Christensen votes to override veto

LINCOLN -- Although he originally agreed with governor's veto of a bill concerning public employees using state resources, Sen. Mark Christensen this morning ultimately voted against the veto.

Gov. Dave Heineman's veto of the bill, the only one this session, was overridden by 35 to 8.

The bill passed by the Legislature made several changes to the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act regarding the use of public resources.

It provides that any use of public resources by a public official or public employee which is incidental or unintentional will not constitute a violation of the sections dealing with personal financial gain or use of public resources.

Unless otherwise provided by another agreement or contract, the bill allows a public official or employee to use a telephone or computer under the control of a governmental body for e-mails and calls in certain circumstances, such as calling a teacher, doctor or family member.

The bill prohibits a public official or employee from intentionally using public resources for campaigning for or against a candidate or ballot question. Current law does not include the word "intentionally.

Christensen said the main reasons he changed his mind and voted to override the veto was because it would have caused a major upheaval in policies at the University of Nebraska regarding their coaching staff, along with a section in the bill he had overlooked that barred the use of personal resources in written policy by the governmental body.

According to Christensen, the University allows coaches the use of vehicles and cell phones for personal use while on business, as long as time is recorded and reimbursed. Without the bill, this would have not allowed them to do that.

The governor's office did not have a problem with the bill but were concerned with the public's perception, he said.

Christensen also commented on the Legislature's final approval this week of lethal injection as the state's method of execution.

Christensen said he has always been a supporter of capital punishment and voted for the bill.

"We won't kill a criminal but kill the unborn and innocent," he said. "I cannot vote to give a criminal more rights than an unborn baby. If the state wants a policy of no killing, then start with the babies then go to the criminals."

In response to a question about stimulus funds, Christensen said that about $52 million was approved to make up the state deficit in state aid formula to schools, with about 16 schools in the eastern part garnering the lion's share.

The funds will be spread out over two years and Christensen said he was the only one to vote against it as down the road it would hurt schools in western Nebraska.

That's because in two years time, the stimulus money will dry up and schools will have to cut their budgets to meet the decrease in state aid.

For the schools that received the larger share of the funds, the base will be larger thanks to the stimuluas funds and cuts will not be felt as much. But for those schools who did not receive as much funds, the cuts will be harder.

"I was the lone vote against this," he said.

"We're setting up the rules to get nailed again. I hope I'm wrong."