Menu
Candidates make their case for next week's election
McCOOK, Neb. – Some candidates seeking statewide positions attended a candidate forum hosted by KICX Radio last week, informing listeners about their platforms and answering questions from a three-person panel. The panel consisted of Community Hospital CEO Troy Brunz, McCook Chamber board member Tyler McCarty, and Gazette Publisher Shary Skiles.
The entire forum can be viewed on KICX’s Youtube channel here.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Nebraska Legislature District 38 – Dave Murman is the incumbent being challenged on the non-partisan ticket by Tyler R. Cappel of Arapahoe, Neb. Cappel was not in attendance.
Murman told the gathering that progress had been made in property tax relief during his first four-year term in office. Two years ago, his personal priority bill was to offer a state income tax credit for 25 percent of property taxes paid for K-12 education districts, which was passed. Last year, the legislature passed his personal priority bill to accelerate that tax credit to 30 percent.
Murman said workforce attraction goes hand-in-hand with tax policy. He said infrastructure and broadband expansion should be used with federal money “being shoveled” out of Washington.
He believes he will have a high position on the Education Committee in the next session if he is re-elected and the election goes well for other conservatives throughout the state. A high position on the Education Committee would also possibly give him a seat on the Revenue Committee, where he would like to find other methods for funding schools and lowering property taxes. On the Education Committee, he wants to keep comprehensive sex education and critical race theory out of schools.
State Board of Education District 7 – Robin Stevens is the incumbent being challenged by Elizabeth Tegtmeier of North Platte. Tegtmeier was not in attendance.
Stevens, who has had a long career in education, said there is only one reason to run for the State Board of Education – the kids. He said his past experience has given him lots of opportunities to find solutions to problems.
He told the gathering that the State Board should leave health education standards alone and let those decisions be made at the local level. “If we found out nothing from all the controversy that came out from those health standards or the proposal of those health standards, we found out that they should come from the school district. They should come from your local boards, your local administration, and obviously, the parents should be involved in that as well.” He emphasized that health standards were stopped in September 2021 and they would not be coming back before the board.
He said teacher shortages can be alleviated by reviewing and adjusting the certification process. Competency tests should be evaluated and reciprocity agreements with surrounding states need to be put in place to help eliminate barriers for those wanting to get into education. He said a program of “building our own” where paraprofessionals already employed in school systems should be encouraged to take the next step to become certified educators. Marketing the rewards of a career in education to students is another avenue that should be pursued.
He told the audience that teachers want to have a voice in the decision-making process, and they want that voice to be respected.
University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 7 – Currently held by Bob Phares who is not running for re-election, two individuals are seeking to fill the position for the next six-year term. Matt Williams of Gothenburg, Neb. and Kathy Wilmot of Beaver City, Neb. are both running for the seat. Williams was not in attendance.
Wilmot has been a teacher, administrator, and a former State Board of Education member. “I am running because I am for education, not indoctrination,” Wilmot said. She said critical race theory has been occurring on Nebraska’s university campuses and that it needs to stop. She said a college education should prepare students for a successful professional career, and there should be transparency and accountability for the large sums of money that is spent by the university.
Through the setting of policies, regents can help to ensure that students are treated equally regardless of their personal views. She said those policies need to be implemented by the university administration so that students can pursue their dreams without feeling threatened.
Wilmot says that the university has a great impact on the future of our state and nation because they are training future business leaders, teachers, and policymakers. She promises “to stand up for what’s right” and “not compromise my values” in making her votes on the Board of Regents.
Nebraska Public Power District Board of Directors Subdivision 4 – Incumbent Bill Hoyt of McCook is being challenged by David Gale of North Platte for a six-year term on the board. Gale was not in attendance.
Hoyt’s primary focus since being elected to the board in 2016 has been reliability, affordability, safety, and transparency. He said that prior to his election, NPPD had frequent rate increases. Since his term began, NPPD has had no rate increases and has returned over $250 million back to ratepayers.
Despite Hoyt’s opposition, a goal to be net carbon neutral by 2050 was encouraged by NPPD management and passed by the board recently. Hoyt was able to get an addendum passed requiring the goal be reviewed annually to assure that reliability and affordability will continue as a top priority. Hoyt told the gathering, “There is no pathway forward to net neutral that maintains reliability and affordability.” He said the metrics in place through the review process will require the policy to be rolled back if they are not met.
Hoyt says that Gerald Gentleman Station in Sutherland is a major dispatchable resource for NPPD and is a “crown jewel” that keeps NPPD reliable and affordable. He said the coal-fired generating units, which employ about 200 people in western Nebraska, fill in the gaps when the wind doesn’t blow to generate power through wind energy.