Heineman calls Lincoln Newpaper Editorial Untruthful

(Lincoln, Neb.) NGA SPENDING LETTER (pdf) - Gov. Dave Heineman today said the Lincoln Journal Star’s Mar. 3 editorial is inaccurate, misleading and untruthful. Gov. Heineman has been very clear that the federal government needs to get its fiscal house in order and reduce spending, while allowing states’ the flexibility they need to continue to balance their budgets and control their own budgets. On Jan. 24 Gov. Heineman, Vice Chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA), and Gov. Christine Gregoire (D-WA), Chairwoman of the NGA, sent a letter to Congressional leadership calling on the federal government to work cooperatively with states to reduce deficits, restore fiscal discipline and promote economic growth and long-term prosperity. The letter to Congress clearly states, “Despite states’ difficult fiscal situation, governors are not calling for more one-time help from the federal treasury. In fact, we encourage the federal government to follow the lead of states and make the tough decisions necessary to get its fiscal house in order; federal stability is critical to long-term strength of states and the country.” Gov. Heineman stated, “The Lincoln Journal Star is incorrect in their assertions and it is disappointing that they didn’t even have the courtesy to call me and seek the truth before publishing false information.” The Lincoln Journal Star editorial erroneously stated that Gov. Heineman was lobbying for continued federal aid while proposing a budget balancing measure that would eliminate local aid, an amount which is absorbable as it is typically around 1% of a local entity’s budget. Gov. Heineman has stated numerous times that local, state and federal governments must tighten their belts and do more with less, as families throughout Nebraska and the United States are doing.