Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 13

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1987 LINCOLN, NE. JOURNAL Rural senators sayLB444 unfair School reorganization bill advanced t.OSI Zfefoart, move a section of law that protects District 66 in Omaha from being merged into the Omaha Public Schools district By Kathleen Rutledge Journal StatehouM Bureau Changing procedures for voluntary school district reorganization will be a tough issue this session, Education Committee Chairman Ron Withem said after LB444 was given 25-14 initial approval Wednesday. Withem said his bin does not force reorganization but does make procedures for voting on voluntary mergers consistent with one-man, one-vote principles. Its main opponent, Sen. Howard Lamb of Anselmo, argued that the changes would allow large school districts to make small districts merge with them.

"Big brother can force little brother to do exactly what he wants to do, and 1 1 say that is not fair," Lamb said. The bill changes the makeup of county school reorganization committees to give small school districts less of -an advantage. It also changes the way votes are taken on reorganization plans put forth by such committees. Now a majority of people in each class of school district must approve the plan; the bill would require only that a majority of people in all districts approve theplan. Distric 66 merger In an effort to make the bill so objectionable that it would be killed, Lamb proposed an amendment that would re- A coven ttiA ahNm pnfy Rust Proton- tm company IW getting genuine Ziebart Rust Protection.

Unless your car dealer offers genuine Ziebart Rust Protection, say nol DEALERS retovmatha nv been missed are Areas irtarted. nojwai Don't let anyone fool you. Ask to see the Ziebart lifetime limited warranty before you sign. Proof in writing that you're me how to close my school vice versa." Withem supported the substitute amendment, saying he hoped it would encourage opponents of LB444 to be reasonable. He observed after the vote that acceptance of the amendment brought no more support for the bill "I'm kind of wondering why we did it other than intellectual honesty," he said.

Not likely It is unlikely that the Douglas County reorganization committee would propose a plan to merge District 66 with Omaha Public Schools, he said during debate. But even if it did, the plan would' have to be submitted to all Douglas County voters. He said he could not imagine that Douglas County voters would abolish District 66. "This amendment win not abolish District 66 any more than jt will abolish Sea Lamb's Class I (elementary-only) districts," he said. unless a majority of people in District 66 approve.

"You call (for) one man, one vote," he said. "Let's have it all over the state." After it became apparent that his amendment as drafted would n6t only remove that protection but also effectively abolish the district, he and Sea Ernie Chambers of Omaha substituted an amendment that did what Lamb had envisioned. It was approved 27-10. Both amendments angered Sea Brad Ashford of Omaha, whose district in-' eludes District 66. "I cannot tell you how upset I am that this body (would attach this amend- ment) without an opportunity for District 66 to come in and tell their story," he said.

Same situation Rural senators seemed to delight in the discomfort of urban senators about the prospect that a city school district face the same situation country schools are trying to avoid. Sea Scott Moore of Stromsburg said a friend who had attended Westside High School in District 66 called him during the lunch hour and pleaded with Moore not to, in effect, close his alma mater. Moore said that struck a nerve with him. "I want to be able to control my own destiny when it comes to closing my own school," he said. "If you're going to tell SAVE $1 25 Floor struggle seen in death penalty bill on Ziebart Gold Shield Protection Package Ziebart Rust a Protection with Sound Deadener 7iahnrt ftiint Prntnrtinn Ziebart Fabric Protection Sea Jerome Warner of Waverly warned against advancing the bill "You're going to create some hard feelings in small communities that already have all the problems they need," he said.

"It's not worth the price of tearing up a small community and then waiting a generation for (the resentment) to go away." 2425 M. 14th 474-61 00 2 Lincoln, HE Hurry! Offer WM Super Savings and fun activities the timing was good.1 Chairman Sea Jerry Chizek of Omaha and Sea Carol Pirsch of Omaha voted against the bilL "We have discussed this quite a bit, and I don't understand what purpuse it would serve to send it out to the floor," Pirsch said. Chambers has tried repeatedly to repeal the death penalty. On the one occasion when the Legislature approved its repeal the bill was vetoed by then-Gov. Charles Thone.

Today for the entire femily. Kids Fua DOWNTOWN: A if Hi Ziebart V-X CA IMnCNMim SHCIMISn expires 5-30-87 ill 1:30, i 2:00, 3:304:00 11:00:4:00 1:30,2:00 2:00 11:00:4:00 1:00:4:00 If" Friday, March 27 Clown Alley 154 Face Painting Prevent Blindness Booth Buckle Bear 1:00 Easter Bunny with FREE Balloons Saturday, March 28 Easter Bunny with FREE Balloons GATEWAY: March 27 McGruffthe Police Dog Humble Bumble the Clown Balloon Animals Mighty Molar Easter Bunny with 1:30 FREE Balloons Saturday, March 28 Buckle Bear 1:00 Clown Alley 154 Face Painting McGruffthe Police Dog Humble Bumble the Clown Balloon Animals Easter Bunny with FREE Balloons Sunday, March 29 Easter Bunny with FREE Balloons thru Sunday i i By United Press International A bill that would abolish the death pen-' alty will be debated in the Legislature and Sea Ernie Chambers of Omaha, the sponsor, expects a struggle. The Judiciary Committee voted 5-2 Wednesday Jo send LB675 to the floor. member of the committee was absent i Chambers said he wouldn't hold committee members who supported the bill to supporting the bill on the floor. The bill would eliminate the death penalty and impose a mandatory 30-year sentence for people convicted of first-de-" gree murder.

People already sentenced to death would be given life imprisonment instead. Sens. Brad Ashford of Omaha, Jerry Conway of Wayne, Frank Korshoj of Herman and Arlene Nelson of Grand Island and Chambers voted for the bill Ashford, however, said he would not support the bill on the floor. He said he voted for the bill in committee because Chambers: We can stop sweet money Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha says Attorney General Robert Spire's opinion about the ethical impropriety of asking contractors to contribute to state projects on which they wish to bid resolves Chambers' concerns about the "sweet money" aspect of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's initial request for bids to build an -enclosed football practice field.

Chambers, who sought Spire's view of the matter when news of UNL's gift approach broke, said that as he reads Spire's Wednesday opinion letter, "I think he is saying that when it comes to advertising for bids on public buildings in the way that the university tried, (it) cannot be lawfully done." Chambers said he doubts that that approach will be used by any state agencies in the future, "because now we have a basis to go to the attorney general if this is ever tried again and get it stopped." Spire said in the letter to Chambers that two opposite conclusions could be reached as to the- legality of asking builders to contribute to projects on which they are interested in bidding. But, Spire said, the ethics of that approach must also be considered, and, "I conclude that a combination of (legal, and ethical requirements) prevents a public agency from making contributions by a bidder a factor in construction bids." Spire also noted that that issue has become moot with respect to UNL's football field plans because the university has rewritten its bid request to eliminate all contribution elements. legislature- Clean-air bill is sent to floor By United Press International The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would fine employers or business owners who violate smoking laws. Sea Shirley Marsh of Lincoln sponsored LB95, which would ex- pand the Clean Indoor Air Act Lawmakers voted 4-2 to send the. bill to the floor.

As amended by the committee, LB95 would make employers and proprietors who violate the regulations on smoking guilty of a Class IV misdemeanor. 'Unemployment bill in second reading By Associated Press A bill that would raise maximum unemployment benefits and increase eligibility requirements was sent to second reading Wednesday. Sea Bernice Labedz of Omaha said her LB446, as amended, would increase the maximum weekly benefit level to 1 134 from $126. The bill was advanced on a 38-1 vote. Sea Richard Peterson of Norfolk dissented.

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