Dear Fellow Nebraskans:
The end of a year and the beginning of a new year serves as a good opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made in different areas of our lives. As the 2008 legislative session approaches, I want to take this opportunity to look back at the progress we’ve made during the past three years that I have served as your Governor.
In my first State of the State address, I said that four priorities would guide my decisions. Those priorities are education, economic vitality, efficiency in government, and the protection of families. I am pleased to report that working together with the Legislature we have made progress in all of these areas.
Education is important to the future success of our state and it is the great equalizer. We must ensure that Nebraska students have the skills they need to be successful in a twenty-first century economy. We must create opportunities for Nebraska students to pursue their careers right here in our state.
During the last three years, we have made significant investments in K-12 and higher education. We are encouraging increased parental involvement in our children’s education. Nebraska has one of the top high school graduation rates in the country and we are working toward a top five college going rate.
To jump-start job creation and new business development, one of the most important bills I’ve signed was the Nebraska Advantage legislation that provided the first update to Nebraska’s business incentives program since the 1980’s. The Nebraska Advantage has been a powerful tool in attracting new business interest to our state.
Approximately 130 companies have decided to locate or expand in Nebraska because of our new economic incentive legislation. These companies will create more than 12,000 new jobs and invest more than $4.6 billion in our state. This means that industries such as biomedical research and production, renewable fuels production, finance, high-tech manufacturing, and companies involved in telecommunications will be creating quality jobs for young people and middle class families.
In addition to our jobs creation legislation, the Legislature and I have provided more than $500 million in income, sales and property tax relief. Last year, we passed the largest tax relief package in the history of our state. This legislation included property tax relief, the repeal of the estate tax, the elimination of the marriage penalty in the income tax system, and the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit for low income families.
In the area of government efficiency, my focus has been to control the cost of operating state government and providing services in more convenient and effective ways. This year, we restructured the Department of Revenue by reducing the number of divisions from 13 to 7, flattening our management structure. We’ve also provided new opportunities for Nebraska residents and businesses to interact with state agencies online. We’ve restructured the Department of Health and Human Services as part of an ongoing effort to make this department more accessible, more accountable and more efficient.
Protecting Nebraska families and providing for safe communities is very important. We have addressed the dangers of meth labs and the threat posed by sexual predators. In 2005 and 2006, I signed into law bills that have helped better protect Nebraskans from these threats.
At the height of the meth lab problem, more than 300 labs were reported to the Nebraska State Patrol. Those numbers have dropped to 33 labs in 2006 and only 14 were reported in 2007. That is a good indication that Nebraska’s anti-meth law has helped communities fight back against homemade meth in our state. We’ve also helped protect Nebraska children and families from the crimes of sexual predators by developing comprehensive legislation that increased penalties for crimes involving young children and increased monitoring of convicted sex offenders.
These are just a few examples of the progress we’ve made during the past three years. More work needs to be done and I am committed to making our state an even better place to live, to work and to raise a family in the future. Have a great 2008.
