STATEWIDE NEWSLETTER

Big bonuses; Child care crisis; Pioneering filmmaker

Our updated public payrolls database is now live.

Joan Micklin Silver wanted to make a film inspired, in part, by the stories she heard from her Russian Jewish elders in Omaha. When 1970s Hollywood told her “no,” she went outside the system and made her film. It won over audiences and paved the way for other female filmmakers. (Photo courtesy of the Silver family)

As I write this, I can’t help staring at the raspberry stain on my sleeve. And is that applesauce on my shoe?

This is Sara Gentzler, state government accountability reporter, and I’m among the thousands of parents in Nebraska’s workforce. As it turns out, there’s a higher percentage of us here than in most other states.

Perhaps that’s why the mess that plagues child care everywhere feels especially urgent here. The cost to parents is already high, and it’s difficult for providers to pay their teachers and keep fees reasonable.

I wanted to dig into that situation, and to see what the state is doing about it. That starts with a story we published this morning.

If the findings feel familiar – whether you’re a parent, provider, employee or business owner – I have a favor to ask: Will you help inform our reporting by filling out this survey? It’s only one question and it will help immensely as we continue to unpack this complicated issue.

Sunlight on salaries: As a desk-neighbor to intrepid reporter Destiny Herbers, I’ve had a front-row seat to all the meticulous care that has gone into our new, updated public payrolls database that just went live.

Thanks to her hard work, anyone can now see more than 37,000 public employees’ salaries, and the extra pay they got via overtime or bonuses. Search for an employee, scroll through an agency – I encourage setting aside enough time for multiple rabbit holes.

Please join me in a round of applause for Destiny, and for the wizards at Hanscom Park Studios who made the database beautiful. And again, for the Platte Institute, a partner in this effort toward government transparency.

Why this database rules, Exhibit A: Imagine if you went into your boss’s office at the end of the year and they awarded you a bonus the size of your salary. If you can imagine this, you just might be an executive at the Nebraska Public Power District.

Yes, an NPPD exec got a nearly 100% bonus last year, and others got big bumps, too. From Destiny, this story is just the first example of why the database is such an important tool.

Film pioneer: Joan Micklin Silver, barrier-busting filmmaker and Omaha native, was first rejected by Hollywood. But she hustled, and she became a “darling of American indie film,” freelancer Leo Adam Biga writes.

Ever heard of her? I confess I had not, and I’m grateful to Biga for introducing us.

Public records: This week Gov. Jim Pillen signed a law that, among a whole host of other things, limits the fees Nebraska agencies can impose on residents who request public records. If this all sounds familiar, it’s because this is the exact issue at the heart of a lawsuit filed by Flatwater’s parent organization, the Nebraska Journalism Trust.

Sen. Danielle Conrad, who proposed the policy change, said she did not bring it forward in response to the court case. But she noted the case is a “high-profile example” of an issue broadly experienced by individuals and groups across Nebraska.

While transparency advocates cheered the bill’s passage, a national expert cautioned that state agencies will likely rely on other parts of the public records laws to charge hefty fees.

And on that note: Last week we launched the Freedom of Information Fund to help pay for the cost of public records, legal fees, and the tools we use to analyze and share public information with you.

More than 65 people have already chipped in. These donors came from Lincoln and Omaha, from Platte Center and Plattsmouth, from Seward and South Sioux City and Falls City. They also came from out of state – Arizona, Minnesota, Hawaii and beyond. Join them and donate to the Freedom of Information Fund. Thank you for your support!

Questions wanted: Some of our best story ideas come from readers, and they typically start with a burning question that just cries out for an answer. Have a question that our reporters need to look into? Complete this form or reach our newsroom at [email protected].

Cheers,

—Sara Gentzler, state government accountability reporter

Here’s what we’re into this week: News from around Nebraska

Every week we like to share great Nebraska journalism, no matter who made it. Here’s what caught our eye this week: