A year ago, Charlie Janssen was wrapping up his first campaign for the Nebraska Legislature. Now he’s preparing for another first -- a special session.
Gov. Dave Heineman has called a special session of the Legislature, which opens today, to address a projected $334 million shortfall in the state’s budget over the next two years.
In calling the special session, Heineman limited the scope to budget cuts. He has proposed agency savings, transfers from the general fund, across-the-board reductions and specific cuts.
“The governor put together a pretty good proposal,” said Janssen, who represents Dodge County as the 15th District state senator. “It will be changed, though.”
In a column about the special session that appeared in Tuesday’s Fremont Tribune, Janssen asked fellow senators to avoid across-the-board reductions. While the governor has proposed some, it is a different than traditional across-the-board cuts, Janssen said.
“He didn’t hit all of the agencies,” he said. “I don’t think it was a true across-the-board cut.”
Heineman did not include 24-hour care facilities, the Department of Health and Human Services’ child protection and safety program, special education, the Nebraska State Patrol and the Department of Corrections.
Still, Janssen called the governor’s budget proposal a “good starting point.”
One item in the governor’s proposal that stands out to Janssen is leaving the state’s cash reserves alone. Lawmakers used about $250 million of what was a $500 million reserve to balance the current budget.
“The governor kept his hands off the rainy day fund. I do agree with that, for the most part,” Janssen said. “By holding it back, it’s almost like an insurance policy.”
While the session official ly opens today, Janssen and other legislators were in Lincoln Tuesday for meetings.
The Appropriations Committee will begin hearings on Thursday. Much of the work will be done in that committee, Janssen said, but other committees likely will meet as well.
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