Thread by @asanderford

Hey all. Today I’ll be live tweeting from the @NEChambersAssoc Forum involving the top five candidates running for governor. #NEGov

Fair warning to turn off tweet notifications before we start.

Fun fact: This forum involving @CWHerbster, @jim_pillen, @votelindstrom, @TThibodeauNE and @senatorblood is being held in the same conference room where my wife and I held our wedding reception decades ago at The Cornhusker.

GOP candidate Breeland Ridenour will also be joining the big five. The forum will be moderated by Fremont Area Chamber President Tara Lea. It'll focus on taxes, attracting talent and fostering innovation.

For those new to following my live tweets, I'll try to let you know who's speaking. Most of what I type will be paraphrased, not direct quotes. I'll go as fast as I can to keep up. The only direct quotes will be in quotation marks. Feel free to ask questions and I'll try to reply

Candidates are getting set.

The top three fundraisers sitting together.

I'm told the candidates were provided the questions in advance.

Q1 (part 1): We are a relatively high-tax state,
both in terms of income taxes, which affect
all our businesses, and property taxes, which
particularly affect our agriculture businesses.
We are also a state that values quality
schools, infrastructure investment ...

Q1 (part 2): ... and local
control. How would you specifically address
taxing and spending as governor to create a
better environment for all businesses in
Nebraska?

Lea (of Chamber): Today is not a debate. (It's a forum. Interesting to nod to the idea the candidates won't be allowed to interject or challenge one another. No rebuttal.)

First up, 2-minute opening statements, starting with @senatorblood.

Blood: I am a Nebraska native, born in McCook, raised in Adams, raised my own fam in Sarpy County. 3 adult children, 10 grandchildren. NE leg and Bellevue City Council experience. Used to run a Sarpy Chamber of Commerce.

Blood: Want to bring prosperity to all Nebraskans, need to invest in infrastructure, embrace law enforcement and public health, and embrace education. I see myself as a steward to the community. "I don't believe in party or politics." I believe in people and community.

Herbster: It's great to be here in Nebraska and talk about what we can do to increase what's going on great here in Nebraska. From education ... Built businesses in over 40 states ...

Herbster: ... when I look at Nebraska and travel around the country, everyone has the same concern, economic development, labor force, income tax, property tax, tax in general. "We need a new tax code in Nebraska." We need a 21st Century tax code.

Herbster: ... It has to grow economic development in our state, to bring businesses here, it needs to build a system to increase jobs in this state and it needs to be a system to be revenue same, not increases in our taxes. We can do that.

Herbster: When I look at what's happening in Iowa, South Dakota, we can do the same thing in Nebraska. My No. 1 job as governor will be to market the greatness of this state.

Lindstrom: I'm a state senator, Husker, husband, financial advisor and dad. I've worked with the state chamber to put Nebraska in a great position to move forward. Passed a bill to phase out tax on Social Security income.

Lindstrom: Working to help get a tax break to build sports complexes so travel tourneys happen here. Looking forward to talking about infrastructure investment and more.

Pillen: I grew up west of a little town called Platte Center. My brothers grew up on the end of a pitchfork and scoop shuttle. Know the value of a dollar. Had two dreams, to be a vet, to play football at Nebraska. Partnered with my dad, we put a farm together. ebraska jobs.

Pillen: Started with three people, now have more than 1,000 Nebraskans we employ. "I'm about four things: agriculture, taxes, our kids and our values." Faith, family and pro-life.

Ridenour: I'm an IT guy, from military to health care to now the private sector. I want to bring back common sense and integrity back to our government. I'm a true conservative. Prioritize constitutional liberties. I'm a Christian.

Ridenour: I also bring a 360-degree perspective to problem solving. Identify and implement a sustainable solution.

Thibodeau: I'm different because I've had the first-hand experience to see what our high taxes have done to our small businesses and our farms throughout the whole state. Listening to parents about their concerns about their children's education.

Thibodeau: They're scared because they worry our values are under siege. When people want to indoctrinate our children, I will stand in their way. If they want to shutter our churches, I will stand in their way. I want to stand up and protect what Nebraskans hold dear.

First Q on taxes, income and property. How would you address taxing and spending.

Thibodeau: Nebraska is a high-tax state and we've been fighting it for decades. We need to really look at what these issues are and look at relief people have been asking for for years. We cannot address our tax problem without addressing our spending problem.

Thibodeau: I will do a deep dive into all government agencies that use state funds and find the waste and cut them. We need to fund public schools per student. I'm a former educator.

Thibodeau: The state is going to have to step up and do that. That'll have immediate impact on property taxes. We will work with agriculture on trade.

Thibodeau: I will work with citizens, chambers, farm bureau, local governments to make sure the tax plan I deliver has the broad support of all Nebraskans. I've met with Nebraskans because I want to know why this has not happened yet.

Thibodeau: We need tax reform now because we owe it to Nebraskans to give them the tax reform that they've been asking (for) for years.

Ridenour: Need to eliminate sales tax on business to business purchases. Need to help entrepreneurs. Need to treat this like a business. Like we would your monthly budget for your family.

Ridenour: Couple ways to cut spending, one by getting rid of something. Look to be more efficient with tech. Need to be accountable for every dollar. My tech background will help. Need to start getting rid of bad spending policies. Annual spending spree of use it or lose it money

Pillen: We all agree spending and our taxation are out of control. Really important as our governor that we have a skill set to bring people together urban and rural to bring people together.

Pillen: Our property tax problem has impeded growth in this state. It's so out of whack, it's so far over that we can't sit on the three-legged stool. It's not just affecting farmers and ranchers. It's affecting people from the river to Harrison, Neb.

Pillen: First step is to decrease spending. We all have to take accountability for decreasing spending. We have to have business practices. None of us in biz and ag start a budget with a 3-4 percent bud increase. We start by figuring out how to do more with less.

Pillen: We've got to change the use it or lose it mindset. We need to reward people for not spending money. I'm opposed to a consumption tax. It'll hurt our economy. Nebraskans will buy things other places if we pass one.

Lindstrom: We have a 1967 tax code. Out of whack competitively. Today I just voted a bill out to drop the individual income tax down a percentage point. We are far from being done. On individual tax rate, affects two-thirds of businesses in Nebraska. They file as individuals.

Lindstrom: It hurts their ability to hire and grow. Also working on ed bill. 244 school districts, 86 get state equalization aid. We are working to make sure equalization aid goes to every district.

Lindstrom: We will roll into session in 2023, putting together a plan to tackle all these things that have been talked about for years. Huge opportunity, $400 million above forecast. We can grow Nebraska, invest in companies.

Lindstrom: We need to put tools in the hands of businesses to grow and innovate.

Herbster: Food and fuel costs are up. We've been talking and talking for how long about Nebraska is falling behind. "Nebraska's not falling behind. We're way behind." You cannot run a business like I see our government and even our state government run our state government.

Herbster: No. 1, I'm going to bring the brightest and sharpest minds together. Steve Moore is on my campaign. I've built businesses. I know what it takes to negotiate a deal. One person is not going to make this happen.

Herbster: It's going to take a team of people, a governor willing to meet people from the east to west. And it's going to take people working together. We need to look at exemptions, at a consumption tax. We don't just raise corn or beans.

Herbster: We raise an array of things that protect us. We're going to do the same thing through our tax system. We don't need a tax cut for Charles Herbster, Pete Ricketts or Jim Pillen.

Herbster: We need a tax cut for teachers, hospital workers and people on the street. As governor, that's what I'll do from day one.

Blood: Your property taxes are high because of unfunded mandates and the state took away aid from cities and counties. What has happened over the last 20 years is we continue to put them in position where they have to raise your property taxes.

Blood: We point at them from the state and say it's not their fault. Sarpy has millions in unfunded mandates. In Tecumseh, when an inmate dies at the state prison, counties pay for autopsies.

Blood: Our local governments because of the state are so overwhelmed with unfunded mandates, you will never see real property tax relief until that is resolved. We promised to reinstate aid to local governments. Until you change that one thing, you will never have true relief.

Blood: The consumption tax would put Nebraska $4 billion in the hole in four years. Where will you go from that?

Q2: Need for talent. Workforce is biggest issue businesses are facing, in particular for talent aged 18-34. How would you grow workforce and population?

Blood: Immigration, we need to have good nonpartisan immigration policy. Nebraska Medicine is a good example of how immigration can help our state. Licensure and interstate compacts can make a difference.

Blood: We know there are felons in Nebraska can't get jobs, people who are not dangerous but can't get a license because of that felony. Have to decide where do we draw that line. Kids go to college 50 miles from home. That will help us keep them here.

Blood: We don't have a welcoming environment in Nebraska. Many feel their voices aren't heard. Our plans talk about the need for 18-34, but we don't include them in the planning. We need to look at the people not participating in the workforce.

Blood: They're only looking at people actively looking for jobs. Many people don't think the jobs exist. Need to get some of those early retirees back into the workforce. Need to work with businesses to understand what young people need.

Blood: Flexibility, welcoming, letting people work from home, provide child care. We have a lot of opportunities, if we plan accordingly. We need to hear their voices.

Blood: Until we hear their voices, until we address those issues and they feel welcome we will continue to have that brain drain. They'll go where they can feel welcome.

Herbster: I love young people. It's the future of any state. We've funded scholarships, training. One of the biggest things missing from young people is mentorship and apprenticeship. Many young people don't want to go to a four-year type program, but a trade school.

Herbster: We have high-tech jobs in this state. Nebraska has so much to offer. I've said on the campaign trail, we have to market what we are and who were are and change that perception. We need a 21st Century tax code. Look at places like Iowa, South Dakota, South Carolina.

Herbster: The answers are out there. It's not that it's that hard. It just takes leadership and it takes an intentional method and an intentional design to make sure we don't lose those young people from our state.

Herbster: We need to market the great things we have in this state.

Lindstrom: Currently we have 2k people with bachelor's degrees leaving the state every year. Child care is one of those things. I've witnessed great opportunities. Two places, Red Cloud and Gothenburg. They've started public-private partnerships to help parents with childcare.

Lindstrom: Employers are helping with education. Workforce housing is a huge aspect of this. Need to work more on deregulating condominium development. They want amenities. They want development. They want breweries and wineries. They want Main Street, and not just in Omaha.

Lindstrom: We have 18-35 individuals who can help with our workforce. But we have messaged as Nebraska, literally and figuratively, that it's not for everyone. That's not the message we should be sending. We want young people here. As governor, part of the job is messaging.

Lindstrom: We will give tools to entrepreneurs and people.

Pillen: We need to stay focused and keep it simple. In all 93 counties, the thing that's consistent everywhere is when people will talk about the incredible jobs they have. I'm amazed at the Nebraskans, their entrepreneurship.

Pillen: Nebraskans want state government out of their hair. They want to be able to solve the problems in their communities. The biggest issue is getting people to understand the government is not going to solve this.

Pillen: Housing is the biggest issue. Everywhere people are building housing for workforce, they're sold before they're finished building. The problem is it's taken us about 40 years to figure out people aren't making enough money in workforce development.

Pillen: When the market doesn't work, that's when people need help, even from government.

Ridenour: There are parents quitting their jobs and homeschooling their kids. We need to be asking why. I support homeschooling. But we need to solve the problems that made them choose to do so.

Ridenour: Need to get the tax code replaced with something that'll work a lot better. Nonviolent criminals need jobs. We need to be able to get the assimilated, as well as veterans. Need to get them involved in trades and education and established into our workforce. Licensing.

Ridenour: Need childcare, investment opportunities, home development. We lost 3.3k people in this state. These problems need to be addressed.

Thibodeau: We've been talking about brain drain as long as we've been talking about tax relief. A lot of our talent is leaving. We need big ideas on how to do that. As gov, I have those ideas.

Thibodeau: Work with our high schools, our community colleges, make sure we graduate students who are ready for work. Work with universities ready to work in the current and new jobs we bring to Nebraska.

Thibodeau: Small communities I've visited say they get overlooked. Their projects aren't shovel-ready. It would be one of my top priorities to fix that. To bring jobs and economic development to the entire state. Need incubators in every part of the state.

Thibodeau: We need to look at what our children are looking for in our state. I visited Norfolk, Nebraska, to see what they were doing. They say in 2017 that they needed to figure out how to move forward.

Thibodeau: The Chamber, private business, the university and developers worked together on scholarships, multi-family units, they have entertainment for young people because that's what they want. it's a great example for the whole state.

Thibodeau: We can create those jobs all they want, but if we don't have people to fill them it won't matter.

Thibodeau: We need to provide and match people up with the jobs that will give people the self-fulfillment they're looking for. Nebraska can beat Texas and Florida. It can be the opportunity state.

Q3: Ideas for making Nebraska more competitive in innovation?

Thibodeau: We have the Nebraska Innovation Campus. Why is that just here in Lincoln? Why can't we partner up with incubators all over the state? We should work with people who've implemented these great ideas. Entrepreneurship and vision.

Thibodeau: Allow young generations to fulfill their creativity so our economy can continue to grow and thrive.

Ridenour: First thing is quality broadband across the state. Reduce regulation. Allocation of resources. Provide grant money to entrepreneurs. Invest in them and their ideas. Encourage them, support them, make sure they have the resources they need. Lastly, promotion.

Pillen: It's all about our people. The most transformative technology is our kids. We've got to make sure we can keep 100 percent of our kids at home. We will have business, farmers and ranchers work on the brain drain. Scholarships for all of our kids.

Pillen: All of them need a seat in trade schools and technical schools. Stop abortion. Where would be if we didn't slaughter 200-thousand babies?

Lindstrom: We need broadband, even in North and South Omaha. Need to give innovators the tools to grow. Microenterprise tax credit. Rural workforce development. Invest in housing.

Herbster: Everything rises and falls on leadership. All governors have the power of influence and have the power of the purse. Broadband all the way out west. Trade schools. It takes contacts. It takes negotiation. And it takes relationships. Trust. Integrity. And honesty.

Herbster: And we just are missing the mark in this state. We've got to start with updating the tax code and provide all the things that have been talked about up here to make sure Nebraska is No. 1.

Blood: Need to look to Denver, Colorado. They have a tech innovation hub that helps grow. We've put money into broadband for a very long time and where are we at. Need public-private partnerships.

Blood: We need to train our workforce and educate our communities. When we do that we grow businesses. We need to do this with a unified plan.

Finishing up with closing statements.

Blood: If you're unhappy that your taxes are too high, if you're unhappy with how things are going, why do you keep voting the same way? Vote for someone who knows what it's like to need two incomes to pay for health insurance.

Blood: Friends, it's time to start looking elsewhere. It's time for new Blood in Nebraska, and I'm going to be part of that change.

Herbster: Besides taxes, there are other issues I'll take head on. One is illegal immigration. If we can't close the border, it's costing us $250m to $300m a year, he says. Another is drugs. Drugs coming into every state. $400m coming across the border every 30 days.

Herbster: We will look at the entire package to make Nebraska the best state that we've ever been. I'm not a politician. I'm a businessman. As a businessman, if you have a problem you fix it.

Lindstrom: We need next-generation leadership. Who has a plan to execute? I've passed 16 bills, including tax reform and economic development. We can build the coalitions needed. I know traveling Nebraska that Nebraskans like to win, and as governor, we will win.

Pillen: Nebraska has the greatest people. We will train them, educate them, keep them here. We will protect them. Grow our agriculture. When farmers and ranchers do great, all Nebraskans do great. We will stand up and defend our values. Law and order.

Pillen: I'm about faith, family and pro-life. I'll make Nebraska continue to be the great state that it is and place to live.

Ridenour: I'm here to offer bold new leadership. I have the skills to bridge the gaps we need to bridge. I'm a candidate of the people, for the people. Fighting what we've seen coming out of our schools, fighting for medical freedom.

Ridenour: I don't have a political background. I want to make Nebraska a better place. I want Nebraska to be a better state when I'm done than when I started.

Thibodeau: I built my business here in Nebraska. Employed 42 people. I know what it's like. I saw parents every day. I saw their struggles. I know what families are going through. They ask what you can do, how you can win?

Thibodeau: My answer is watch me. I have the desire, the passion, the will to ensure we can continue to grow our state, protect our freedoms and defend everything that Nebraskans hold true.

We are done. Thanks for following along. Story to come this afternoon/evening on @NE_Examiner.

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