Friday, October 29, 1982
Daily Nebraskan
Page 9
Consumer woes need fast action
By Eric Peterson
This is the final story in the Daily Nebraskan's series
on student legal problems.
Solving a consumer complaint may be no more compli
cated than lenowing the right agency or person to go to,
according to Shelley Stall, attorney and director of the
ASUN Student Legal Services, Nebraska Union 237.
She noted that around 16 percent of the cases her office
works with are consumer problems.
Stall says that objections to a sales contract are fre
quent cases, particularly cases of product dissatisfaction
when consumers want their money back. She has seen
similar cases and complaints against particular companies
brought to her office repeatedly.
"We tend to get the same names again and again."
Service or repair contract violations and inadequacies
are often similar to product problems, she said.
"Again, there are certain places, which don't have
a good reputation," she said.
One major source of help for all these complaints
is the business arbitration or watchdog boards, she said.
She noted the Better Business Bureau is the most well
known group. Groups like the Better Business Bureau
can warn you if you're buying something from a quest
ionable company.
"If you're going to be entering a contract where you're
going to be spending a lot of money or time, check out
the reputation of the company" Stall stressed. "The
Better Business Bureau can tell you if a specific company
oeuer dushigss uuicau wan icu yuu u a specmc company tul.
Senators expenses repaid
if voters pass amendment
h&s a record of consumer problems."
The best advice Stall has for consumers is to take
action immediately.
"If you're dissatisfied with a problem or service, don't
wait." Consulting an attorney also should be done early.
"The earlier we're involved, the more help we can be,"
she said.
Government agencies can help with your consumer
complaint, Stall said. Sometimes there is a single agency
to deal with a certain kind of complaint. The Nebraska
Department of Labor, for example, will deal with employ
ment agencies that refuse to return unearned fees. And
there is a state Department of Insurance that will work
on insurance complaints, Stall said.
"The real trick about government is to find your way
through the bureaucracy to the people who can help
you," she said.
This may involve some waiting, Stall said. "It does
take a lot of time, but then filing a lawsuit takes a lot
of time."
Stall said her office offers free help to UNL students
in return for their Fund A student fee. The county
attorney's office and the state attorney general's office
also are available to advise students legally and steer
them to further help.
Stall said working with government offices has been
surprisingly effective for her.
"People complain a lot about how big the bureau
cracy is, but really I find a lot of the offices very help
ful."
Shorts
A movie presenting women in different areas of
science, titled "Science: Women's Work" will be shown
today at 1:45 p.m. in Brace Lab 211.
The Non-Traditional Students Association will have
its weekly meeting today from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
in the Nebraska Union. The room number will be posted.
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The International Folk Dancers will be teaching folk
dancing today at 7:30 p.m. in Mabel Lee Hall 119.
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Arthur Murray Dance Lessons
Nov. 3 - Dec. 8
Call 475-4030 for more information
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Public Dancing Wednesday,
Saturday and Sunday
By Jim Anderson
Proposed constitutional amendment
number four on the Nov. 2 ballot would
provide that Nebraska's state senators be
reimbursed for expenses incurred during
the performance of their legislative duties.
Currently, as required by Article III,
Section 7 of the Nebraska Constitution,
state senators are reimbursed only for one
round trip between their homes and the
capital during legislative sessions. Between
legislative sessions, however, senators are
reimbursed for all regular expenses, includ
ing travel, lodging and meals incurred in
performing legislative duties while the
Legislature is not in session.
Assistant Clerk of the Legislature Rich
ard Brown said that if voters approve the
proposed amendment, the amount of
money needed to fund expected reimburse
ment requests would not be great enough
to require any increases in state taxes. He
said the funds, coming from state sales and
income taxes, would be available through a
change in allocations in the legislative
budget. The new amendment would not
affect legislators' current salaries.
Sen. William Nichol of Scottsbluff, a
supporter of the proposed amendment,
said a change is needed in the present
system of reimbursement, which he
believes is inconsistent.
"As it stands now," Nichol said, "we
(state senators) do get expenses paid when
the Legislature isn't in session, but only a
round trip from home and back is paid for
when it is. It should be all or nothing in my
opinion."
Nichol said the Legislature would be
given control over the expenses of its
members should the proposed amendment
be added to the constitution. He said the
amount would not be very great.
"It would be peanuts as far as the state
budget goes," he said. He estimated that
the amount of requests for reimbursements
on the part of senators would be around
$100,000 the first year.
In a prepared statement read by his ad
ministrative aide, Sen. Loran Schmit of
Bellwood, who opposes the amendment,
said that if proper guidelines were included
it could be one of the most fair methods of
handling legislators' expenses.
Schmit said, however, that there is such
a wide diversity in the activities of senators
that most would not report all of their ex
penses for fear of being "crucified by the
press."
In a related story, Legislative Bill 206,
passed into law March 16, 1981, over Gov.
Charles Thone's veto, is presently the
subject of a suit in Lancaster County
District Court.
LB 206, introduced by Sen. Ernie
Chambers of Omaha, provides that each
state senator be allowed "necessary ex
penses incurred while performing in the
official capacity as a member of the Legis
lature." The bill was passed by senators
and not approved by voters. As a result,
there is some doubt as to its constitutional
ity. Should proposed amendment four be
approved by Nebraska voters, there is no
real yes or no answer as to whether the
case concerning LB 206 would become ir
relevant. The law would provide reimburse
ments for legislative sessions prior to the
upcoming sessions that would be affected
by the passage of this amendment.
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Donations: $2 - Adults Oct. 28-30
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