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Nebraska Farmers Union |
1305
Plum Street • Lincoln, NE 68502 Contact
John Hansen Office: 402-476-8815, Fax: 402-476-8859, Cell: 402-580-8815 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nebraska
Farmers Union Says The Will of Voters Is Not Being Honored
LINCOLN, NE – Nebraska Farmers
Union says the Legislature has not yet honored the will of the voters in the
last election. Last fall, voters overwhelmingly voted to repeal LB126 by a
56.34% to 43.66% margin when they voted for Referendum 422. The repeal of LB126
was supported by a majority of voters in 91 out of 93 counties. 290,136 voters supported the repeal of
LB126, while 224,922 voted to retain LB126, a vote margin of 65, 214.
Nebraska
Farmers Union State President John Hansen said, “The rural community and the
organizations that represent them supported the repeal of LB126. Many of those organizations, including
Nebraska Farmers Union actively supported the petition drive to put a repeal on
the ballot. The Education Committee,
Chaired by Sen. Ron Raikes, and then the Legislature ignored the will of the
people when they passed LB126 in the first place. The citizens felt strongly enough about this issue to use the
citizen initiative process to repeal LB126, the state mandated forced
consolidation of Class I and Class 6 school districts. It appears the Legislature is not responding
to the will of the people.”
“Voters
have been expecting a roadmap from the Legislature on how to restore Class I
Districts to their previous status.
Instead of a roadmap, they are getting a roadblock in the form of LB658,
sponsored by Sen. Raikes. LB658,
sponsored by Sen. Raikes, currently on Select File will not return Class I
school districts to their previous status.
It is a ‘can’t get there from here set of directions’ that does not
honor the will of voters on this issue.
My organization firmly believes that LB658 does not represent
remedy. It will make an already bad
situation worse,” said Hansen.
Farmers
Union supports Sen. Cap Dierk’s amendment, AM826 to LB658. “Time is running out this session, there are
only 22 days left to deal with this important issue. It is critical that the Legislature respond to the will of the
voters in an appropriate and timely fashion,” Hansen said.
“We
assume that when voters vote, their votes have meaning. LB658 simply does not undo the impact of
LB126. The issue is not whether State
Senators agree or disagree with LB126.
The voters decided that issue when they used the citizen initiative
process to override the judgment of the past Legislature. The new Legislature needs to keep faith with
the will of the voters, and restore Class I schools back to their previous
status. LB658 is a roadblock, but AM826
is a roadmap to the restoration of Class I districts, ” Hansen concluded.
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