*Menu
Search
Submit
McCook Gazette

Former State Senator Tom Baker running for old seat

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tom Baker

TRENTON -- Former Nebraska State Senator Tom Baker of Trenton plans to run for his old legislative seat next year. Baker says his priorities in the Legislature will be job creation, cutting state spending, tax relief and sensible solutions to the state's water challenges.

Tom Baker said, "My focus in the Legislature will be on serving the people I represent in southwest Nebraska, not special interests."

"That means working hard to encourage job creation in rural Nebraska and cut government red tape so our existing small businesses can grow and add jobs."

"It also means fighting against wasteful government spending, to make sure the state budget is balanced, and to cut taxes on farmers, small business, families and seniors."

"And, working with stakeholders across the Republican River Valley for sensible and sustainable solutions to address the water issue, not knee jerk solutions."

"So many people from across southwest Nebraska have encouraged me to run again and return to Lincoln to represent them with a conservative, no-nonsense approach to the issues facing our state and our communities. I look forward to working hard in this campaign and then once again working hard to represent southwest Nebraska in the Legislature."

Baker represented Legislative District 44 in southwest Nebraska from 1999 to 2007 and served four years as chairman of the Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. Last month he resigned from the Board of Educational Lands and Funds to be eligible to run for the Legislature because state law prohibits Board members from running for political office. Baker was appointed to the Board of Educational Lands and Funds by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman in January 2007.

Tom Baker said, "I want to thank Governor Heineman for appointing me to the Board of Educational Lands and Funds almost three years ago. We've worked on a lot of issues over that time, but the two most important accomplishments include hiring a new director for the commission and the progress we've made on potential income producing wind turbine and carbon sequestration projects on state lands."

Baker is a farmer, rancher and small business owner who lives outside of Trenton. He previously served on the Trenton School Board and the Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission. His wife Pat is a public school teacher and together they have three children and seven grandchildren.

Comments
View 8 comments
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

  • Term limit man is back??? His greed and coruption of picking/placing the location of the Trenton ethanol plant vs a more logical McCook location and or Imperial location where most corn acres are located vs his home town ??? Then his voting against other tax incentive help for other ethanol plants trying to locate in Cambridge and McCook all to help his hometown plant get profitalbe quicker and force cambridge in bankruptcy in the end and McCooks plant to not be built.....I wonder how bad do we really need Tom Baker vs him needing us.

    -- Posted by Cornwhisperer on Tue, Nov 10, 2009, at 10:39 AM

  • Southwest Nebraska should be glad and thankfull for Senator Baker returning to the Senate.

    We need someone in SW Nebraska that knows whats going on.

    I think as many others do HE DID A GREAT JOB!!!

    He was always interested in public thoughts.

    It was great being able too contact him and he would share his thoughts and ask for new ideas. At least you could contact him. As far as the ethanol plant being built in Trenton-----Looks like its still in operation and placed in a good location.

    Congratulation Tom for seeing what Nebraska needs!!!!!

    -- Posted by Just a reader on Wed, Nov 11, 2009, at 7:32 AM

  • I've known Tom Baker and his family for almost 60 years. Tom was raised with the best of morals at a time when a person was proud of his roots and his family name. Nebraska is lucky to have such a man who is wanting to do what's right even if his ideas may differ with others from time to time. Good luck Tom...I wish my father had lived long enough to know about all the good you have done for southwest Nebraska...if he were living in McCook you know you could count on Leonard Boyd and family as staunch supporters....

    -- Posted by misty on Fri, Nov 13, 2009, at 10:12 PM

  • After working with Tom for more than six years through my job as a reporter at the Gazette, I know Tom is a man of integrity who has always looked out for the best interest of his constituents. While I am no longer living in Southwest Nebraska, and unable to vote for him, I will certainly be rooting for him. Consider yourselves lucky for the opportunity to send him back to Lincoln!

    -- Posted by glorydaze on Mon, Nov 16, 2009, at 7:45 AM

  • He needs to be back in there to get something done that is right. Look at what is going on now. Anyone has a view on the daily matters of the country. The are all different. Tom has a clear point of view.

    -- Posted by edbru on Tue, Nov 17, 2009, at 7:10 AM

  • Sugar coat it all you want but the bottom line Baker did everything as a state senator to make sure other ethanol plants in his own distict fail or not be built (Cambridge/McCook/Imperial) so who except those who profited from that stupidity should or want to vote for him???? We dont need dirty Washington style politics in S/W Nebraska do we?? I dont like our current guy from Imperial and his bias on the water issues McCook area vs Imperial area either but we can do better than Baker and his choosen politics of me first with the voting track record to prove it.

    -- Posted by Cornwhisperer on Tue, Nov 17, 2009, at 11:15 AM

  • No one knows Tom's family better than I do and I attest to the fact that Baker legacy in southwest Nebraska is a strong one of service and integrity, but don't assume that Tom represents those values because of his last name. He's a true politician and no one benefited more financially and otherwise from his past time in office than he did. Check the record and do your own research. Beyond his invovlement with the ethanol plant, there are numerous actions that seriously question his ability to make ethical decisions in the best interest of the greater public. Don't be fooled...southwest Nebraska can do MUCH better!

    -- Posted by thepurplepanther on Fri, Nov 27, 2009, at 1:22 PM

  • If Tom Baker was truly a man of integrity he would not be slandering Mark Christensen's name.

    -- Posted by cornfedgirl on Wed, Oct 27, 2010, at 10:59 AM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: