Jeff Hajny

    Seward has recently been visited by the state legislature.
     District 24 Sen. Greg Adams made a visit to Seward on April 11.
     Adams came to the Seward Valentino's for part three of his talks to the public during the legislative session.
     "We have three days in the session left," he said. "What that means is the veterans are getting in their last jabs. If they have a pet project, then they are working hard to get them amended.
     "The reality of things is we have no more general file bills. There is no time for a final reading or for a signature from the governor. Most of the heavy weight is relatively behind us now."
     Adams began by addressing the issue of the state fair being possibly moved from Lincoln to Grand Island.
     "With this, I was of the opinion that I was going to look at this as objective as I could," Adams said. "I wanted to keep the fair as valuable as I could."
     He said the state legislature is looking for a solution where there is zero costs due. In order to pass the bill to change the location, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who wants the land for its use, must present a business plan to the governor and legislature.
     "I have a sense that if it moves, it won't be as big of a fair as we have had in the past," Adams said.
     He went on to talk about the changes in gas tax for the year.
     He explained that the current gas tax of 23.9 cents has dropped from January, when it was 27.
     The legislature was looking for a way to take care of this tax.
     "Even if we don't build anymore, the cost of transportation is outweighing the revenue," he said. "The minute we carve into the general funds for this, we will start carving into other things."
     Adams said the state is looking to take $15 million over three years out of the cash reserve for road projects through the state.
     "There's nothing easy about putting a tax on anything," he said. "We could study this to death, but there are times when we just have to take action."
     In another matter, Adams talked about corporate farms in America.
     He addressed a new bill which looks to keep out-of-staters from buying farm land in Nebraska while living in another state.
     A bill was created for this, but some of the language needed to be changed. A new bill enacted states that up to five Nebraska farmers may form a LLC together to join their farms.
     A problem with this is banks can only allow a certain amount to be loaned.
     "Ask yourself, 'do you think I'm gonna give money without some liability?'" he said. "Forming an LLC would ensure funding."
     Adams also addressed issues such as:
     • the state aid issue in schools. A new bill was created which shifted money away from sparse school districts and will shift it to larger districts in the east; and
     • the real ID issue. A new bill will be created which states that when one tests for a driver's license, they will not be given the license right away. Instead, they will be given a piece of paper which states they qualify to drive and will be given the license three to five days later. Unless a way for these documents to be secured is implemented, a passport will be required to get on a plane going anywhere.
     This was Adams' third visit in a series of three during the state legislative session.