monday, October 30, 1978
page 8
election issue
Constitutional amendments
School aid dispute to be solved by voters
By Scott Nelson
Referendum 300 is touted by its pro
ponents as the solution to inequitable pro
perty taxes, while opponents call it "the
old shell game", a ploy to mislead the
voters into higher taxes and increased
school spending.
The referendum dates back to the sum
mer of 1977 when LB33, a bill passed by
the Nebraska Legislature to increase
state aid to public schools, was challenged
by tax revolter Zeke Brauer and an organi
zation called Citizens for Lower Taxes.
They circulated a petition within the state
and gained enough signatures to restrain
the bill and place it on the November
1978 ballot for voter approval.
Tax shift intended
Proponents of LB33 said their inten
tions are to shift the S55 million cost of
public education from property taxes to
state and sales taxes within three years.
Citizens for Lower Taxes claim the bill
is a hoax and LB33 would mean only high
er taxes.
Ross Rassmussen, of the State School
Boards Association denied charges of sand
bagging school dollars.
"It is not extra money at all. It is just a
different way to support the schools
through state sales and income taxes as
well as property taxes." Rassmussen said.
Current method 'unfair
He said Nebraska's current method of
supporting public schools through property
taxes is unfair to people who have invest
ed a lot in property, such as new home
owners, farmers and ranchers.
"Only two states use property taxes to
support public schools more than Nebra
ska," he said.
"There is not equity at all in state taxes
that are based on property taxes. It un
fairly gouges those who have property,
forcing them to carry the whole load.'
Rich profit
He said the ones who would profit from
the present system most are the rich who
bought property years ago and haven't had
their land re-evaluated.
"I'm sure it will reduce property taxes
and require some increase in the sales and
income taxes."
Opponent Brauer said he doubted the
bill would mean anything but higher spend
ing and taxes.
"The truth of the matter is that histor
ically state aid, instead of reducing proper
ty taxes, has had the opposite effect.
i
IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE !
Let's Hold Down Taxes And Tuition
And Keep The University Of Nebraska In Lincoln
ru
LA.
t
NEBR. REGENT
Paid for by .
LEO HILL REGENT COMM.
Mri Hal. Chairman
Joy Cmry. F manca Chairman
Bob Muahling TrMiurff
We need a successful, common sense businessman
who is not a rubber stamp!
Tom AdamsonMary Bells BeachFred BodieGay ColeRonald ColinJack Cunningham
Abe EppMrs. Vernon ForbesClarence FredrickRudy F redstrom, Omer FreyBob Fricke
Mrs Bob F rickeR ichard HalversonR on HarrisDavid HedgesHerbert HenryOliver Joy
Msgr KaczmarekRex K ingE dgar KnoxJim MalyF ran M inard Don Parker ,'V irg in ia Parker
Hyman PolskyDr C. Bertram Schu ItzJack Snider
A New Generation of Leadership
I
I 80
wJ y
71
v . ..
Honor graduate of the University of
Nebraska .
Two graduate degrees in public admin
istration and community development
from Harvard University.
Has taught on the University of Nebr
aska campus .
Experience
Elected State Senator in 1974, already
vice-chairman of two committees.
Selected in first year to attend Eagle
ton Institute of Politics as one of 50
outstanding legislators m America.
Chairman of Urban Development Com
mittee of 50-state National Conference
of State Legislatures.
Doug co-sponsored the bottle bill
m both 1977 and 1978 to reduce litter
solid waste, and the wasteful use of
energy and natural resources.
Doug sponsed legislation providing funds
for classes for students interested in
small business.
Doug sponsored a measure to hire
additional professors and improve under
graduate instruction at UNL with the
express purpose to lower class si?e
ElectlD(M
Republican for Congress
A i.'pc: h v Be-.
Cfc:T9 A copy of our
D C
C'j- 'J' ess Comm-.et P 0 Bo 94794 l nf, -s
'i'frj wh. Fer)"a E'ectior Comm'ssio asn"iytor
'
'The state aid bill, if adopted, is going
to increase state support of schools by $60
million and mean an immediate increase in
state sales taxes."
Rural schools suffer
Brauer also said under the present guide
lines for allocating school funds rural
schools suffer while urban school districts
get more money.
"Lighty percent of the school districts
will share only half of the state aid pot,
while 20 percent will share both halves.
They will have to pay two dollars in taxes
for one dollar of school relief.
Rassmussen agreed that the current
guidelines would have to be altered but
said that is a separate issue.
"If there isn't a change then the Legis
lature is to blame."
Nickel charge on bottles
questioned by Nebraskans
By L. Kent Wolgamott
The debate over Proposition 301, the
bottle bill, is a classic political argument
with claims and counterclaims and counter
claims by proponents and opponents
promising opposite outcomes if the pro
position is passed.
Proponents point to the experience of
Oregon is reducing litter by the passage of
a bottle bill.
"It proved to be a tremendous success"
according to Pat Jerrison of Nebraskans for
Returnable Containers, a coalition of 20
groups favoring Proposition 301 .
However, opponents claim a litter tax
program in the state of Washington has
been more successful than Oregon's bottle
bill, according to Ted McConnell of
Nebraskans for Freedom of Choice, a
group opposing the proposition.
Litter reduced
He said the Oregon program has reduced
litter by 10.6 percent while the Washington
program has reduced litter 66 percent.
The proposition would require a five
cent deposit on any can or bottle
containing beer or pop. The deposit would
be refunded when the bottle or can was
returned.
It was placed on the ballot through an
initiative by Nebraskans for Returnable
Containers which gathered about 40,000
signatures in favor of the proposal.
Proponents of the bottle bill would
create new jobs for persons involved in
recycling the bottles and cans, according to
Jerrison.
But opponents counter that jobs in the
canning industry will be eliminated by
passage of the bill and the resulting in
crease in the use of bottles. McConnell
said.
Price problems
Opposite claims on the effect of the
proposition on the price of beer and pop
also are made.
State Sen. Don Dworak, of Nebraskans
for Returnable Containers said that recycl
ing bottles would reduce the price of the
drinks because reusing bottles would lower
the price.
However, George Basley, a local Coors
beer distributor, said increased transporta
tion costs, necessary to transport the
bottles back to the bottlers from the distri
bution centers, would raise the price of the
beverages, as well as use more energy.
Jerrison said energy would be conserved
if the initiative is passed as less energy
would be used in the production of bottles
and cans.
Controversy also has been caused by
large amounts of money from out of
state bottle and canning industries being
spent in Nebraska to oppose the proposition.
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