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Focus on Executives

For the in-between time between election cycles

    Continuing our series on being an informed voter in the in-between times between elections, this month we 

    FOCUS ON EXECUTIVES

    GOVERNOR

    The duties of governors vary from state to state. In Nebraska, the governor is responsible for “the civil administration of the laws of the state.” The legislature has defined 12 agencies to do the work necessary to ensure that laws are followed, which are appointed by the governor. The agencies are the following: 
    • Department of Agriculture 
    • Department of Labor 
    • Department of Transportation 
    • Department of Natural Resources 
    • Department of Banking and Finance 
    • Department of Insurance 
    • Department of Motor Vehicles 
    • Department of Administrative Services 
    • Department of Economic Development 
    • Department of Correctional Services 
    • Nebraska State Patrol 
    • Department of Health and Human Services 
    So, how are these departments funded? In simplest terms, the governor compiles a 2-year budget, and the Legislature must pass it. But it’s worth knowing a little more, because Nebraska law sets a timeline—one that allows for citizen participation!  
     
    The process of compiling the budget begins in each even year.  
    • By September 15: agencies file their budgets, with explanations of each item, to the Director of Administrative Services. 
    • By November 15: Director of Administrative Services reviews the budgets, investigating and revising in concert with the agencies, and then submits the full budget to the Governor. 
    • Between November 15 and December 15, the governor may hold public hearings on the budget. 
    • By January 15 (or February, if he/she was just elected), the governor submits the budget to the Legislature—having made, and justified, any changes he or she deems necessary. 
    • After the Legislature passes a budget, the governor has the authority to do line-item vetoes and further negotiate. 
    So Nebraska governors, while they do not actually approve the budget, wields significant power in government funding, as they make the final choices in what is presented to the legislature, and, after that, still has the power to do line-item vetoes. The process allows Nebraska governors to emphasize their own priorities. Those priorities will be reflected in the people who are chosen to lead the agencies, and the specific tasks within each agency that are best funded. Informed voters can pay attention to these decisions and how each of the agencies are functioning in the state, to keep tabs on how well their governor is representing them. 
     
    In addition, the governor has a monthly call-in show that is carried on radio stations statewide, where any Nebraskan can call in with questions, concerns, comments, information, positive feedback, or anything they want to say to the governor in a public forum. The dates, times, and stations which air the show can be found here. 
     
    MAYORS
    Closer to home are the executives of our cities, towns, or villages: Mayors. Similar to the governor, the mayor is expected to share power, in some way, with the city council or other type of board. The city council is expected to be in charge of making rules, and the mayor for enforcing them. To a large extent, that is true. But how much power does a mayor really have? It depends. 
     
    Nebraska law delegates different authorities and responsibilities to mayors and city councils, depending on the population of the municipality they serve. The goal is to give each the powers they need to best serve communities of differing sizes. One important consistent factor for all city sizes, though, is that mayors do not have control over the budget. They may make recommendations, but that power is reserved for the city council.  
     
    As voters consider their mayor’s performance, it is helpful to know what authority and limitations they have.  
     
    Cities of the second and first class 
     
    Cities of the second class (population between 800 and 5000) and cities of the first class (population between 5000 and 100,000) grant similar duties and responsibilities to their mayors. Mayors work in synch with the city council in several ways. First, they preside over the meetings, though they do not vote unless they need to break a tie, or unless the council cannot reach a majority vote because some members are not voting, either by choice or because they are absent. Mayors in these cities can choose to sign or veto ordinances passed by the city council, though their vetoes can be overridden by a vote of 2/3 of the council. Last, mayors have an advisory role—part of their job is to investigate and understand issues that affect the city’s “finances, the police, health, security, ornament, comfort, and general prosperity.”  
     
    Mayors in cities of the first and second classes are expected to enforce the ordinances. To do so, they can appoint officers for different needs of the city, as well as the police. The city council must consent to their appointments. As part of their enforcement authority, they are also allowed to grant grace and may grant pardons or forgive fines. One more important responsibility is to hold the city officers accountable, requiring them to show documentation or report to the city council about their work. One difference between cities of the first and second classes is this: in a city of the second class, the mayor has the responsibility to hold the officers accountable. In a city of the first class, either the mayor or the city council can require the accounts or reporting of the city officers. 
     
    Cities of the primary class and metropolitan class 
     
    Cities of the primary class have a population of more than 100,000 but less than 400,000, while cities of the metropolitan class have populations over 400,000. Mayors in these larger communities have many similarities as well. They are the chief executive officers and also the ceremonial heads of the city government. For mayors in these larger municipalities, Nebraska law puts greater emphasis on their role in leading the police department, specifically mentioning authority to use police to quell riots and quiet mobs, and to arrest or prosecute crimes. At the metropolitan class level, the mayor may also use the city’s police force to support county law enforcement.  
     
    As with the other levels, the mayor is responsible for enforcing ordinances and making recommendations to the city council, as well as appointing and commissioning city officers (subject to approval by the city council). They may also grant pardons and forgive fines. 
     
    Conclusion 
     
    While mayors are important leaders in our communities in Nebraska, our state has chosen to center more power in the city council, requiring the mayor to work closely with the council. Each must approve the other—the mayor approving ordinances, and the council approving mayoral appointments. (We will cover the role of city councils in a future post.) Given this close collaboration, when evaluating mayoral candidates, it is important that voters consider not only a person’s leadership and delegation skills and positions on issues, but also their ability to work with others: problem-solving, forming coalitions, managing conflicts, and creating compromises. 
     
    In our 7-county target area this list of second class cities  includes a link to communicate with the mayor:  

    Bennet
    Bennington 
    Fort Calhoun 
    Hickman 
    Louisville 
    Milford 
    North Bend 
    Ralston 
    Scribner 
    Valley 
    Waverly 
    Weeping Water 

    In our 7-county target area this list of first class cities includes a link to communicate with the mayor:  

    Bellevue 
    Blair 
    Fremont 
    Gretna 
    La Vista 
    Papillion 
    Plattsmouth 
    Seward 

    In our 7-county target area the one primary class city is Lincoln.  

    In our 7-county target area the one metropolitan class city is Omaha.  

    See list of cities below, by County.

    GOVERNOR
    Address:  P.O. Box 94848  Lincoln, NE 68509
    Phone:  (402) 471-2244
     
    Links to connect with Mayors:
    DOUGLAS COUNTY
    Omaha (Metropolitan Class)
    Bennington (Second Class)
    Ralston (Second Class)
    Valley (Second Class)
     
    SARPY COUNTY
    Bellevue (First Class)
    Papillion (First Class)
    La Vista (First Class)
    Gretna (First Class)
     
    CASS COUNTY
    Plattsmouth (First Class)
    Louisville (Second Class)
    Weeping Water (Second Class)
     
    LANCASTER COUNTY
    Lincoln (Primary Class)
    Hickman (Second Class)
    Waverly (Second Class)
    Bennet (Second Class)
     
    WASHINGTON COUNTY
    Blair (First Class)
    Fort Calhoun (Second Class)
     
    SEWARD COUNTY
    Seward (First Class)
    Milford (Second Class)
     
    DODGE COUNTY
    Fremont (First Class)
    North Bend (Second Class)
    Scribner (Second Class)
     
    Research and writing by Vickie Hecker. Vickie is a state employee, but her postings on this site do not speak for the views of the state, its customers, clients, suppliers, or employees. Any links to state sites are provided for informational purposes only.