Candidates grilled about tax breaks, assistance during forum

By Katie Knapp

Omaha, NE – Six of Nebraska's Unicameral hopefuls are talking economic issues.

The candidates participated in a forum Thursday night sponsored by Voices for Children in Nebraska. That forum gave the public a chance to ask candidates about child care assistance, retirement accounts, and whether the state should give incentives to corporations wanting to move here.

Senator Gail Kopplin, who's seeking re-election, says those incentives bring construction jobs to the area. Construction also puts money in to the local economy when workers buy food, put gas in their vehicles, or go shopping. Tanya Cook, who's running for the District 13 seat, says incentives could help small businesses in that District thrive.

Another question revolved around child care assistance and how to provide families with affordable child care. District 5 Candidate Heath Mello says the key is to provide high quality child care, which he says means paying providers more and increasing the state reimbursement rate. Jeremy Nordquist, the Candidate for District 7, called for better access to early childhood education programs.

State Senators Gwen Howard and Abbie Cornett also participated in the forum.