Ah ha suspicions confirmed! This past week in the Omaha World Herald editorial section there was comment about a movement afoot in Lincoln. It seems that current state budget projections are pointing to about $275 million budget surplus. The surplus may be only $175 million but either way it is still a lot of money. Anyway this kind soul is putting together a move to spend the entire surplus on moving the State Fair.

The University of Nebraska at Lincoln has been coveting their neighbor, the State Fair Grounds.  Chancellor Perlman can think of all sorts of reasons to kick the fair out and in its 100+ year location to build a new and wonderful "Nebraska Innovation Park."

Conveniently it has been estimated that to move the fair to a new location (unnamed but anywhere other than next door to the University!) would require some $275 million.  So why not a one-time expenditure of the entire surplus this year and start over on the state's budget next year? Let the good times roll, there will be no lean years in our future!

Most politicos can't stand it; free money to spend, so this desire for funds  is another indication that any time a budget has a surplus, politicians can think of all sorts of ways to spend it. We the voters must insist that budgets stay lean!

The State Fair was always a really big deal for this farm kid growing up in the early 1950s. It was the place where 4-H'ers who did well on the county level could take their projects and compete in the big leagues. Over the years the number of farm kids has decreased precipitously so there just aren't all that many Ag-related projects needing the state venue.

Another phenomenon took place that affected the State Fair drastically and that was the continuing creep of ever earlier school starting dates. In days of yore, school didn't start until the State Fair was over, the week after Labor Day, so all sorts of families could attend State Fair without fearing missed school days.

If the Legislature would just declare that no Nebraska school, including the university, could start until the week after State Fair then Fair attendance would increase by leaps and bounds. While they were at it, the Legislature could also direct the university, a state owned entity and the fair, another state-owned entity, to learn to cooperate and share resources. Yeah I know that it will never happen, too many big egos involved and a whole host of public servants with little regard for the value of tax payer money.

Meanwhile big spender and Democrat Mayor Fahey is angling to build a new baseball stadium for the benefit of Omaha, built of course with help from out-state tax payers. I have never set foot in the old, great big baseball stadium and most likely won't go to the new one, so quite honestly I don't have any interest in helping to pay for it. Fahey refuses to let us have any chance to vote on his big boondoggle. It is kinda like Sen. Kerrey's memorial foot bridge over the Missouri, we are going to get it, and pay for it, no matter if we need or want it. It will happen regardless of how the taxpayer feels.

McCook seems to be in better hands, at least less expensive hands, than either Lincoln or Omaha. I attended last council meeting and it was a good thing that no one in the room blinked because it was all over in about eight minutes. It is refreshing to go to a council meeting to see the members respect and be polite to each other. Then to see the council vote in confidence for the ongoing good job that city staff is doing is an especially good feeling after remembering the many years of acrimonious and hostile atmosphere that was city government.

That is the way I see it.