BRUNING from page 1
it because here I can have an impact.”
Bruning, a 1990 graduate of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a
1993 graduate of the NU College of
Law said government should regulate
its spending by tightening its belt as
much as he has.
On a shelf in Ins office, he displays a
model of the green Ford Explorer he sold
to cut his expenses. He and Deonne
Bruning, an attorney in the communica
tions department of the Nebraska Pub
lic Service Commission, now commute
to Lincoln daily in a 1991 Moony Sable
with 80,000 miles on it
But Deonne Bruning shares her
husband’s excitement about his new
position.
“I was really excited because I
knew Jon could contribute,” she said.
“It’s a change already, and it’s going
to be a bigger change when we have a
baby this summer.
“But both things are wonderful and
we wouldn’t want to give them up.”
Jon Bruning was introduced to fi
nancial challenges early in his cam
paign for the Legislature. Because he
was challenging a popular incumbent,
Mike Avery, special interest groups
were reluctant to invest in Ms candi
dacy.
Bruning instead built Ms campaign
from the ground up, campaigning from
door to door every night from Febru
ary toNovember. Although the cam
paign was hotly contested, Bruning
ended up pulling away to win 57 per
cent of the vote.
Since Ms swearing-in on Jan. 7,
Bruning has sought to define himself
as a strong representative of Ms dis
trict in Sarpy County. But he hasn’t
avoided some ribbing about Ms youth
fiiMess.
Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers
dubbed Bruning “Senator Goober” in
a poem. On the first day of the session,
28th District Sen. Chris Beutler noted
that he and outgoing 10th District Sen.
Carol Pirsch had each begun their leg
islative careers in 1978, when Bruning
was “a precocious third-grader.”
As a freshman senator, Bruning said
he wants to learn about the everyday
business of the Capitol and speak only
when prepared. But when the debate
demands Ms input, he said he is not
afraid to speak jout.
“I want t6 be thought of as a
thoughtful, bright, hardworking young
senator,” he stud.
i:
By Kasey Kerber
Staff Reporter \
ASUN passed a government bill
Wednesday supporting LB73, a
state bill that would exclude college
sociation of Students of the Univer
sity of Nebraska.
ASUN President Eric Marintzer
said jury duty often interferes with
academic curriculum.
“T think thp. state has a fjnvfampntal
duty to the educatkxutf its students,”
hesakL ‘This bill addresses that”
Malcolm Kass, Government Li
aisdd^bthmittee chainnan, said the
last Gl^Cmeetingended with a 20
— 10 vote in favor of LB73.
But the ASUN vote had only one
member voting in opposition, and
SEISATUKS from page 1
Jon Bruning
Sen. Jon Bruning of Omaha’s 3rd
District entered the legislative session
as the youngest senator, at
attorney and
versity of
braska-Li
alumnus
thougnt state f
erty taxes wen
high and want
help search
ways
spending.
Bruning
property tax issues
were especially important his dis
trict in Sarpy County, which includes
large rural areas. As Omaha expands
and the district becomes more urban,
crime will become a concern, he said.
Bruning said he would try to make
: up for his lack of experience by re
searching the issues and bringing en
thusiasm to his job.
“It’s the biggest responsibility I’ve
ever bad, and I take it very seriously,”
pen bn die floor affect the lives of all
Nebraskans.”
; . ■
n
Gene Tyson
Gene Tyson of Norfolk de
run for the Legislator
g dissatisfied with h
, r ~
...
if retired
Nucor Steel busi-;
nessman, Tyson"
said his conserva
; tiye principles
fitted hi^con-^
body ought to participate in govern
ment,” he said. “I was retired and had
the time and inclination to serve in the
Legislature.”
In addition to the property tax and
educational funding expected to domi
nate this year’s session, Tyson said he
expected important water issues to
come to the Legislature’s attention.
Donald Pederson
Sen. Donald Pederson, a North
Platte attorney, was appointed to the
42nd District seat in September follow
ing pavid Ber
nard-Stevens’ res
ignation.
“I thought
there was some
thing I could do to
contribute to the
state, and it was an
opportunity to uti
lize what I’ve
learned in the i
practice of law,” Wm
he said.
reaerson nas assumed ms position
as a member of the appropriations
committee, which he said would deal
extensively with funding for public
education and tax base issues.
“There’s a tremendous amount of
work involved,” he said. “But I am ex
traordinarily impressed with the qual
ity of legislators in this state. They’re
very helpful and supportive, and very
conscientious.” _
Shelley Kiel
Sen. Shelley Kiel of Omaha’s 9th
District ran for the Legislature because
of a desire to have an impact on sev
eral issues including domestic vio
lence, small business incentives and
technology.
She said the incidence of domestic
violence in Omaha was higher than the
national average and was of special
concern to her district in central
Omaha.
A member of
the appropriations
committee, Kiel
also said the state
should search for
ways to reward
small business
owners for their
contributions to
the economy. As
she and her hus
band are co-founders of Flat World, a
multimedia technology company, she
also has an interest in technological is
sues.
“There is very high energy here,”
she said. “The senators and staff are
very diligent. I have yet to see factions
or coalitions, and it’s a very good indi
cation that the Legislature works in a
nonpartisan nature.”
Deb Suttle
Sen. Deb Suttle of the 9th District
in Omaha was appointed by Gov. Ben
Nelson to replace Carol Pirsch, who
resigned to serve
as a member of the
Douglas County
Board of Commis
sioners.
Previously a
volunteer lobbyist,
Suttle said she j
didn’t always
agree with
Pirsch’s positions g^le
and ran against her
in 1994.
Suttle plans to sponsor a bill pro
viding court-appointed special advo
cates for troubled youths in an effort
to prevent crime.
under the Douglas Theater
13th & P St. • 435-3111
Two othetlocations at:
^ 48th & R St. • 466-1201 I
m __ _____I
