Gubernatorial forum
This week is the first week of the Custer County Chief’s gubernatorial forum. We sent six questions to 11 candidates for Governor of Nebraska. In this issue and the next two issues of the Chief, we will print the candidates answers to the questions. Each candidate was asked to respond in writing in 150 words or less for each question. The candidates are listed by party and alphabetically by last name. (We did not send the questions to Scott Zimmerman as he is the sole Libertarian on the primary ballot.)
It is our sincere hope that this information will help you, the readers of the Custer County Chief, to determine who will receive your votes for Governor in the May 10 primary.
This week’s questions:
1. “What is your top priority if elected to the office of Governor?”
2. “What will you do to ensure integrity in all future Nebraska elections?”
April 21: ”What has two years of COVID taught us about the future of our healthcare system?” and “What will you do to ensure that all Nebraska students have an education that provides opportunities for success without bankrupting taxpayers?”
April 28: “What sets you apart from the other candidates, uniquely qualifies you to be governor or will help you govern if elected?” and “What is your vision for Nebraska agriculture? Where do you see potential for global growth for Nebraska Ag? Where do you stand on carbon and biofuels?”
Candidates were contacted via the email on file with the Nebraska Secretary of State. The initial questions were sent March 18 with a follow-up reminder April 1.
Carol Blood (Dem)
This candidate did not respond by the requested deadline.
Roy A. Harris (Dem)
This candidate did not respond by the requested deadline.
Donna Nicole Carpenter (Rep)
This candidate did not respond in the method requested.
Michael Connely (Rep)
This candidate did not respond by the requested deadline.
Charles W. Herbster (Rep)
This candidate did not respond by the requested deadline.
Brett Lindstrom (Rep)
1. Slash the income tax for working Nebraskans! To grow Nebraska’s economy, I would eliminate the income tax for the majority of Nebraskans. I would cut the rate to 0 percent on incomes under $50,000 for single filing individuals, and under $100,000 for married filing jointly. The tax rate would be slashed to 5.60 percent on all income above $50,000 for single filers, and above $100,000 for joint filers. Eventually, the plan would cut the second bracket to 4.99 percent.
Nebraskans know how to spend their own money better than the government, putting money back into their pockets is critical to my economic development plan.
2. When it comes to election integrity, I am fighting to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat. Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. I believe it is past time we make sure our elections are fair, transparent, and that all legal votes are counted. One man, one vote: period. I am also a co-sponsor of Sen. Slama’s LR3CA, the Voter ID Constitutional Amendment.
Lela McNinch (Rep)
1. My top priority as Governor is Education. Our democracy was founded on religion and education, and we need to return to that. Rewriting the core curriculum for education, to include not only Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, but add agriculture and courses on basic life skills so our children will be prepared
for the workforce, military, or college. Our students need to know our constitution and be able to pass a test demonstrating their knowledge of our rights and Liberties in each year of high school, to include passing a citizenship test before graduation. Students need to be in early childhood education programs beginning at four years old in order to allow internships and onthe-job training and skills programs throughout high school.
2. To ensure election integrity, I suggest reregistering to vote each time we renew our driver’s license or state ID. When new residents request an ID or license in Nebraska, they must provide a certified US birth certificate verifying citizenship. Citizenship will be identified on the ID and a legal ID would be required to vote. We can bring voting booths to senior centers, assisted living homes and hospitals to allow seniors or vulnerable individuals the opportunity to vote in person.
Jim Pillen (Rep)
1. Protecting, training, and keeping our kids is key to growing our economy and agriculture. We need to bring transformational property tax relief to our farmers, ranchers, business owners, homeowners, and renters. We need to protect our kids, slash property taxes, grow our state through agriculture, and defend our values.
2. We need to take appropriate steps to restore confidence in our elections. Nebraskans have to show photo ID to open a bank account, board an airplane, or check into a hotel—it’s a part of everyday life. Our election system needs the same commonsense protection to ensure the security of our elections. That’s why I strongly support the Voter ID ballot initiative
Breland Ridenour (Rep)
1. To restore and protect the rights of the people which include our health freedoms. No mandates. No infringements. No federal overreach.
2. I will work with the Secretary of State to implement paper ballots only. Apply watermarks, QR codes and serial numbers to the ballots. Require that mail-in ballots be by request only and with address verification. Lastly, we need to integrate Voter ID.
Theresa Thibodeau (Rep)
1. Tax Reform – beginning with property tax relief: Form a private audit group to do a deep dive into every level of government and find waste and inefficiencies to cut overspending. State spending continues to grow and any meaningful tax relief must address overspending. Next, I will address school spending and funding. I
propose that we get rid of TEEOSA and replace it with funding coming 100 percent from the state on a per student basis. This will ensure equal funding per student across the state and provide immediate property tax relief for Nebraskans. I will reduce income tax, inheritance tax and the costs to license vehicles. My plan will look at removing service exemptions that benefit special interests. I will broaden our tax base and increase tourism. Economic development and tourism will be based on the economic drivers specific to the different areas of our state.
2. My plans for election Integrity: Voter I.D. for both mail in and in person voting. Remove ballot boxes. Define ballot harvesting in state statute and ensure harsh penalties for any violations. Reduce early voting to 10 days prior to the election. Implement a statewide database to automatically update county voter rolls when citizens pass away.
Troy Wentz (Rep)
1. Change property taxes from a Market Value system to a Size system. Currently if you have a house and people around pay more for houses most property taxes automatically gets raised. This will end. We will base it on size ~ circumference x height ~ bottom of the basement to the top. The only time your property taxes will increase automatically is if you make it larger. Increases in property taxes will be by the vote of the people. Commercial buildings will have a higher rate than a house.
Land will have different tax rates from highest to lowest would be paved parking lots, land surrounding housing and commercial development, irrigated crop land, dry crop land, pasture to the lowest being natural wildlife habitat. Again, property taxes on land will be based on size and not automatically raised because of market value. P.S. The Earth gives us life.
2. If we had four days of voting could we eliminate absentee, early and mail in balloting? The exceptions being serving military and hospital patients. ~ Have voter ID required. ~ Have four days of voting, 12 to 8 p.m., Saturday to Tuesday instead of one Tuesday. ~ Eliminate special elections, just vote in May and November. ~ Voting machine companies need to have their data be openly transparent to the public and “watch dog” organizations who want to study and verify the data. ~ If any election official takes money from any private person or company should that person serve two years in jail? ~ When our public school tore our town apart to build a new school, 33 percent of the property owners lived outside of the district and couldn’t vote. Voting laws need to change so everyone affected by a bond can vote.