Letters to the Editor

We at the Internal Revenue Service are concerned because more than 2200 small community-based nonprofits in Nebraska are in jeopardy of losing their tax-exempt status. The loss of this status could greatly impact the organizations’ charitable work and their donors’ potential tax deductions.

Among the organizations that could lose their tax-exempt status are local sports associations and community support groups, volunteer fire and ambulance associations and their auxiliaries, social clubs, educational societies, veterans groups, church-affiliated groups, groups designed to assist those with special needs and a variety of others.

The organizations that are at risk failed to file the required returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009, according to IRS records. The requirement to file is the result of a tax law change that occurred in 2006. For many of these small organizations, complying with the new law may be as simple as completing a 10-minute form online. They can preserve their exempt status under a one-time relief program the IRS announced in July, but only if they file by Oct. 15.

The IRS has made numerous attempts to alert these organizations, but we are concerned that many may not have gotten the word. A list of the organizations that were at-risk as of the end of June is posted at IRS.gov along with instructions on how to comply with the new law.

We encourage everyone who is connected with a small nonprofit community group to make sure that their organization is aware of the law change and is in compliance before the Oct. 15 deadline.

One of the responsibilities of the Nebraska Legislature is to ensure that state government runs efficiently, and at the same time provides the necessary services to the citizens of Nebraska. It is for that reason that I introduced the proposition to eliminate the office of the state treasurer which will appear as Amendment 2 on the ballot Nov. 2. Amendment 2 was advanced by the Legislature with 38 of the 49 state senators voting in favor.

This is not a new, unique or novel idea. This proposal has been introduced in the Nebraska Legislature at least twice before. Currently 13 states do not have an elected state treasurer. In 2003, Minnesota voters voted to abolish the office of state treasurer in their state.

The current duties of the office of state treasurer can be transferred to existing state agencies. The consolidation of the treasurer’s duties will produce operating efficiencies, eliminate duplication, and in the final analysis save the taxpayers of Nebraska money.

If approved by the voters, the Legislature and the newly elected state treasurer will also have the next four years to transfer the duties and close down the office. This will be a sufficient amount of time to do it right.

My goal, the goal of the Nebraska Legislature, is to right-size state government, to make it more efficient, more effective, more responsive, and more transparent. The approval of Amendment 2 by the voters on November 2nd will help achieve those goals.

It is especially important during a time when Nebraska is experiencing financial stress that we do everything possible to reduce the tax burden on Nebraska taxpayers. I urge you to vote yes on Amendment 2 in November.

I don’t have any opinion about the Husqvarna plant in Beatrice closing. I simply read an article where their spokesman John Marchionda said “the South Carolina plant is much larger than the Beatrice plant and will be able to assemble the zero-turn mowers more efficiently.”

What is “very vague” about that? Marchionda didn’t mention a shortage of reliable laborers. Husqvarna estimates the closing will cost about $14 million this year, but will begin generating annual savings of about $5.1 million in 2011.

If Penny Fattig wants to push a point that the city of Beatrice can’t come up with 390 reliable workers, she’s welcome to it.

Apparently, if Husqvarna and Tenneco would have imported illegal immigrant laborers, their plants in Beatrice and Cozad would be expanding, not closing. What were they thinking? They could have hired Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, who came here illegally to do the neurosurgery jobs that Americans won’t do. Instead, they hired an American Joe, who applied for the same college grant that Quinones-Hinojosa ended up getting.

Without a college education, Joe had to settle for a job at the lawnmower plant. Now that we are chasing illegals out of the country, our food prices are sky rocketing and we can’t afford to spend money on things like lawnmowers. Joe is out of a job.

Whenever the topic of illegal immigration comes up, advocates will tell us that we are a nation of immigrants. This is true. But, to protect our sovereignty, along the way government deemed it necessary to set standards for and limits on the number of those allowed entry.

No one wishes oppression of illegals who are already here. However, we can control their further influx. President Obama inflamed the situation by inviting Mexican President Calderon here, to attack Arizona’s immigration law.

On national television, Obama stood proudly by as Calderon blasted one of our states for civil rights violations. Calderon gave the same speech to Congress (getting a standing ovation from Democrats). The next day Calderon appeared on CNN with Wolf Blitzer. When asked about Mexico’s policy, Calderon said “...on the border, we are asking people ‘who are you?’” About illegals inside the country, he said “...we find them and sending [sic] them back.”

Obama changed history again, by telling the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that Mexicans were here “...long before America was even an idea...” There was no Mexico before 1821. We have illegals protesting in our streets, with signs claiming this is their homeland. These are descendants of the Spanish, that came to what is now Mexico. They exterminated the Incas and Aztecs (“the aboriginal people”) living there.

To the victor belong the spoils? Do they really have more right to the land than Sam Houston and the Texians who took Texas from them in the revolution of 1835-36? Same with the Mexican Cession we acquired in the Mexican-American War? They have already re-taken California.

Neil A. Davis, Gothenburg

I don’t complain about too much except for the fact that the upper management of State Farm Insurance is causing a lot of undo unrest and undo troubles and stress on our local State Farm agents.

I have been with State Farm for 42 years and never have I been unsatisfied with any of the work or coverage that anyone at the local State Farm has given me.

It is too bad that the local agents, the Jorgensen family, have to put up with the treatment that they are getting. If you are a new customer or one that has been with them for a while like I have, we need to voice our opinions on the situation the Jorgensen family are going through.

I have been a good friend of the Jorgensen family all of my life, and when Jerry went home to be with the Lord, there was a lot of things that the rest of the family had to do to make up the loss of an important man of their State Farm Agency, but they have been doing it.

Please, let’s stand with them and give them the support that they need and deserve. Go online to www.doi.ne.gov and there you can click to find a complaint form, or call 1-877-564-7323.

The Jorgensen family really needs our support at this time. Thanks.