Questions persist on performance-based teacher pay funding plan

Although no one disagreed with the concept, some senators are concerned how the funds will be managed, said Sen. Christensen this morning at the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative conference call.

The bill would earmark all wind and solar lease payments on land held by the Board of Educational Lands and Funds for teacher incentive pay.

The Board of Educational Lands and Funds owns and leases land held in trust for education, with much of it in the western part of the state. Most of the educational land in eastern Nebraska has been sold, Christensen said.

"Nobody disagrees that we need incentive pay for teachers who do outstanding work," he said. But it comes down for some senators as to how the funds will be managed and exactly how much money will be available.

It could potentially be a sore subject, Christensen said, resulting in farmers bidding against each other.

The bill was discussed extensively with no action taken.

Lawmakers also voted this week by 38-9 to override Governor's Heineman's veto of a bill that will increase the shipping fee for manufacturers who ship beer and alcohol to wholesalers in the state.

Christensen said the bill will raise about $480,000 for Nebraska. The governor had vetoed the bill, saying it would have hurt small, micro breweries in other states.

The bill would raise Nebraska's fees from one of the lowest to near the highest.

The Legislature also gave first round approval this week for a bill that will give tax credits to companies that hire people who provide telephone answering services out of their home.

Christensen said the bill, if passed, will affect about 1,000 jobs in Omaha but also help telemarketing firms who want to locate in western Nebraska.

Other action this week included:

* advanced to second reading a resolution (LR284CA), that would allow voters to decide whether to do away with the office of state treasurer. Proposed as a way to cut costs, Christensen said the office would be re-organized under the Department of Revenue.

* advanced to general file LB 948, that requires bidders to the Department of Administrative Services to include live-cycle costs of heavy machinery

* lawmakers failed to reach a consensus on LB 999, that would put a two-year stay on applications or licenses for new hospitals, except for critical access hospitals. The Health and Human Services Committee voted 4-2 Wednesday to advance the bill to the full Legislature. Christensen said there has been extensive debate on this bill, with some in favor of it and others against.

At issue is whether the Legislature should be meddling in local issues, such as the plan by Kearney doctors who want to build a physician-owned hospital, or whether competition among hospitals could result in a loss of services.

* LB 862, that would amend language concerning the occupation tax on irrigated acres, advanced out of the Natural Resources Committee and placed on General File. The new language in the bill would allow any Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) in a river basin that has been designated as fully or over appropriated, to issue river flow enhancement bonds paid back with the current occupation tax.

Christensen called the bill "a work in progress," and that like it or not, the Republican River Basin will be the "guinea pig" for water issues in the state.

Whether by reducing pumping allocation, shutting down wells, authorizing occupation taxes or other solutions to water issues, other areas of the state will learn what to do or not to do from what happens in the Republican, he said.