monday, aprll 2, 1979
psga 10
daily nebraskan
Primary election tomorroY
Mayoral candidates emphasize different leadership styles
'.
By Tom Prentiss
With no single issue taking prominence, Lincoln voters
go to the poUs tomorrow to select two mayoral candidates
from a field of seven for the May 1 general election.
Mayor Helen Boosalis, seeking to retain the office she
won by a 3,000 vote margin in 1975, will have to fight off
the challenges of six male candidates.
Although no single issue has been the focus of the
campaign, there is a definite feeling that Boosalis' leader
ship style could be different.
Candidates stressing different leadership styles are led
by Stan Matzke, a fiscal Officer at Southeast Community
College and former director of the Department of Admini
strative Services under former Gov. J. J. Exon. Matzke is
considered to be the main challenger to Boosalis.
Other candidates are Martin Kushner, Alan Hansen,
James Scanlon, Barton Chandler and Stuart Wetzler.
Filing procedures
The large field is attributed to the filing procedures. A
10 dollar fee and 100 signatures earn a place on the ballot.
The top two vote getters in the primary will meet in the
general election May 1 .
Three candidates have claimed that they will make it
into the general election. They are Boosalis, Matzke and
Hansen. '
Helen Boosalis said she cannot campaign like she did in
1975. Her campaign strategy then was to go door to door
almost eighteen hours a day. But she said her current
duties as mayor don't allow her to campaign the way
she'd like.
"It's pretty hard to campaign when you're working 70
to 80 hours a week," she said, "but I've been fortunate to
have a lot of good volunteers willing to work."
Boosalis, whose husband Michael is a plant pathology
professor at UNL, is basing much of her campaign on
what she called her "sound fiscal management." She said
since she became mayor in 1975, the number of city
employees has not grown. In these times of inflation, she
said that shows good management.
Involvement a strong point
Added involvement in city affairs was another area
Mrs. Boosalis stressed as a strong point. She said that the
added participation by neighborhood, community and
civic organizations has been "tremendous."
Although she thinks she will win the primary, she
added it would be a tough race. Her opponents criticize
her relationship with the City Council, traffic problems
and what she called her "anti-business image."
"I'm not anti-business" said the 59-year-old mayor,
"I've done more to try to keep in touch with business'
concerns than any previous mayor," she said.
Her relationship with the City Council is no different
than any other council she said. Although they have had
their differences in the past, Boosalis said she would like
to have lots of discussion rather than no discussion at all.
Council support
Council members Bob Sikyta, Joe Hampton and Leo
Scherer have all said they support Matzke. She said they
think the city council should be going in a different
direction.
Traffic problems have increased, she said, but the city
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Daily Nebraskin photo
Mayoral candidate Helen Boosalis
was handling the problem through driver behavior studies,
safety awareness programs and implementation of the
police department's "Drive Friendly" program, she said.
Boosalis, 3019 Jackson Drive, 'said crime was a larger
problem in Lincoln than traffic problems in the past. With
the de-emphasis on traffic and concentration on crime,
the city's crime rate has decreased while the national
average has been on-the upswing, she added.
Stanley Matzke, 2054 South St., has been most critical
of Mayor Boosalis overall style of leadership.
Too much, too little
He has been critical of the mayor's policy of attending
city council meetings. As mayor Matzke said he would
only attend if requested by the council. He says the
mayor is always interrupting other city officials.
"She doesn't let them stand on their own two feet,"
said Matzke.
He also said that Boosalis should have been more in
volved in the re-zoning of city lands.
"She indicated that she wasn't that involved and she
should have been," Matzke said.
Boosalis said she gives her department heads "all the
freedom in the world" and pointed to a section in the city
charter that entitles the mayor to be present at council
meetings.
She said she didn't get involved in the redrawing of
zoning because it is her job to "carry out policy, not make
it."
Current disatisfaction
Matzke said Lincoln needs long term planning and a
sound traffic program. He said he thinks the city is in
"reasonably good shape" but could be better under his
leadership, because he has a better idea of what the
legislative and executive branches should be.
He said the six candidates challenging Boosalis show
that there is some dissatisfaction with the current
administration.
Both Boosalis and Matzke. are planning to spend
around $10,000 on the election.
"To beat an incumbent with less money is difficult,"
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Daily Nebraskan photo
Mayoral candidate Stan Matzke
said Matzke.
One person who doesn't believe that money is neces
sary to win the primary is thirty -one year old Alan Hansen.
Hansen, a welder for Burlington Northefn, will not
accpt any campaign contributions over $50. He says this is
indicative of his average man campaign style which he
wants the voters to see.
Won't be bought
Saying he won't be purchased by anyone wanting to
donate large amounts of money, Hansen has spend only
$236 so far.
He said it was possible to win with no money and lots
of hard work. . 5
"The average citizen can't afford to donate money,"
said the lifelong resident of Lincoln, "( don't want
people's money. I want their vote." ,. ;' . , j J
He admits he doesn't have any previous experience
with city government but feels that is representative of
most citizens.
Saying he likes the downtown beautification program
on "0" Street because, "It looks nice and deters the crime
element," he added that it should not be carried too far.
"As. a retail merchant center, Lincoln's basically dead,"
Hansen said.
The local media have chosen to see the race only be
tween Boosalis and Matzke, he said, but he thinks differ
ent. Gunning for top
"I plan on being the top vote getter in the primary,"
said Hansen. "I think Helen (Boosalis) will be lucky to
make it into the general election."
He said he gets the feeling from the anti-Boosalis senti
ment he has noticed as he campaigns throughout the city.
Much of his enthusiasm has resulted from finding out
people are not satisfied and may want a change, he said.
He had some negative comments on Matzke's campaign
too.
"I think Stan Matzke may have over-campaigned him
self riit out of the race," Hansen said. Matzke started
out well but has turned more people off than on as the
campaign went along.
Hansen, 3221 S. 52nd St., claimed that the city
currently works for big business and big money and in the
process of doing so, shortchanges the average citizen. He
said he would be willing to work to change that.
Hansen said that if he was not elected,. he may run
again in 1983.
"At least name recognition wouldn't be a problem
then," he said.
Opportunity knocks
Stuart Wetzler, said if he became mayor it would be
"the first opportunity Lincoln has had to be governed by
the people."
He would do this by placing all City Council issues
before the people by sending surveys out in water and
sewer bills. He said this would give the people time to fill
thenrout at theirleisure in their own homes. " -
Continued on page 15
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