by the state. Environmental groups are suing counties to prevent growth of commercial agriculture in their areas.
  • Forced school consolidations and attempted takeovers have caused educational chaos statewide and we still have no solution to rising property taxes.
  • Our foster care system is broken and many children caught in the system are having their lives destroyed by abusive parents.
  • We are 50th in the nation in growth of economic development.
  • Nebraska ranks at the bottom of states supporting tourism.
  • College graduates in Nebraska are leaving the state after graduation to go to states with better and higher paying job opportunities.
  • We haven’t done enough to rid Nebraska of the methamphetamine problem that is destroying significant numbers of our youth, both urban and rural.

“With a list of pressing needs like this, shouldn't our governor be around to lead the legislature and department heads with new ideas to solve these problems?” Nabity asked. "In business, you hold the owners accountable for the results they get. The citizens of Nebraska need to hold their governors accountable for results, as well, not just for how many times they can appear in an area of the state.

“This next election should be about leadership, and we need to raise the bar on what we expect. The election needs to be about modernizing and streamlining our government, so we can reduce taxes now. It needs to be about new and innovative ideas for increasing jobs and growing our economy. It needs to be about bringing Nebraska into a new era of competitiveness and prosperity.

“We can transform Nebraska into the Jewel of the Midwest—a magnet for new business, high-paying jobs, new opportunity in rural areas and the benchmark for family values nationwide. However, it will take a new governor, with new ideas, and a passion for attacking the state’s problems head-on to get us there.”

Dave Nabity for Governor
9140 West Dodge, Suite 100
Omaha, NE 68114
(402) 391-2273
www.davenabity.com