Dave Heineman
From Ballotpedia
| Governor of Nebraska |
|---|
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| Dave Heineman (R) |
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2005 — Current |
Contents |
Biography
Heineman lived in a variety of places in eastern Nebraska during his youth, eventually attending high school in Wahoo, Nebraska. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1970. He served five years in the U.S. Army and he left the military with the rank of captain. He also graduated the Army Ranger training program.[1] Heineman served on the Fremont City Council from 1990-1994. He served two terms as the Nebraska State Treasurer from 1994 to 2001 and was appointed to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska on October 1, 2001, and was elected to his first full term in 2002.
He is married to Sally Ganem, a former elementary school teacher. They have one son.[2]
Governor
He became Governor on January 20, 2005, following Mike Johanns' resignation to become United States Secretary of Agriculture in President George W. Bush's Cabinet. On April 11, 2005, Heineman announced that he would be seeking election to a full four-year term. He had the backing of Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, though he faced a difficult challenge in the Republican primary from former Nebraska Cornhuskers football coach and U.S. Representative Tom Osborne. Heineman took 49 percent of the more than 197,000 votes cast, and Osborne 45 percent. The Lincoln Journal Star's analysis of the race attributed Heineman's win to his opposition to Class I rural school reorganization and the granting of resident college tuition rates to the children of illegal immigrants, helping him win over rural voters. This proved critical in the primary; while Osborne carried most of the Omaha and Lincoln areas--which cast more than two-thirds of Nebraska's vote--Heineman won by large-enough margins in western and central Nebraska to get the nomination.[3]
Heineman defeated Democratic nominee David Hahn in the November 7, 2006 general election, capturing 73.4 percent of the vote—one of the most lopsided victories for a gubernatorial race in Nebraska history. The race was not a high priority for the state's Democratic Party; it is likely that many top-tier Democrats didn't want to face the possibility of running against the popular Osborne.
On December 13, 2007, Heineman endorsed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
As governor, Heineman worked with the state legislature to pass the largest tax cut in Nebraska history. He also has pushed for legislation that would make the state's Department of Health and Human Services more accountable to citizens. In a state where agricultural issues are important, Heineman has made them a top priority. The governor helped to negotiate trade deals with the Republic of China and Cuba for the exportation of wheat, soybeans, and other commodities. He has also been a proponent of increased production of ethanol.[4]
Budget plan
Heineman's plan to fix the state’s budget addresses the need to fill a $336 million budget hole caused by shrinking sales tax receipts.
Heineman's budget cuts include a 2.5% across-the-board reduction to most state agencies this fiscal year and a 5% reduction in fiscal year 2010-2011, cuts totaling $80 million.
He plans to take another $154 million from K-12 education, Medicaid, the state prison system and the State Patrol.
However, according to Heineman schools are not being cut, the planned increases will simply be frozen. Unlike neighboring Iowa's Governor Chet Culver, Heineman says his salary will not be cut.
Heineman said he will oppose any attempt to increase income or sales taxes. He also said he is opposed to dipping any further into the state’s cash reserve fund.
He says $250 million of the reserve is being used to balance the current budget.
“Further use of the cash reserve now will only make any future financial challenges more difficult,” said Heineman.[5]
References
- ↑ About The Governor Official website
- ↑ First Lady - Sally Ganem Official website
- ↑ Gov. turns back Osborne by Don Walton, JournalStar.com, May 10, 2006
- ↑ http://www.governor.nebraska.gov/about/index.html
- ↑ Governor Lays Out Budget Cuts; His Salary Safe, Nebraska Watchdog, November 2, 2009
External links
- Nebraska Office of the Governor Dave Heineman official state site
- National Governors Association - Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman biography
- Follow the Money - Dave Heineman & Rick Sheehy 2006 campaign contributions
- On the Issues - Dave Heineman issue positions and quotes
- Project Vote Smart - Governor Dave Heineman (NE) profile
- Governor Dave Heineman official campaign site
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