While on a visiting tour of Nebraska’s panhandle, Nebraska Treasury candidate Don Stenberg stopped in at The Observer for a little chat.

Stenberg is a native Nebraskan who is comfortable being in the public eye.

“I have spent half my career in private practice and the other half in public service,” Stenberg said.

Stenberg’s resume boasts 12 years service as Nebraska’s Attorney General. He won both of the re-election bids with 68 percent of the votes. He declined to seek a fourth term.

He currently works in a private practice law office.

Stenberg is not unaccustomed to hard work. Growing up in Tekamah, Neb. he earned money for college by detailing corn, hauled bales, mowed lawns, and life guarded at the local swimming pool. At the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Don walked on to the track team where he lettered and earned an athletic scholarship.

At UNL he earned a B.A. in 1970. He went on to Harvard where he earned his MBA in business and his JD in law. He graduated cum laude at Harvard Law.

The reason Stenberg has decided to come out of private practice and go back into public service is pretty simple. He said with Nebraska’s current financial difficulties it would be good to have someone in there with state management experience.

Citing his time at the AG’s office, Stenberg said he was able to successfully operate the office and duties of the Attorney General on the state’s third smallest budget.

“We handled a major increase in case load without an increase in budget,” he said.

“We need efficiency in government,” Stenberg said.

Looking ahead, Stenberg said the state is facing a $670 million shortfall. He said that he agrees with Governor Dave Heineman’s position. That is, the government needs to find ways to cut the budget without increasing the taxes.

“Now is not the time to increase taxes, Nebraskans have been hurt by the recession, need to work within the moneys we have,” Stenberg said.

Another issue that Stenberg sees affecting Nebraskans is a ballot question that will be posed to them this fall. Basically the question is asking whether or not Nebraskans wish to continue to have a Treasurer or, if they would rather turn it over to an appointee. More than likely a bureaucrat, Stenberg said.

On the ballot, Stenberg said people will have to options, Yes or No. If you answer Yes, then you are saying that you no longer wish to have a Treasurer. If you answer No, then you are saying you want a Treasurer. Confusing? Yes it is.

Stenberg said he is opposed to this ballot. He said the Treasurer works on programs like unclaimed property very diligently. If it is turned over to a bureaucrat, Stenberg does not believe it would get the same kind of importance.

“Elected officials are more responsive to the people,” he said.

He said elected officials will be more concerned with doing the job in an efficient, economical way. More so than a bureaucrat.

“Elected officials are more in tune to the public in how we handle spending,” he said.

Stenberg will wrap up his trip by heading north to Scottsbluff and then on to Chadron. He will eventually turn his sights east and head home.