John Cavanaugh (Incumbent)
John Cavanaugh is an Omaha native who has nearly 20 years of experience in public service. He has served in the Nebraska Legislature for four years. He said that he is proud of what he has been able to accomplish in the last four years and feels like he still has more that he can do to serve his fellow Nebraskans in the legislature.
Cavanaugh serves on the Planning Committee and he said that the biggest issue facing Nebraskans is the lack of affordable housing. When housing prices go up, property taxes go up. This makes it difficult for older people on a fixed income and younger people who are new to the workforce to afford to buy homes.
When asked what public services he personally utilizes, Cavanaugh said that he drives on the roads maintained by the Nebraska Department of Transportation every day. He uses the DMV, and in his career as a public defender, he works with the court systems and Department of Corrections. On a personal level, Cavanaugh stated that he enjoys the Nebraska State Parks and appreciates the work that State of Nebraska employees do to maintain them.
Cavanaugh stated that there is a lack of mental health professionals in Nebraska who can deal with the acute mental health crisis and also ongoing issues that children are suffering from as they adjust to life after COVID-19. He believes that incentivizing people to use government programs and increasing pay for the professionals we need most will help to recruit and retain quality employees.
Cavanaugh stated that he has been a staunch opponent of any attempts to cut funding for public services. His objective is always to make sure budgets are not artificially cut to fit a political objective and that the government needs to function appropriately.
When asked about the privatization of government services, Cavanaugh said he opposes it.
Cavanaugh stated that he thinks that everyone, everywhere, has the right to organize and collectively bargain. He also said that he would support a bill expanding public sector bargaining to include legislative branch employees such as legislative aides and judicial branch employees such as probation officers and clerks. He has seen a lot of turnover since taking office and believes the legislative staff needs more protection. If a bill was introduced to take away public sector collective bargaining rights in Nebraska, Cavanaugh said he would lead the filibuster.
When asked his opinion on legislative procedures, Cavanaugh stated that he supports the election of committee chairs through secret ballot and also supports the current filibuster rules.
Julia Palzer
Ms. Palzer did not respond to our request for an interview.