A Nebraska lawmaker who wants to stop tax dollars from winding up in the pockets of lobbyists sounds a lot like a fan of the Chicago Cubs.

State Senator Bill Avery of Lincoln says his plan for “lobby reform” will have to wait ’til next year.

Avery isn’t sure why his bill is stuck in the Legislature’s Education Committee but wonders if the influence peddlers at the State Capitol have won round one. Avery tells Nebraska Watchdog, ”I don’t know if the lobby got to the committee or not.”

During a recent public hearing on Avery’s bill, which would prohibit schools from using state tax dollars to pay lobbyists, not one lobbyist testified. In addition not one metro Omaha school board member or administrator testified.

Following the hearing State Senator Brad Ashford of Omaha told Nebraska Watchdog the lobbyists and schools didn’t testify because, “It’s difficult to justify using tax dollars to pay for lobbyists who ask the state for more tax dollars.” Ashford was confident the committee would vote to advance the bill to the full legislature.

But Avery says at best the committee is stuck at a 4-4 tie, leaving the measure one vote short and forcing him to bring the bill back next year.  

In December, a Nebraska Watchdog investigation reported that during the last three years a dozen Nebraska school districts, half a dozen cities, 3 counties, and a handful of other public operations (such as Omaha’s Metro Area Transit) shelled out nearly $3 million tax dollars for lobbyists.

 In 2009 alone 15 school districts spent an estimated $500,000 on lobbying, according to the Legislature’s fiscal office.

Avery insists school administrators are more than capable of dealing with lawmakers without spending tax dollars on lobbyists. According to Avery, “If our superintendents can’t figure out this process…perhaps they are overpaid.”

But some critics of Avery’s bill worry the legislation will hurt smaller outstate schools which can’t afford the time or money it takes to send their superintendents to Lincoln.

Contacted by Nebraska Watchdog a spokesperson for the Millard Board of Education said Millard opposes Avery’s bill and believes “lobbying has served the district well.” According to a statement released by Amy Friedman, Millard believes local school boards know better than the state, how to use the money the state gives them. The statement goes on to say, “Our board is accountable to the public.”

Nebraska Watchdog has asked the President of the Omaha Public Schools (OPS), Sandy Jensen, if she favors or opposes Avery’s bill. Jensen has not commented.

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Editor’s note: to see Nebraska Watchdog’s initial investigation on school lobbying click here.

Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org