M-PIE Soup Supper
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The Fairbury OURNAL-Your Community. Your Paper. EWS WWW.FAIRBURYJOURNALNEWS.COMJ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2019 N 13 PAGES | DIGITAL VOL. 3 | NO. 26 M-PIE Soup Supper Photo by Christina Weidner/fairburyjournalnews.com M-PIE Hosts Annual Soup Supper—Meridian Partners in Education (M-PIE) hosted their annual soup supper Tuesday, January 29 from 5-8 pm during the Meridian vs. High Plains Community basketball games. Area Superintendents Weigh In On Current Legislation Session With the Nebraska Legislature in full “I know the Governor has already said swing, education is always one of the major something about putting more into the issues each session. Area superintendents Property Tax Credit fund. That works to a weigh in on what this session could bring to degree, but it does not solve the “inequities” the world of education in Nebraska. of the “3-legged stool.” In my mind the only way to address the 3-legged stool, is a tax Stephen Grizzle noted that the legislation shift of some sort. I believe there is a grow- will hold several crucial bills. ing sense of urgency in the legislature to “This will be a pivotal year, I believe. If you pass legislation to balance that out. How- look at the committee chair elections, you ever, it will have to pass a veto as the Gov- see more parity...meaning of the 17 com- ernor has made it clear that, in his mind, mittees, Republicans are chairs of 12 and a tax shift is the equivalence to a tax in- Democrats 5. This may seem small, but it is crease,” Grizzle said. “Overall, I am hopeful a huge shift from the Governor’s first year in it will be less tumultuous and more collegial office. He made it clear that only Republi- in the Legislature. If it is, they will get more cans should be in the leadership positions. accomplished. Any bill dealing with Charter That year, it created a lot of hard feelings, in Schools, Tax Vouchers or like will have my als out there will come together, if at all. It my opinion,” Grizzle said. “It created a very full attention. We already have a funding comes down to money and property taxes. I “partisan” atmosphere. It mirrored the envi- issue in Nebraska for education. If we divert would be an advocate of the state address- ronment at the national level. This year, the state dollars for vouchers or charters, it will ing the funding issue by way of increas- feeling is more “Nebraska-like.” Personally, I further complicate and lessen the money ing our Special Education reimbursement. am a Republican. But I believe Nebraska is available for public education. I believe at- By rule/law, SPED expenditures may not the home of non-partisan politics...we have tending private schools is a personal choice. decrease, but yet our funding does not traditionally been about finding solutions Public education is a right. If tax credits are increase. In fact, the funding for SPED has and not getting too caught up into party given for private schools, then all private been reduced dramatically over the years. politics. Two years ago, it was ALL about schools who receive those benefits should The rate of reimbursement once was at 80 party and not ideas. I am hopeful the tide is then be under NDE’s oversight, the same as percent. That meant that if you spent $100 turning to renew our focus on ideas and not all public schools.” dollars last year for SPED purposes, you partisan politics.” Meyerle has several bills he is looking at would have been reimbursed $80 the next Diller-Odell Superintendent Mike Meyerle this session. year,” Grizzle said. “Now, it is only around has an upbeat attitude for the upcoming “Anything dealing with Income Tax, Prop- 50 percent. All 244 school districts have session. erty Tax, Sales Tax, School Budget and special education needs that are increasing “It is hard to make predictions with a lot of Finance, Special Education, Student Dis- and not getting any more dollars from the new Senators. However, I am optimistic as cipline, Student Safety/Health/Welfare are state. If they touch the state aid formula... I think there is a mood to get some things ones I will watch. Specific ones are LB 147, non-equalized districts (like us) may not done by working together for the good of the 158, 183, 336, 346 and 431 to name a few,” see any of those new dollars. BUT, if they state. I have had very good conversations Meyerle said. focused on increase SPED reimbursement, with Tom Brandt and Myron Dorn and feel For Kort, he has his eyes on a few bills. that would benefit ALL districts. they will bring a set of new ideas to the leg- “Some of the bills are: LB 120, 147, 158, “Our SPED budget is over $2.5 million islature,” Meyerle said. 390 LR 5 CA and LR 8 CA,” Kort said. dollars. If the reimbursement rate was back Meridian Superintendent Randy Kort Medicaid expansion will affect education in at 80 percent, we would receive around thinks it should be an interesting year at the state, according to several superinten- $750,000.00 more dollars. That would allow the Capitol. dents. us to lower our property tax request...if that “I have attended a meeting with newly “It has to. There is only so many dollars happened. But if they only change the state elected Senators Tom Brandt and Myron available for what the state supports finan- aid formula, we may or may not get any Dorn and feel they support our schools and cially. The state is facing many tough deci- relief. Only less than 1/3 of the 244 districts the impact we make for our children. I hope sions and have limited amount of resources. get state aid. By putting more dollars into there will be focus and discussions concern- Something has to give,” Grizzle said. SPED reimbursement, it would help ALL ing ways to increase state revenue,” Kort “Once Federal dollars are not enough, and districts.” said. if the state needs to come up with money, I Kort said, “I am 100 percent sure it will Tri County Superintendent Randy Schlu- am not sure how it would effect education,” be examined. I feel with this being such a eter notes that there may be a veto by the Meyerle said. focus from all Senators there will be bills governor. “I think somehow it will. It is dollars going introduced but finding the solution will be “The climate of the legislature will be differ- out and amplifies the need to find a increase difficult. Currently, state aid goes to less ent in 2019 because of the lack of negative for revenue,” Kort said. than 1/3 of the school districts in the state influence from the governor on the election “The revenue for the state has not changed and leaving most rural schools to fund local and the leadership of the legislature. Unfor- very much and with a new player in the education through property tax alone.” tunately, I do not see any significant chang- game that needs appropriation dollars, they “Yes, it is always reviewed by some part of es on the horizon for the state. The number have to come from somewhere. All educa- the legislature. The state has not funded of votes needed to pass critical legislation on tional institutions will feel the pinch of dol- the formula as originally designed and each property tax reform and education are not lars going to Medicaid,” Schlueter said. year there are dollars removed or not funded there and if something does pass, the likeli- Superintendents weighed in on if the state to the extent that is discussed or promised,” hood of veto by the governor will stop the aid formula will be discussed or touched in Schlueter explained. legislation,” Schlueter said. this session. Property taxes in the state are a top issue “There will be some tweaks perhaps. It will with everyone, including superintendents. be interesting to see how all of the propos- Continued To Page 2 Page 2 The Fairbury Journal-News News Friday, February 1, 2019 Superintendents From Front Page “ I am sure it will be looked at. I have the issue of property tax needs to be ad- ance the three legged stool of property, sales no idea if it will be changed. We don’t get dressed. To maintain the quality education and income tax.” much state aid at Diller-Odell due to our that Nebraska has, cutting is not the an- Kort has one issue that will be huge going property valuation and our needs. I would swer to relieve property tax. Grow revenue forward. favor a system where the state gave a spe- to relieve the burden on property tax. It is “I feel the biggest issue is property taxes cific amount of dollars per student to each time to move ahead with new revenue.” across rural Nebraska and the need to find school district to support education. The Meyerle said other states have some op- new revenue for the state. Several Senators current system of state aid sees most of tions Nebraska does not. discussed this need and are looking at ideas the money going to fewer and fewer school “Surrounding states have gaming choices to increase new revenue for the state. An- districts, while many get nothing or next that Nebraska does not. Nebraska residents other major issue is the Corrections/Prison to nothing from the state of Nebraska, and spend that entertainment money in other facilities and staffing,” Kort said.