Treasurer’s Office To Disappear?

SIDNEY – After visiting Sidney last Friday, District 47 Sen. Ken Schilz continued touring the district, speaking with other communities on the current events in the state’s legislature. Upon his return to Lincoln, the senator voted to advance a bill to eliminate the state treasurer’s seat and debated teacher performance pay.

Though Schilz supports Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln in his campaign to become the next state treasurer, the District 47 senator voted yes to advance a bill eliminating the seat, however, he has some concerns about LR 284CA.

“Sen. Utter introduced this LR to start to take the reins and begin to reduce the size of government,” Schilz said. “It may save money and if done right, it could make government more efficient.”

The senator said treasurer duties would be delegated to other agencies. It’s unknown at the moment what duties would go where, and that’s what concerns Schilz.

“I voted to advance the bill to select file but I have some concerns about what happens if this measure is passed,” he wrote in an e-mailed legislative update. “We will need to create a roadmap that shows us where we are going and what duties will be delegated where.”

Schilz said he believes it looks like the bill will pass and the voters will be able to vote on the issue in the next election.

Fulton and fellow treasurer candidate Tom Nesbitt have vocally disapproved of ridding the government of the seat. On March 9, Fulton filed a conflict of interest letter to refrain from voting on LR 284CA.

“I am willing to consider the merits of Sen. Utter’s proposal, especially if it can be shown to save significant monies,” Fulton said. “The problem with the proposal is that it delegates the important duties of the state treasurer to unelected bureaucrats.”

Fulton said principles of accountability and transparency are diminished when the people cannot choose who manages the state’s checkbook.

LB1014, a bill seeking to create a fund for teacher performance pay, was debated at great length by members of the legislature, Schilz said.

“The debate has centered around where the money will come from and will it take away funding from school districts,” he said.

Currently the bill requires funding to come from wind energy leases on state property.

“This debate went longer than I expected and we did not take a vote on the issue,” Schilz said.

According to the senator, he believes the bill requires more study to understand what the effects will be should the bill pass.

Schilz can be contacted at his office District 47 State Capitol Building Room 1202, Lincoln, NE 68509, called at 402-471-2616 or e-mailed at kschilz@leg.ne.gov.