The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 01, 1984, Election 1984, Page Page 8, Image 16
Thursday, November 1, 1984 Pago 8 Daily Nebraskan Election Supplement election" For the & V Nebraska & P"77sk1 Legislature - i: , The 25th and 27th . it yXy ) - i Districts y lZzXl & A- ft 'ft ;V ' ft ft Challenger Hoffman cites experience in run for seat ByJudiNygren Daily Nebraskan Senior Editor Patricia Hoffman, senatorial challenger in Lincoln's 27th District, said she under-; stands Lincoln's needs and how best to serve those needs. Her understanding comes from serving on the Nebraska League of Women Voters and the State Environmental Control Council, she said. Through these organi zations, Hoffman said, she has heard Lin coln residents' concerns and more im portantly how they want their concerns answered. Currently, Lincoln residents are con cerned about property taxes. To relieve this tax burden, the city has proposed a 12 percent sales tax increase an increase Omaha already has. Hoffman said that she supports the increase, but at the same time opposes legislature giving the property-tax relief exclusively to Lincoln and Omaha. "I would vote for the increase because being a senator from Lincoln, I would not be representing my people if I didn't," Hoffman said. "But I would also voice that everyone deserves this." Lincoln residents are not alone in prop osing a sales tax increase. Nebraska teachers have proposed a one percent increase to raise about $1 million for teachers' salaries. Hoffman, a former teacher, said Nebra ska teachers need raises, especially when their salaries are compared to teachers' salaries in other states. And to raise teachers' salaries, she said, sales taxes will "probably" have to increase. But to win Hoffman's support, she said the increase would have to include some property tax relief. Hoffman also is concerned with uni versity professors' salaries. To keep qual ity people, she said, the university has to pay the professors more. At the same time, though, Hoffman said that the university needs to depend less on state funding and more on private funding. Private money would "put vital ity into programs," she said, by encourag ing more research. University research is a key to the state's economic growth, Hoffman said. This is something Gov. Bob Kerrey recog nizes, she said, but he does not recognize the university's strong and weak areas. Kerrey's attempts to bring data pro cessing companies into the state could fail, she said, because the university does not have the ability to support this type of business. The university is too week in this area to supply strong research and train qualified people, she said. "It's an important step that he is con cerned with bringing industry into Ne braska, but I don't think the university is strong enough to pull it off," Hoffman said. "He needs to be very concerned with companies that use agriculture products." 2 71 1" th recoIX numbers of students registering to vote ft if across the country, students will have an unprecedented opportunity to shape our nation's course on such issues as arms control, foreign policy, the economy, and others on November 6th, Election Day. As a service to student voters, the National Student Cam paign for Voter Registration offers this guide to the positions of the Democratic and Republican candidates for President, Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan. AR?.S CONTROL Nuclear freeze "Star Wars" program MX missile. 81 bomber. Increase in de fense spending YES I NO NO YES NO NO 3-4 U.S. Aid to Nkarjguan rebels US. Aid to El Salvador "Contadwa process" Jo ocfotiased etUets&nt tUS. salUtary In Central Asaerfca. Nkartjaan fcafbors NO Tie to human rights. YES RrnKrv-c all fcrelj focces. HQ YES YES 7.5 SUG&tL YES YES Wavering. YES U Standards. YES . .,. ST ttow to cm &x reform, federal dtffck ott military spending ; Uaxases Balanced Bodget A!SlJ3dt3a?til. Job for yeutiu NO largietied traiaiiag . programs. economic recovery for facrcasetf revenue, cut spending. YES Supports subsumlaiosa CSVILIIISHTS montui UTAC Equal Rights YES NO Amendment. Equal pay for YES NO work of corn, parable worth Constitutional NO YES amendment to prohibit abortion. Affirmative Calls for Opposes action. "verifiable quotas, measure, menu." Voting Rights Supported. Signed after Act of 1981. initial opposition. Busing to Sate- YES NO grate schools HPrTMlE P,EAG?t FoliutJoacon- YES NO trots to reduce acid rata. Increase fund- YES No position. Lag for hazard ous wisie Superfaad CotBjpcasaw YES No position. Kwfc sstpesare . victims "Six fcixardous YES Nopositkm. wasiffi generators t -. ... a t I 1 1 i Federal stu- Wilt Cut in 1981. dent loans, strengthen, grants, odker aid Abolish - '"NO YES DeffartmcE of j Education Sources: Congressional Quarterly. 1934 Democratic National Platform, tS&i BepuWican Ksstonal Platform. Ti as&ksa Post. National SeuCmk Cafa-n for Votyr Resfctraikw 57Tnple Place, tostoo, MA 021 It (617) 357-90J6 27th District's Harris is proud of voting record ByJudiNygren Dally Nebraskan Senior Editor Dill Harris, state senatorial incumbent for Lincoln's 27th District, said his record will speak for his ability to serve Lincoln residents. "I have established a record that can be looked at by the public," he said, "and I am proud of that record." Harris' record ranges from stands on farm issues to the state's economic future. Harris said that while he supports property-tax relief, he does not support Amendment 4, an amendment that would allow farmland to be valued separate from other properties. "It's not that I'm not in favor of tax relief," Harris said, "but I don't think this is the way to do it." Farmers are just one of many groups seeking tax changes. Both Lincoln resi dents and Nebraska teachers have asked for sales-tax increases. Lincoln wants a 12 percent increase within the city for additional funds; teachers want a 1 per-t cent increase statewide for salary in creases. Harris said he is withholding his opin ion on both proposals until he sees the results of Nebraska's overall tax study, which he proposed. Both teachers and Lincoln residents hnvA Harris' SUDDOrt. he said, but "eve. rybody wants their share. First the farmers, then the teachers and then Lin coln." While Harris js not sure what some Nebraskans deserve, he said Common wealth depositors do deserve their $30,000 guaranteed by the state. Throughout the Commonwealth ordeal, Harris said that he has supported the depositors The state lied to the depositors for a number of years, he said, and the state must cor rect its wrong. To do this, Harris said, the state should pull the money from the state's general fund. The state must help depoistors, Harris said, but it can do little for debt-ridden farmers. The interest rates, which in the long run hurt commodity prices, are the root of farmers problems, he said. The national government controls in terest rates, he said. This means that any thing the state does is only a "band-aid" effort, Harris said. Agricultural problems mean that the state needs to look elsewhere for eco nomic stability, Harris said. Gov. Bob Ker rey's attempts to bring telecommunica tion industry into the state are steps in the right direction, he said. "Agriculture has some real problems," he said. "And Nebraska needs some help. We need to explore different areas." Warner opposes special session By Jozn llofftzzn Dally Nebraskan StafTEeporter Nebraska's 27th legislative district race pits incumbant Jerome Warner of Waverly against Charles F. Gove, of Denton. The incumbent gave his views on the following: The special session dealing with Commonwealth. Warner said these issues should be dealt with when any reforming proposals meet the consti tutional requirements. This can only be done once the court has found legal liability on the part of the state. Amendment 4, dealing with agri culture. This amendment will put farmers' land in a separate tax bracket. It is designed to help the family farmer. Warner doesn't support the amend ment. He said he believes that to clas sify any real property is bad public policy. Ronald Reagan's $630 million agri cultural plan designed to delay the option when the FHA will foreclose on farmers in severe financial trouble. Warner doesn't agree with this be cause the issue does not address those farmers with adequate capital but no money flow to cover their debts. Improving teacher salaries. Warner said he does believe that the starting income for teachers should not be below the national average. However, Warner said he thinks the aid should be directed to the individ ual school districts so they can approp riate these funds where they are most needed. Liability laws for alcoholic related accidents which shift the blame to the person serving the alcohol. Warner said he does not agree with these laws for the primary reason that the responsibility should remain with the driver. The laws won't pass in Nebraska for that reason, he said. Death penalty. Warner said he supports eliminating the death penalty and requiring in stead, the mandatory 30-year sentence. He said he doesn't want the death penalty because it is used for plea bargaining. Charles F. Gove, Warner's opponent, could not be reached for comment. Democrats fight uphill battle T wr w " By Gall Y. Huey Daily Nebraskan Senior Reporter Forget that Nebraska has a Republican majority. Forget that presidential chal lenger Walter Mondale trails President Ronald Reagan nationally by as much as 24 percent. The state Democratic Party is far from conceding any Nebraska victory to Reagan, two Democratic Party spo kesmen said. The Democratic Party has no inten tions of throwing in the towel, said Tim Rinne, coordinator for the Lancaster County Democratic Party. Although Rea gan may win big in this state, the race is not over until the final ballots are counted he said. ' Instead of concentrating on persuad ing voters to vote for Mondale, the stra tegy now is to get prospective voters to vote, Rmne said. n.IP vl? concentrating on its "Get Out The Vote" drive to offset the odds by getting more Democrats to vote, he said Campaign volunteers are phoning voters and distributing leaflets to help increase voter participation. The party would like to have the number of voters going to the polls "resemble the number of Democrats actually registered " he said. ' As of Aug. 24, the number of Democrats registered to vote is 48,486, said Lancas ter County Election Commissioner Beattv Brasch. The number is up from the 1980 election year of 47,701. Given the Democratic Party's track record in Nebraska the last four presi dential races, the nartv fares atouffh bat tle ahead. The last Democratic candidate to carry Nebraska was Lyndon B. John son in 1964, when he faced Republican challenger Barry Goldwater. Yet, in recent weeks, the Democratic Party has gained a new surge of confi dence. David Newell, state Democratic Party chairman, said the party has gained momentum as a result of Mop dale's suc cessful showing in the two presidential debates. In contrast, Reagan's showing in the debates has been weak, Newell said. The president has not been clear on his agri cultural policies, he said. Additionally, he has left more doubt in Americans minds the strength of his military' and foreign policies, he said. Although momentum has picked up in the state, it would increase even more if Mondale campaigned in Nebraska, Newell said. Mondale's appearance would help to solidify the undecided voters, he said. The party has confidence that Mondale has a chance to win the state, Rinne said. The party would not be supporting the former vice president if it didnt, he said. "Nobody wants to be a loser," he said. Democrats support Mondale "because they think he's got a chance to win, and that he needs to win," he said. "A lot of Democrats think Reagan is not qualified and he is a dangerous man," he said. Many do not want to see Reagan re elected to a second term, Rinne said.