Senator John Wightman
The voters of Nebraska will be voting on Constitutional Amendment 1 on May 13. The amendment would authorize governmental entities, including cities, to invest part of public trust funds in stock and mutual funds in addition to insured certificates of deposit and other insured fixed investments.
GRAND ISLAND — Nebraska voters have the opportunity to correct an 1875 law that has placed severe restrictions on local public endowments.
On May 5th, Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler and the entire City Council held a press conference to unanimously support the passage of Amendment 1 on the May 13th Primary Election Ballot.
Mayor G. Keith Richardson
Amendment 1 is very important to the city of North Platte, as the city has an endowment fund that would be affected.
John Newburn, who died in 1987, left his property to the city and requested that the money be used for park improvements so children can continue to enjoy them. Newburn Funds are invested in treasury bonds with a 5 percent return.
Mayor Chris Beutler and the Lincoln City Council have endorsed Amendment 1, a proposed change to the Nebraska Constitution on the May 13 primary ballot.
The amendment would allow broader investment authority for public endowment funds, such as Lincoln’s Community Health Endowment, created from the proceeds of the sale of publicly owned Lincoln General Hospital in 1997.
On April 29th, Attorney General Jon Bruning, State Senator Dianna Schimek, and Cornhusker State Bank Chair-Emeritus Alice Dittman held a press conference to discuss the importance of passing Amendment 1 on the May 13th Primary Election Ballot.
BY MARTHA STODDARD
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN — Public endowments could spread their financial eggs to several baskets if Nebraska voters approve a proposed constitutional amendment May 13.
That would mean better returns and the safety provided by a greater diversity of investments, leaders of the Yes on 1 campaign said Tuesday.
BY JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star
Two politicians and a banker turned out Tuesday to show their support of a proposed change to the Nebraska constitution.
Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, Lincoln Sen. DiAnna Schimek and Cornhusker Bank chairman emeritus Alice Dittman held a news conference to urge voters to mark yes on their ballots beside Amendment 1.
U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson is also a co-chairman of Amendment 1 with Bruning.
The Community Health Endowment has produced an educational television commercial in which Senator Ben Nelson and Attorney General Jon Bruning explain how Amendment 1 would help protect public endowment money and the community projects they fund.
For your convenience, we've placed a copy of the commercial here. If you'd like to check out the educational site where the commercial originally came from, visit NebraskaAmendment1.org.
A vote for Amendment 1 on the May 13 ballot will boost spending for community projects without raising taxes.
Admittedly, that sounds too good to be true.
But it is.
Any voter with a lick of sense who takes the time to research Amendment 1 will vote for it.
The proposed amendment to the state constitution is not about taxes. It’s not even about politics. It’s about common sense.
