Lynne Walz

Where Walz stands

Addressing Affordability

Nebraskans work hard for a living and should be able to afford to take care of their families. The essentials like housing, childcare, healthcare, and groceries are too expensive. I will work with state and national leaders to address our affordability crisis.

How would you pitch Nebraska to a business looking to locate here?

First, I would declare that Nebraska is open for business. Whether you want to start a business, expand your business, or re-locate your business, Nebraska wants you here. Economic development is my top priority and I’ll be looking to work with business leaders, farmers, ranchers, and others to grow Nebraska in both our urban and rural communities. We need to be competitive with our tax rates and our incentive programs and ensure that those programs are working as they should as technology and our economy shifts. The best asset Nebraska has is our people. Nebraskans are hard working. And Nebraska is a great place to raise a family. We have quality public schools and a low cost of living compared to other states.

What is your approach to balancing states’ rights and federal authority?

I value local control. What is best for California or Alabama is not what is best for Nebraska. The same is true at the state level. The needs that communities, like Valentine face, are very different from communities like Omaha and Lincoln. Most of the decisions that impact our daily lives are best coming from our neighbors who understand the communities they are elected to represent. The state and federal governments roles should be to create opportunities for businesses, farmers, ranchers, and the people to be successful. Government should keep citizens safe, and to provide the basic framework and accountability measures to ensure that government is efficient, responsive, and supportive to the people they serve.

Describe your top three Nebraska values.

1. Work-ethic. A strong work ethic is the Nebraska way of life. It’s what you do to take care of your family and give back to your community. When you work hard, you should be able to earn enough to take care of your family. 2. Freedom. Government should be protecting our freedoms, not taking them away. No one should tell Nebraskans how to live, how to love, or what to think. Everyone should be free to make their own decisions about what is right for their lives. 3. Honesty. Nebraskans expect our neighbors to be honest. Our leaders should do the same. We need leaders who will stand up to political parties and special interest groups to do what is best for Nebraskans. We need to restore integrity in state government.