Gubernatorial candidates debate farm issues
By Brian Carlson
Staff writer
YORK - Bill Hoppner and Mike
Johanns used their first gubernatorial
debate Aug. 15 to articulate their differ
ences on farm and crime issues, while
reserving their toughest criticism for an
issue on which they actually agree.
Hoppner, the Democratic nominee,
pressed Lincoln Mayor Johanns for a
fuller public explanation of his summer
flip-flop on a proposed constitutional
amendment to place a lid on state and
local tax revenues. Johanns, who
favored the amendment during the
Republican primary, signed a petition to
place it on the November ballot and sup
ported it until early July, when he
changed his mind.
Hoppner, a former aide for James
Exon and Bob Kerrey during their
tenures as governor and U.S. senator,
respectively, has opposed the amend
ment since supporters announced the
petition effort in March.
Hoppner accused Johanns of con
tinuing to speak in favor of the amend
ment even after he decided it was a bad
idea. Johanns’ GOP primary opponents,
U.S. Rep. Jon Christensen and State
Auditor John B reslow, asserted Johanns
would not have won the party’s nomina
tion had he opposed the amendment
during the primary.
“This is an issue that goes right to
the heart of leadership,” Hoppner said.
“I am going to insist in the next 80 days
that we discuss this ”
Johanns said he changed his posi
tion on the amendment when he real
ized its language would prohibit the
Legislature from using state budget sur
pluses for property tax relief.
Under the amendment, state sur
pluses return to taxpayers through
reduced income and sales taxes, and
local governments would be responsible
for property tax cuts.
Johanns turned the criticism in
Hoppner’s direction, saying the
Democrat acted too swiftly in opposing
the amendment in March before the lan
guage had been drafted
“At that time, what he was reacting
to was spending discipline in state gov
ernment,” he said.
But Hoppner said he opposed the
amendment from the start because it
could hurt education and have a “devas
tating” effect on efforts at property-tax
relief, especially for rural citizens.
The candidates outlined opposing
ideas for dealing with regional farm
problems, with Hoppner arguing for
expanded loans for struggling farmers
and Johanns defending free-market
farm reforms enacted in 1996.
Low commodity prices caused by
record crops and waning export
demand, particularly from struggling
Asian economies, are expected to
depress farm incomes and put many
farmers in debt this fall.
Hoppner said the farm situation
already represents a “real disaster” and
said the federal government must pro
vide a safety net to protect farmers and
avert a debt crisis.
“We need to advocate increasing the
loan rate and extending the marketing
loan so farmers can service their debt,”
he said. He predicted the low prices
would leave a large number of farm
families unable to repay their debt if no
government action were taken. “I bet in
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But Johanns said lawmakers should
preserve the 1996 free-market reforms
enacted in the federal legislation known
as fee Freedom to Farm Act
“We had a time when people fanned
and ranched not for themselves, their
family and their future, but for the gov
ernment. Do we really want to go back
to that?” he said. “Let’s get the govern
ment off the back of the farmer and
rancher.”
Johanns said low commodity prices
expected to squeeze farmers’ incomes
this year were mainly attributable to
decreased demand from Asia, which has
suffered a yearlong economic slump.
Because 40 percent of Nebraska’s
agricultural exports have gone to Asia in
recent years, he said, the state’s next gov
ernor should advocate federal policies
to increase international trade.
Specifically, he said, Nebraskans
should support fast-track trade authority
for the president, fewer U.S. embargoes
and full funding for the International
Monetary Fund as it seeks to guide the
Asian economies to recovery.
Johanns also touted his endorse
ment by the Nebraska State Patrol,
which he identified as his top spending
priority. The patrol needs more funding
and officers to deal with increasing
felony arrests for methamphetamines
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and other drug possession, he said.
But Hoppner said Johanns’ support
for law enforcement was inconsistent
with the mayor’s position in favor of per
mits allowing law-abiding citizens to
carry concealed weapons, which
Johanns reaffirmed during the debate.
Hoppner said he opposes the idea
because law enforcement agencies do.
“They are scared to death in terms
of what it means to our safety,” Hoppner
said.
But Johanns said “the bad guys are
already carrying guns” and said “we
should not punish law-abiding citizens.”
The debate was sponsored by the
Nebraska Broadcasters Association.
Four more debates are scheduled, with
the next one set for Sept. 6 at the
Nebraska State Fair in Lincoln.
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