Local View: State Fair depends on your vote
There will be many issues for voters to consider on the Nov. 2 ballot. One of those very important decisions, Amendment 4, is about the future of the Nebraska State Fair, which is 136 years old.
Many Nebraskans have experienced the State Fair as 4-H or FFA exhibitors, as young teens who have memories of friends and fun or as families who have special State Fair traditions like attending every Labor Day or buying their once-a-year pineapple whip or corn dog.
The fair is an event that educates, entertains and celebrates our agricultural heritage while also showcasing the latest innovations. The State Fair provides a time to recognize who we are and what we have achieved.
The Nebraska State Fair, however, is in financial trouble.
Most of the state fairs in surrounding states are thriving because they receive strong state support. They have buildings that can be rented year-round to provide off-season revenue. They have successful fairs each year because of financing from their states for programming and infrastructure.
The Iowa State Fair has received $21 million in state government support in the past five years. The Kansas State Fair has received $27 million. Missouri has received $15 million. Minnesota has received $5 million. Nebraska has received less than $2 million in support from the state in the past five years, and most of that funding paid competitor prizes for 4-H, FFA and Open Class competitions.
Amendment 4 will be on the ballot in the general election Nov. 2. A vote for Amendment 4 will allow 10 percent of the current lottery funds to go to support the Nebraska State Fair. This funding is not tax dollars, as is true with most other states. The funding comes from proceeds generated by the existing state lottery. The Nebraska State Fair has been extremely important to the city of Lincoln's economy for more than 100 years. Economists, Charles Lamphear did a study in 2003 that showed that the Nebraska State Fair contributes more than $27 million annually of direct and indirect economic impact to Lincoln. This is comparable to the amount of money that the city of Omaha receives from the College World Series.
The majority of lottery dollars support the Educational Innovation Fund and the Environmental Trust Fund. These groups will continue to receive the same amount of money even with the passage of Amendment 4 because there is a new contract that has been awarded to an outside company that operates the Nebraska Lottery. This new company is offering their services for less, which automatically is providing new funding of $2 million annually to the lottery fund. The education and environmental groups supported the Amendment 4 legislation last spring because Amendment 4 also protects the lottery money that they are currently receiving. As it stands, it only takes 25 of the 49 state senators to redirect where the lottery money is spent. Every year, education and environment organizations have to worry if state senators will vote to move the money. With Amendment 4, education, environment and the State Fair will be protected as beneficiaries of the lottery fund.
Amendment 4 will provide the long-term funding source that is needed by the State Fair to survive in the future. It will allow the State Fair Board to provide much better programming and to be able to improve the facilities that have been deteriorating for the past 20 years.
The State Fair Board has been asking Nebraskans how the State Fair can be improved. They began making those changes in 2004. They lowered the gate fees. They provided more free concerts, more free grounds entertainment, more free activities. They refocused the State Fair on agriculture by beginning to bring back some of the large agricultural equipment. They began new partnerships with the Department of Agriculture and groups such as the Nebraska Farm Bureau.
The Fair Board and Foundation Board listened to Nebraskans during the Nebraska State Fair. They worked a booth in the Devaney Sports Center and asked for suggestions on an improved State Fair. The message was clear: The State Fair does need new programming and their facilities do need to be improved. Both of these improvements need a long-term funding source like other states receive. Our State Fair's future depends on the passage of Amendment 4. I'm an enthusiastic volunteer! Please join me in voting for and working for Amendment 4.
Charley Thone is chairman of the Vote for Amendment 4 Committee. He served as First District Congressman from 1971 to 1979, and as governor from 1979 to 1983.
Many Nebraskans have experienced the State Fair as 4-H or FFA exhibitors, as young teens who have memories of friends and fun or as families who have special State Fair traditions like attending every Labor Day or buying their once-a-year pineapple whip or corn dog.
The fair is an event that educates, entertains and celebrates our agricultural heritage while also showcasing the latest innovations. The State Fair provides a time to recognize who we are and what we have achieved.
The Nebraska State Fair, however, is in financial trouble.
Most of the state fairs in surrounding states are thriving because they receive strong state support. They have buildings that can be rented year-round to provide off-season revenue. They have successful fairs each year because of financing from their states for programming and infrastructure.
The Iowa State Fair has received $21 million in state government support in the past five years. The Kansas State Fair has received $27 million. Missouri has received $15 million. Minnesota has received $5 million. Nebraska has received less than $2 million in support from the state in the past five years, and most of that funding paid competitor prizes for 4-H, FFA and Open Class competitions.
Amendment 4 will be on the ballot in the general election Nov. 2. A vote for Amendment 4 will allow 10 percent of the current lottery funds to go to support the Nebraska State Fair. This funding is not tax dollars, as is true with most other states. The funding comes from proceeds generated by the existing state lottery. The Nebraska State Fair has been extremely important to the city of Lincoln's economy for more than 100 years. Economists, Charles Lamphear did a study in 2003 that showed that the Nebraska State Fair contributes more than $27 million annually of direct and indirect economic impact to Lincoln. This is comparable to the amount of money that the city of Omaha receives from the College World Series.
The majority of lottery dollars support the Educational Innovation Fund and the Environmental Trust Fund. These groups will continue to receive the same amount of money even with the passage of Amendment 4 because there is a new contract that has been awarded to an outside company that operates the Nebraska Lottery. This new company is offering their services for less, which automatically is providing new funding of $2 million annually to the lottery fund. The education and environmental groups supported the Amendment 4 legislation last spring because Amendment 4 also protects the lottery money that they are currently receiving. As it stands, it only takes 25 of the 49 state senators to redirect where the lottery money is spent. Every year, education and environment organizations have to worry if state senators will vote to move the money. With Amendment 4, education, environment and the State Fair will be protected as beneficiaries of the lottery fund.
Amendment 4 will provide the long-term funding source that is needed by the State Fair to survive in the future. It will allow the State Fair Board to provide much better programming and to be able to improve the facilities that have been deteriorating for the past 20 years.
The State Fair Board has been asking Nebraskans how the State Fair can be improved. They began making those changes in 2004. They lowered the gate fees. They provided more free concerts, more free grounds entertainment, more free activities. They refocused the State Fair on agriculture by beginning to bring back some of the large agricultural equipment. They began new partnerships with the Department of Agriculture and groups such as the Nebraska Farm Bureau.
The Fair Board and Foundation Board listened to Nebraskans during the Nebraska State Fair. They worked a booth in the Devaney Sports Center and asked for suggestions on an improved State Fair. The message was clear: The State Fair does need new programming and their facilities do need to be improved. Both of these improvements need a long-term funding source like other states receive. Our State Fair's future depends on the passage of Amendment 4. I'm an enthusiastic volunteer! Please join me in voting for and working for Amendment 4.
Charley Thone is chairman of the Vote for Amendment 4 Committee. He served as First District Congressman from 1971 to 1979, and as governor from 1979 to 1983.
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