Dunixi Guereca

Age: 35

Work experience: Executive director at Stand for Schools, former union organizer for SEIU

Political party: Democrat

Political experience: None

Education: Studied political science at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska at Kearney.

He said he saw the impact that charter schools and vouchers had on public education in the Golden State, and he vowed to help stave off privatization efforts in Nebraska.

Guereca said he remains convinced that public schools are the “pillar of our democracy,” a place that educates all kids and provides more than just lessons about history and math.

He’s set his sights on a legislative seat to help shape public education, job training, health care and other services and programs that can open doors for Nebraskans of all economic and social classes.

“That’s going to be my main focus: common sense legislation that allows a pathway to the American dream,” Guereca said.

The son of Mexican immigrants, Guereca said he has spent his career so far trying to “empower working people.” Prior to his job as executive director of Stand for Schools, he was a labor organizer.

He spent time earlier in Nebraska as a student at the University of Nebraska’s Lincoln and Kearney campuses.

He is a national officer for the Young Democrats of America and has been endorsed by Vargas.

If elected, Guereca said he hopes to create more partnerships between business and high schools to prepare a young workforce, including those who don’t go to college. He wants better teacher recruitment strategies, particularly for teachers of color.

Describing District 7 as hard-working, he recounted a visit to a South 24th Street diner looking for chilaquiles. His favorite Mexican breakfast dish wasn’t on the menu, but the cook whipped it up anyway.

Said Guereca: “They deserve someone that is going there (the Legislature) to fight for them.”

Tim Pendrell

Age: 43

Work experience: Aide in the Nebraska Legislature; former grant administrator for Nebraska Department of Corrections; former AmeriCorps/VISTA worker at Habitat for Humanity of Omaha

Political party: Democrat

Political experience: None

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; master’s degree, New York University

Pendrell, 43, expects to hit the ground running if elected to a Legislature he’s worked around for the past five years.

Currently an aide to a lawmaker from a neighboring district, his presence has been largely behind the scenes. The impending exit of a cluster of term-limited senators he respects, and who’ve dealt closely with the state budget, got him thinking.

“I’m worried, this is going to catch up with us,” said Pendrell.

Taking stock of “what we’re losing” in experience — and believing that his own learning curve will be less than the typical freshman senator — nudged his effort to move out of the background and into the running for a legislative seat.

A self-described S.O.B. (South Omaha Boy), Pendrell is a former grant administrator for the Nebraska Department of Corrections and an AmeriCorps/Vista worker with Habitat for Humanity of Omaha.

He said his legislative priorities would include education and economic development.

Pendrell would like to expand state funding to the 50-year-old Goodrich Scholarship Program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and he plans to advocate for NU campuses to become “Hispanic Serving Institutions” that meet needs of diverse communities.

Pendrell expects to tap the urban planning training gained in graduate school to promote creative development for his inner-city district that he says is short of open spaces.

One idea, he said, is constructing a land bridge over the Kennedy Freeway that would connect key commercial and industrial areas. He said federal funding is available for projects of that sort, which also provide space for recreation or parking.

“We can be creative and create the space we need to grow,” he said.

Ben Salazar

Age: 78

Work experience: Longtime publisher and journalist of Spanish-English newspaper; consultant and mentor for nonprofits

Political party: Nonpartisan

Political experience: None

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; law degree, NU College of Law; mediation certificate, State of Nebraska

The Scottsbluff native said he saw injustices on the battlefield, in the politics of war and upon returning home to the Civil Rights Movement.

“There were a lot of things going on in that era that impacted my generation,” he said. “At the same time I didn’t feel that I 100% belonged in this country. My people were still being looked at as second-class citizens.”

Salazar said his actions from then on were anchored in trying to be a voice for the Latino community.

He said he sharpened debate and research skills in law school. He published the Omaha-based Nuestro Mundo newspaper for a couple of decades.

At age 78, his entry into the District 7 race was spurred, he said, by remarks from Nebraska officials about immigrants and Hispanics, particularly related to activity at the southern border. He said a seat in the Legislature would offer an opportunity to educate and respond to efforts such as sending Nebraska troops to the border.

“We need to have more voices speak out against ugly rhetoric that targets people of color and minorities,” Salazar said.

He views himself as a “guardian” for an underrepresented Latino community, but said that doesn’t mean he’s “limited by that notion.” Salazar cited pandemic outreach for the Douglas County Health Department and consulting work for Metropolitan Community College as examples of his broader work.

As a lawmaker, he said, a priority would also be to champion a woman’s right to “determine her own health issues,” including an abortion.

Q: How would you want the State of Nebraska to address property taxes, if at all, and how would you pay for your approach?

Salazar: I would legalize marijuana, impose a tax on the sale of marijuana and offset property taxes in that way. According to states that have passed marijuana laws, they make a ton of money.

Pendrell: Addressing property taxes in Nebraska is crucial for economic relief and properly funding our schools without new taxes. My plan combines $1.677 billion from the Property Tax Credit, the Education Future Fund, and TEEOSA to lower the local effort rate from $1.00 to $0.55 per $100 of property valuation, increasing state funding for education. Simultaneously, I would reduce the levy lid from $1.05 to $0.65, directly cutting property taxes — for example, saving an Omaha homeowner with a $250,000 property about $1,000 annually. This approach also boosts school districts’ financial flexibility by widening the gap between the levy lid and the local effort rate, enabling over 86% of districts statewide to receive equalization aid … This would increase state funding for Omaha Public Schools by over $100 million per year.

Guereca: I support lowering property taxes. We are currently in the top 10% for highest property taxes in the country. We need to have an honest conversation about why — it has to do with state aid to education. We must fully fund public education at the state level and give our local school boards consistent funding and the confidence they need to lower property taxes. I will not support legislation that shifts the tax burden to hardworking Nebraskans through sales or other regressive taxation systems.

Q: What policies would you prioritize at the state level in K-12 and higher education, and why would you emphasize them?

Salazar: I like the notion of peer learning and teaching, that is, groups of students dealing with subject matters in small groups, three or five students … discussing, sharing with one another. Culturally kids feel very comfortable with one another, there’s not so much pressure, it’s kind of a shared responsibility. This standardized system of teaching subject matter … would have to be considered from the very top. The Board of Education, politicians, legislators and the whole bunch would have to be convinced there is the possibility of doing something better to improve the academic standing of our students.

Pendrell: For K-12 education, my priority is to provide equitable funding across all districts and to integrate STEM education, advanced technologies, and innovative teaching methodologies. This effort includes expanding skilled trades opportunities through paid apprenticeship programs and two-year degrees, giving them the same emphasis as four-year degrees. In higher education, I plan to significantly expand the Goodrich Scholarship Program to increase its accessibility and impact, helping more students receive the financial and academic support they need.

Guereca: Ensuring we direct appropriate public dollars to public schools is my top priority. Voucher schemes like those passed last year put our public education system at risk. We must focus our funding on making our public schools the best they can be for students no matter where they live — not finding ways to enrich private schools with public dollars. We must also work to solve the teacher shortage crisis by both recruiting more people into teaching and fixing the reasons that cause them to leave the profession.

Q: What issues are you hearing from voters in your district that need to be addressed?

Salazar: We need to do something more for the young people in South Omaha. Job opportunities, training opportunities. We just don’t have enough open-door facilities, where you can walk in and have people show the education and jobs that are available.

Pendrell: There’s been an uptick in reckless driving on 13th Street, a major concern as it coincides with increased pedestrian traffic. This is a public safety issue that needs immediate attention to protect our residents. Secondly, there’s growing anxiety regarding access to youth sports and community led mentorship in South Omaha. This concern has been exacerbated by the lack of Latino and South Omaha representation on the new PACE board of directors, leading to misinformation and uncertainty in the community. I am also advocating for the inclusion of youth sports representatives on local lodging tax-funded tourism groups, recognizing that youth tournaments are significant economic drivers for our region.

Guereca: I hear about several challenges that we need to address, including funding for our public and higher education programs, a broken property tax system, and an affordable housing shortage. Schools and property taxes are tied together as the vast majority of property taxes go to funding our education system. To solve both problems, we must examine funding structures and make sure the state is paying its fair share to support students.

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article and the full interviews at: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/08/southeast-omaha-district-7-will-...