Freedomstock: Restoring America Rally & 9/11 Tribute is being held in Onawa, Iowa (near South Sioux City) on Saturday, September 11th. We will have bus locations across the state, if you want to join us!

If you haven't been able to go to DC, this is the next best thing in our area. For the full line-up of speakers, bands and performers, and schedule of events visit www.freedomstock.net.

There are only a limited number of seats left for the bus ride, so please RSVP today by emailing me at bstevens@afphq.org or call Jeremy Jensen at (402) 610-2159.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman has written state education leaders asking their support in repealing the federal health care reform bill because it will cost Nebraska taxpayers over $526 Million, which is money we do not have, and will necessarily mean deeper cuts to education and other services.

State Sen. Jeremy Nordquist has attacked the Governor as a hypocrite for attacking NelsonCare on one hand and accepting millions of dollars in federal funding to operate the new legislation.

Another victory to report for our grassroots advocates. An unprecedented number of taxpayer advocates contacted the Nebraska State Board of Education to demand responsible spending from Washington, D.C. – and they listened!

Late last week the Board of Education took up a resolution denouncing federally unfunded mandates. This resolution was brought by Board member Bob Evnen because of his disgust with the federal health care reform bill that will cost Nebraska alone over $526 million in taxpayer dollars.

Recently we shared with you a study done by Gov. Dave Heineman’s office that revealed the new federal health care bill, made possible by Sen. Ben Nelson’s decisive vote, will cost Nebraska an additional $526 to $766 Million in expanded Medicaid costs.

This is hundreds of millions of Nebraska tax dollars that will be taken from road construction and our schools and instead be used to pay another unfunded federal mandate. Gov. Heineman has asked education and other leaders across the state to work to repeal and replace the government-run health care bill.

We want to share with you a victory for taxpayers in Lincoln.

Last week Mayor Chris Beutler's committee to review the mayor’s salary recommended a 20% raise increase.

AFP-Nebraska acted, we immediately sent an action alert to our members and many of you called and emailed our elected officials telling them to reject such a large raise considering the current economic climate we face.