Pioneer Brief: State agencies float prison, psychiatric bed cuts

Nebraska's billion-dollar budget gap came into sharper view as Corrections and DHHS outlined facility closures and bed reductions, while national Republicans added millions to the Senate race and Lincoln voters face six city charter questions.

Agencies propose closing facilities and cutting psychiatric beds in budget requests

Corrections and DHHS outlined options under a hypothetical 8% reduction as the state faces a shortfall of more than $1 billion

In biennial budget requests prepared at 92% of base funding, the Department of Correctional Services proposed closing Omaha's Community Corrections Center, moving about half of the York women's prison population and cutting 30 programming jobs. DHHS proposed closing units at the Lincoln and Norfolk regional centers and the entire Whitehall psychiatric residential treatment campus.

Why it matters: The requests preview tradeoffs the governor and Appropriations Committee will weigh in January, and DHHS warned that fewer regional center beds could lengthen waitlists and raise costs for county jails.

Read the full story: Nebraska Public Media

Update: Senate Republicans' super PAC adds $8 million to back Ricketts

The Senate Leadership Fund had already spent $7 million through Cornhusker Majority PAC

The Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC allied with Senate Republicans, plans to spend an additional $8 million to support Sen. Pete Ricketts against independent Dan Osborn. The group has spent $7 million so far through its Nebraska affiliate, Cornhusker Majority PAC, and had previously planned $15 million in total, according to a person familiar with its plans.

Why it matters: The commitment adds to outside spending reported last week at more than $15 million, raising the stakes and ad volume in Nebraska's Senate race over the final three weeks.

Read the full story: Bloomberg

Lincoln voters face six city charter questions on Nov. 3

Measures cover even-year elections, council term limits, a volleyball complex and voting rights in the three-mile zone

Lincoln's "City Ticket" includes a turnback-tax plan for a $17 million youth volleyball complex, competing proposals from Good Government Lincoln and the city to move municipal elections to even-numbered years, and competing council term limit measures. A sixth question would let residents within the three-mile area surrounding Lincoln vote in city elections, with no city alternative.

Why it matters: The measures could change when and by whom Lincoln's leaders are elected, and the three-mile voting question mirrors legislation Sen. Beau Ballard proposed last session that did not advance.

Read the full story: Nebraska Public Media

Around Nebraska

• Gov. Jim Pillen launched the Good Life is Calling Veterans initiative, which has emailed more than 85,000 service members and received 1,000 responses as the state seeks to recruit veterans and their families.
• A roughly $44 million, 200-unit apartment and retail project near Saddle Creek and Pacific in Omaha could receive building permits within weeks after delays tied to construction costs and interest rates.

Watch Next

• Oct. 14: Nebraska Public Media hosts a 2nd Congressional District debate between Republican Brinker Harding and Democrat Denise Powell.
• Oct. 14–15, 6–9 p.m. CT: Public hearings on Initiative 442 and online sports betting Initiatives 440 and 441 will be held at the State Capitol in Lincoln.
• Oct. 15, 5 p.m.: The OPPD Board of Directors holds its monthly public meeting.
• Oct. 16, 1 p.m.: The Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee holds an interim hearing on LR 310 in North Platte on whether to recombine the Tourism Commission with the Department of Economic Development.

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