Dear Rotarians
Sen. David Schnoor and challenger Lynne Walz will face each other in the general election Nov. 8 for the right to represent District 15 in the Nebraska Legislature.
The district is made up of Dodge County.
Schnoor was appointed to the Legislature in December 2014 to fill the seat of Charlie Janssen, who resigned after being elected as the state auditor. Though he is the incumbent, Schnoor is running for the Legislature in his own right for the first time.
“After two years, you really get your feet on the ground and an understanding of what goes on in Lincoln,” Schnoor said. “When I was selected by (Gov. Pete) Ricketts, he asked if I would run again in two years and I told him yes — I gave him my word.”
Schnoor sees education, public safety, roads and property taxes as key issues in the race.
“We’ve got a very high tax rate,” Schnoor said. “To reduce taxes, we need to reduce spending in areas.”
Schnoor also sees prison reform as key, as well as fixing the state’s capital punishment system should Nebraskans vote in November to keep the death penalty.
“We’re going to have to look at the prison system depending on how the election turns out on the death penalty,” Schnoor said. “We’re going to have to fix the death penalty process.”
Schnoor said he believes his experience in several areas is an asset to District 15.
“As a farmer and a landowner, I understand the high burden of property taxes,” Schnoor said. “As a former school board president, I understand the difficulties of education and of funding it — and of educating our children to the best of our abilities.”
Walz said running for political office was “never on (her) bucket list of things to do.”
“When I decided to run, I first thought about the experiences that I’ve had, and how they shaped who I am today,” Walz said. “My dad was a small hog feeder who had to work another job to make ends meet. I’ve worked with people with developmental disabilities and saw firsthand that they didn’t get the attention and resources they needed. As a former elementary school teacher, I know that education at an early age is vital to the success of all children.”
Walz listed property taxes, economic development and education as her top three priorities.
“I know how hard property taxes hit families, especially for farmers,” Walz said. “If we want meaningful property tax relief, we need to look at how we can spur economic growth, make services more efficient and end wasteful government spending. It is a high priority to find meaningful property tax relief without sacrificing our kids’ education and public safety.”
At the same time, Walz wants to see schools receive their fair share of aid from the state.
“I think we all can agree that we want a better life for our children and grandchildren,” Walz said. “By giving our kids the best education we can, we will give them the start that they need to be successful. Nebraska currently ranks 49th in state aid to public schools. We need to do a better job at making sure the state pays its fair share.”
While Walz does not have Schnoor’s experience when it comes to being part of the state’s government, she believes that she brings her own sets of qualifications to the table.
“I’m an independent thinker who forms decisions based on facts,” Walz said. “I don’t have an allegiance to any political party or special-interest group. My only allegiance is to the people in my district and the people of Nebraska. I will work to find common-sense solutions with senators from both sides of the aisle to help the hard-working people of this state be more prosperous.”
Each candidate will be given 20 minutes to speak/answer questions to Rotarians. The candidates will not be present in the room while their opponent is speaking.
President Darrell