State facing two 'thousand pound gorillas'

With the state facing ever- increasing Medicare and Medicaid costs, a lobby to give illegal immigrants driver's licenses is meeting strong resistance in Lincoln.

Nebraska Sen. Tom Baker told the McCook Legislative Committee Thursday, he has been lobbied by a group asking that driver's licensed be issued to illegal immigrants.

If that were to happen, it would open the door for illegal immigrants to begin applying for, and receiving, state benefits such as Medicaid.

Baker told the group the state is facing a major problem with funding Medicaid as it stands. To add illegal immigrants to the mix would only increase the problem, he said.

"We've ended up giving up on deporting them," Baker said.

The state's ultimate goal should be to get the illegal immigrants assimilated as citizens. "And if not citizens, at least legal immigrants," he said.

Baker told the group that a bill that would give illegal immigrants in-state tuition rates at state colleges would at least begin the process of assimilating the younger generation.

Baker stressed to the group that the Hispanic community is very important to the economy of the State of Nebraska.

"If we took the Hispanics out of the Nebraska labor force, the meat packing industry would close down and that would devastate the state's economy."

The success of the Legislature's economic incentive package rests on the outcome of the state's revenue forecast due out in April, Baker said.

To date, the state has about $60 million of excess money that hasn't been allocated to existing programs. That $60 million is broken down to $25 million in fiscal year 2005-06 and $35 million in fiscal year 2006-07.

However, Baker points out, with the rising cost of fuel, that $60 million may be reduced when the state's revenue forecasting board meets in April.

"If we maintain our revenue we'll be lucky," he said.

Whether the revenue forecast remains the same or drops, the Legislature will have to look at cutting funding to other programs to fund the economic development package.

"We have two thousand -pound gorillas staring at us," he said, again citing education and Medicare and Medicaid.

Baker pointed out Nebraska isn't the only state facing deficits, which appear to be a nationwide problem.

Baker also discussed the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. "We have a sign-up list a mile long," he said.

Baker said the Legislature has included funding -- $4.5 million -- for the program in the upcoming budget and there is more than enough interest to fill the 50,000 acre goal the state has laid out for ceasing irrigation along the Republican River.

Baker added the state might consider adding more acres in the future.