Deadline passes for Sen. Kintner

I am sure many of you have heard that the Executive Board sent a letter to Senator Kintner asking him to resign, and giving him a deadline to do so. Of course that deadline passed, and Senator Kintner has responded with a letter which said that he will not resign. I doubt that Executive Board Chairman Senator Krist will schedule another meeting before the full Legislative Council gathers on November 17 & 18, when we, as the entire Legislature, can discuss possible next steps. There is no action which the Legislative Council can take that is binding. I am still hopeful that Senator Kintner will resign before our regular session begins in January, and we can all move past this issue and continue the work which the Legislature is tasked to do for Nebraskans -- namely, property tax reform.

I doubt there is anyone in Southwest Nebraska who is not aware of the landmark agreement which Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado reached on the Republican River Basin at the end of August. This is an excellent example for many of us, especially those in the legislature, to look to. By listening to one another as well as talking, by committing to work together, and by all sacrificing something so that a compromise could be reached, a much-needed update to the terms of the compact was accomplished, and everyone involved was able to walk away from the table with a small win under their belt.

If you know of a hard-working young person who will be in college in the Lincoln area during the Spring 2017 semester and who has an interest in government, policy, politics, or administration, the legislature is currently selecting for Legislative Page Positions. Pages must be high school graduates currently enrolled in a Nebraska college or trade school with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and able to work 20 hours a week from January 4, 2017 through May. It is a paid position and many Nebraska colleges offer credit for participating in the program, similar to an internship. The deadline to apply is October 3rd and the Selection Committee will conduct interviews on October 13th. We have had a few students from the 44th District who have done this in the past and I would encourage all college students to consider it. If you or someone you know might have an interest in participating, please contact my office.

I always enjoy hearing from the Nebraskans I represent. Please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns that you might have. My email address is dhughes@leg.ne.gov and my phone number is (402) 471-2805.You can read more about bills and other work of the Legislature at www.nebraskalegislature.gov, and you can click on the Live Video Streaming NET logo to watch sessions, hearings, and other Capitol events.