Nebraska Society of Washington, D.C. Meets with Governor Dave Heineman New Nebraska Governor Enjoys "Dream Job" Even Though Tough Issues Lie Ahead Story and photos by Jeff Dircksen Members of the Nebraska Society had a chance to celebrate the state's 138th birthday on March 1st with its newest first couple. Governor Dave Heineman and First Lady Sally Ganem were in Washington for the National Governors Association's winter conference. The lunch at Charlie Palmer Steak gave the couple a chance to relax among friends and fellow Nebraskans after four days of meetings. The Governor used the gathering to talk about the dual challenges of improving the education system and growing the state's economy and what can be done to solve them. Heineman was sworn in as Nebraska's 39th governor on January 21st. He succeeded Mike Johanns who resigned to become the United States Secretary of Agriculture. Heineman's service as lieutenant governor began in October of 2001, when he was appointed to the position. He was then elected to that office in November of 2002. As lieutenant governor, Heineman also served as the state's director of homeland security, and in March of last year, then Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge appointed Heineman to his homeland security council. Heineman calls his current position as "an incredible opportunity" and a "dream job." Before discussing policy issues, Heineman spent a few moments talking about settling into the new job. He thanked Johanns for being a mentor and including Heineman in the decision-making process. Johanns was also thanked for leaving behind a growing economy. Heineman observed that an improving economic picture makes the life of a governor that much easier. Even though he has been on the job for just a few weeks, Heineman has hit the ground running as he tries to leverage changes in the state's educational system into a stronger, more competitive economy. Several factors are forcing Heineman and the Unicameral to improve the state's educational system sooner, rather than later. First, the state has a stable but aging population base. This means that the state needs to provide new opportunities at home for its younger workers, while attracting families and businesses from the outside. If Nebraska wants to grow its economy, it must attract "the jobs of the future, not the past," according to Heineman. The Governor argued that if Nebraska's "quality of life" was to be an effective selling point that the state must have a quality education system that produces and supports a growing workforce. Second, education funding is feeling pressure from other budgetary items, primarily Medicaid, which is the federal-state program that provides health care to low-income individuals. Echoing concerns expressed by a number of governors at their meetings in the week, Heineman said, "This year, the state will spend more on Medicaid than on the University of Nebraska and higher education." The Governor worries that this is happening without a full debate over the state's budgetary priorities since Medicaid spending has been rising nine to thirteen percent over the past few years. Medicaid and state aid to education now account for half of Nebraska's budget. Combined, these two budget categories are growing two-and-one-half times faster than expected revenue growth. Finally, and perhaps the most challenging issue of all, is the recognition that Nebraska's workers and businesses compete in a global economy. "We no longer live in a society where we have to worry about education and its impact on our children relative to Nebraska and maybe the Midwest. We must compare ourselves to other countries, not just other states," Heineman said. With this realization in mind, it is easy to understand why Heineman seemed both pleased and troubled to relay a statistic that he received in a recent meeting with state Education Commissioner Doug Christensen. Heineman said he learned that the top one-third of Nebraska's students were doing better than ever. Unfortunately, the bottom one-third was doing worse than ever. To improve the performance of all students, the Governor emphasized the need for higher academic standards and greater parental involvement. Saying that a parent is a child's first and best teacher, Heineman argued that the combination of good teachers in the classroom and concerned parents leads to quality educational outcomes. As an example, he talked about a visit to an elementary school in Columbus where one sixth-grade class had ninety-three percent of the parents attend parent-teacher conferences. Heineman argued that parents need to sustain that level of commitment when their children reach junior and senior high. In addition to raising standards and urging parents to get involved, the Governor also talked about the need to have the state's universities, colleges, and community colleges to work with K-12 educators to enhance and align the state's curriculum. Heineman also pointed out that just as a "one-size fits all" approach does not work at the federal level, he believes that it will not work at the state level either. Consequently, the state and localities will have to explore new and creative ideas, such as distance learning. Improving the state's educational system is just one way Heineman plans to enhance the state's economy. He expressed concern over Nebraska's current economic development package, saying that the state has been unable to get past "the first cut" when businesses are making decisions about where to expand or relocate. The Governor pledged to modernize the state's tax incentive package because an effective recruitment program, a good quality of life, and an educated workforce are all necessary selling points for the state. Heineman also believes that the economy will also benefit from a greater sense of cooperation that now exists across the state. "I am encouraged by the fact that the entire state is working together. I sense the barriers breaking down between the eastern part of the state and the western part of the state," Heineman told Society members. The Governor pointed out how a new Wal-Mart distribution center in North Platte created jobs in a number of surrounding communities. Cooperation between Lincoln and Omaha in developing the I-80 corridor is making it the fastest growing area in the state and making it attractive to firms from outside of Nebraska. Heineman concluded that the increase in regionalism is helping the state to expand and diversify its economy. After being in Washington for four days, Heineman said that he was anxious to return to "the good life." Even with these looming challenges, the Governor said that the state is clearly moving forward. Before the first couple moved on, they were presented with honorary memberships by Society President Nathan Mick.

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