Gov. Jim Pillen should drop his raid on the Nebraska Environmental Trust and should reconsider policies that appear to require not one, but two, new state prisons, a legislative panel was told Monday.
Pillen’s proposed state budget would divert $14 million over the next two years from the Environmental Trust, which is funded by State Lottery proceeds, to a state water resources fund.
Critics said it would divert funds from worthy recycling and conservation projects to government efforts to comply with state water compacts, projects that should be funded with state tax dollars.