Dave Heineman in 2014 Governor's State of the State speeches
On Budget & Economy:
Use $1.2 billion in cash reserves to reduce over-taxation
The State of Nebraska has $1.2 billion in cash in its checking and savings accounts. That's right. As I stand before you today, the State of Nebraska has $1.2 billion in cash. Nebraska is over-taxing its citizens right now, and we need to change that.
Our choices are clear. We can sit back, do nothing and put Nebraska's economic future at risk or we can act and secure a better tomorrow for Nebraska.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Nebraska legislature
Jan 15, 2014
On Crime:
Don't reduce sentences automatically for "good time"
An important issue that needs to be addressed is Nebraska's approach to crime and punishment. There are short term and long term components to this issue. Allowing the most violent criminals to enter into our state's prison system and have their
judge-imposed sentences automatically reduced by 1/2 through the use of the current "good time" program is not sound public policy. As you know, the current law allows violent criminals to automatically receive "good time" the moment they enter a
Nebraska correctional facility. The public safety of our citizens should be priority #1 and that should start with violent criminals being required to earn "good time." I have done all that I can administratively by approving
a change to our rules and regulations that allows the Department of Correctional Services to take away twice as much "good time" when a prisoner assaults a corrections official or another inmate.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Nebraska legislature
Jan 15, 2014
On Health Care:
Nebraska will not be pressured into expanding Medicaid
The implementation of ObamaCare has been one disaster after another. Pres. Obama promised the American people that if you already have insurance, his plan would reduce your insurance premiums up to $2,500 per family per year. The facts show otherwise.
The required parts of the new federal health care law alone will cost the State of Nebraska more than $200 million in state general funds over the next 6 years.Pres. Obama and his political operatives are trying to pressure Nebraska into expanding
Medicaid, but Nebraska will not be intimidated by the Obama administration. The US Supreme Court said ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion is optional. It is up to each state to decide how they want to proceed. The financial reality of expanding Medicaid is
very simple. Expanding Medicaid will result in less future funding for state aid to education and our state college system. The responsible choice is to reject this optional Medicaid expansion.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Nebraska legislature
Jan 15, 2014
On Homeland Security:
Our military personnel work to preserve our freedom
I want to recognize our military personnel and our veterans who work to preserve our freedom and our liberty. I am very proud of our veterans and the men and women serving in the Nebraska National Guard, the Reserves and our active duty forces.
For their families and all Nebraska families, let's continue our hard work to make Nebraska an even better place to live, to work and to raise a family.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Nebraska legislature
Jan 15, 2014
On Jobs:
NE needs more middle-class jobs; so lower income tax rates
Nebraska's income tax rates are among the highest in America and higher than all of our neighboring states except one. Lowering Nebraska's income tax rates are essential to attracting higher paying jobs. Nebraska needs more middle-class jobs in the
$60,000 to $120,000 a year category. Nebraskans don't want to leave, but to take care of their families they need good paying jobs. Small businesses need lower income tax rates to help grow their businesses and increase jobs.
Nebraska does a significant amount of work to attract new businesses through the Nebraska Advantage 5 Program, but we need to do more to help existing businesses grow. The business community supports lowering income tax rates, and I agree with them.
We need higher paying jobs to reverse the decline in Nebraska's median family income. We need higher paying jobs to increase the state's population and growing jobs requires a more competitive tax environment.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Nebraska legislature
Jan 15, 2014
On Local Issues:
Lower ag land valuations from 75 percent to 65 percent
We need our partners in local governments to slow the rate of growth in local spending in order to achieve real property tax relief. In rural Nebraska, record high property taxes are hurting our farmers and ranchers because they have experienced dramatic
growth in ag land values. Without action, their economic prosperity is at risk. We can help our farmers and ranchers by supporting the Nebraska Farm Bureau proposal to lower ag land valuations from 75 percent to 65 percent. That's one part of tax relief.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Nebraska legislature
Jan 15, 2014
Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018