2005
Week 22
June 6, 2005

Hi -

Yabba-Dabba-Doo !! Mine was the last bill, on the last day. After three years of prioritizing and over ten years of planning the series of bills, I found it difficult to grasp the moment.

This was the linchpin of the set. It does nothing the public will notice, but it will make sentencing more consistent among the various courts. First offense on impaired driving is working fairly well -- two out of three do not come back. But those who do have an attitude and need a very clear, consistent, firm message. Like a child. Let's hope the message comes through. I had wanted to say in the closing that the public attitude toward driving after drinking is more important than laws, but hopefully clear laws will help us gather around a clear message. However, in view of the late hour, I shortened my comments. Passed final round 45 to 0.

The whole experience made me feel like the fellow in the old story, who prayed for patience. A series of events caused him to learn much patience. His next prayer was: "I did not want that much patience."

A few random items: Pay raise for governor and constitutional officers -- we were short of votes to override the governor's veto. My sense of it was a few were ticked with the governor, who did what all other governors have done: veto his pay raise and expect the legislature to override, taking any heat for increased budget.

A few votes were a bit bold. We added a small tax to sales of homes, to help fund housing for low income and mentally ill persons. It is a way for those who have, to share with those caught in a bind. Surprising consensus.

We had resolutions, which clearly do not do much, in favor of Poland and Foster Care children, and opposing a federal tax.

We chose to hold state agencies accountable for their regulations. Regs do not always fit the intent of the legislature. Now we have a hearing and complaint process, available to senators.

A great amount of feeling has developed over the schools bill, so I will develop that a bit. The bill requires every bit of turf to be in a K-12 district. This does not close the country one room school, as an example, but requires it to be run by the larger district, representing the whole community. On some small districts there is no debate. We have eight school districts with no students, but a combined budget of over $700,000 a year. Hello?

Far more important are schools which are serving an isolated population. Most counties do not have any, but there are over 200 "grade school districts" and their supporters made more contacts with senators than we have received on any other subject. Way more. We overrode the governor's veto of our plan because it is simply time to deal with the problem of communities where schools grump at each other rather than focus on how to educate the kids in the best way. So we are putting them all around one table. Again, the negative is not usual but we had to stop it and get back to educating.

I was educated in a small country school. Went well. However, when we went to high school it was in another district, in "town school," where our parents had no say, no vote, no right to run for school board. They closed my school without any discussion. (!) Now, we have added guidelines on closing and have guaranteed protections that would have allowed my parents to be on the school board and to be present for the discussion of what would be the best education. Cost was discussed, but that is not a meaningful factor.

A few opponents said today that they may start a petition to get the public to vote on the plan. I have news for them. It is easier to get votes in the legislature than it is in the public. They got 12 senator votes, which is one in four. Since 97% of the population is already in a K-12 district, how would the other 3% get a hearing?

While it is sad to come to the end of an era, it is also a time to celebrate the pioneer system that worked so well for so long. Many presently have carried that tradition on in a most successful way. However, communities have changed in size and it is imperative that everyone with good ideas get around the same table and design a setting for future pioneers. The whole matter made me a senator for the state, which is our best role. I was voting for smaller communities, as Omaha is not involved.

Finally, a report on the "Sine Die" party is in order. That is when the staff, and sometimes the lobbyists, roast the senators with skits and songs. This year's program was exceptionally well done. We have great talent and clever writers.

"The Booze Brothers" did the number on me. It is two lobbyists with excellent rhythm and voices, backed by a rock/jazz combo. Good fun. Their setup on me was that Lowen brings the Bible into floor debate, on issues like acceptance of gays, but that some do not see this as Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. It sounds like "The Book of Lowen." So the verses of the song, in a rollicking free way, tell the story and each ends with "Read it in the Book of Lowen, Lowen, La La La La La, Lowen." The two singers alternate on my name in that line.

So we had:
His purpose as a preacher was to preach on Sunday,
But his purpose here in Lincoln is to preach all week.
Come on people it's time to heed, come on people let's read
The book of Lowen, Lowen, la la la la la Lowen.
     (Tune is "Game of Love")

I will send a wrap-up letter next week and then hope to do a monthly piece of my quirky views, based on the conferences and interim studies that come along.

From The Book of --

Lowen