'Sell Their Soul': State Senators Trade Barbs, Votes Over Firefighting Bill
by John Gage
Some rural state senators took issue with a bill, brought by State Senator Dave Wordekemper, that they said would raise property taxes for local firefighting districts. The bill, LB400, would provide for compensation under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act for cancers experienced by firefighters.
During debate on the legislative floor Monday, State Sen. Tanya Storer said the bill was attempting to capitalize on the tragedy of the wildfires to try to push an “unfunded mandate” on Nebraska taxpayers.
“[This is] taking advantage of the crisis in western Nebraska and using that as a motivation and a guilt trip that will ultimately hurt those same firefighters’ budgets,” she said.
“[They are] holding that hostage,” she added. Local firefighting districts would be responsible for funding claims under the bill.
State Sen. Mike Jacobson accused fellow state senators of trading votes and selling out their constituents on the bill. “I don’t know how you can in good conscience go home and look at your constituents in the eye and say ‘I am looking out for you,’” he said. “You can’t.”
“I don’t trade votes. I vote based on what is good for constituents. It should not be about trading votes, it should not be about who can provide me PAC money,” he added.
Jacobson said the bill will result in a loss of firefighting services by forcing rural firefighting groups to shift funding. “Will need to cut needed services… because they will not have the funding to pay for it,” he said. “This is not fair to volunteer firefighters.”
Storer noted that firefighters were already running on “very very thin budgets.” “Many of them are up against their levy limit today,” she said. “People are going to be pretty unhappy.”
State Senator Mike Moser said the way the bill was being pushed “doesn’t sit well with me.” He said some state senators were about to “sell their soul” to support the bill.
“We should not be trading votes,” Moser said. “You vote for this stinky bill that you don’t like, and I’ll vote for your bill.” He said he did not support the bill because it would raise property taxes.
“This is going to raise property taxes, this is going to raise property taxes, this is going to raise property taxes – drill that into your head,” Moser said.
During the debate, Jacobson insinuated that State Sen. Bob Hallstrom was one of the state senators who traded his votes on the bill. Hallstrom clapped back, “I will speak for myself, I certainly don’t need Senator Jacobson to speak for me.”
Wordekemper said he is listening to criticism and wants to continue working with senators on a second round of debate. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he was trading votes for support for the bill.
This is a breaking story; check back for updates.
John Gage is the executive editor of The Plains Sentinel.
