UNL Regent candidate Ferlic
blows past spending limits
■ The former heart
surgeon claims he had
no intention of staying
under the $25,000
primary spending limit.
By KateGrafel
Staff writer
UNL Regent candidate
Randy Ferlic gave a 1992 elec
tion spending law its first test in
the May 8 primary.
Ferlic, who will run against
two-term incumbent Rosemary
Skrupa for the Omaha’fc District
8 seat in November, exceeded the
voluntary campaign spending
limit stipulated by the Nebraska
Campaign Finance Limitation
act. The statute established a
$50,000 limit for the entire elec
tion, and half of that - $25,000 -
can be spent on the primary.
When Ferlic, a retired heart
^pgeon, filed for candidacy, he
said he had no intention of stay
ing under the $25,000 primary
limit. He reported to the
Nebraska Accountability and
Disclosure Commission an esti
mate of $70,000. Records show
Ferlic actually spent a little ritore
than $40,000.
“I picked a number,” Ferlic
said. “I never really expected to
spend ($70,000).”
According to the law, which
took effect in 1996, the opposi
tion to any regent candidate who
spends over the voluntary limit is
entitled to public funds, provided
the opposing candidate spends a
minimum of $12,500. If $12,500
is spent, the candidate is entitled
to the difference between the
established spending limit and
the highest spending estimate -
in this case, $45,000.
Once Ferlic spent 40 percent
of his estimate - $28,000 -
Skrupa, a consumer protection
lawyer, and a third candidate,
Gary Thompson, were eligible to
apply for the assistance.
But neither Skrupa, who won
57 percent of the primary vote,
nor Thompson, whose 20 percent
fell just behind Ferlic’s 23 per
cent, spent the minimum
required.
While Skrupa said she didn’t
originally plan on spending
$12,500, she submitted a cam
paign statement to the NADC
that reported expenditures over
die qualifying amount.
But NADC Director Frank
Daley denied Skrupa’s applica
tion for public funds after deter
mining that a $2,000 payment for
advertising on KFAB radio never
went through.
Ferlic reported his highest
costs also came in advertising,
but in die Omaha World-Herald.
He also $5,900 on campaign
consulting and $2,400 on radio
advertising. Nearly all of Ferlic Is
funding came from individual
contributors, many of whom
reside outside District 8.
Skrupa and her husband
Frank funded her entire cam
paign. Trucks, vans, a workshop
and storage space rented for the
purpose of placing signs
amounted to nearly $9,000.
Skrupa is a 12-year veteran of
the seat.
Skrupa said her goals as a
member of the Board of Regents
include better transference cred
its between NU campuses, an
affordable, quality education and
a lower dropout rate.
Ferlic said he hopes to
encourage more national recog
nition of NU faculty and
research, to develop a program in
water law and to more actively
recruit non-traditional students.
Both candidates must submit
revised campaign statements
before the Nov. 9 general elec
tion. Ferlic can modify his
spending estimate, and Skrupa
will have the opportunity to reap
ply for public hinds.
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