In the mid－1970s，many Nebraska farmers borrowed heavily to expand their operations．But with the nationwide recession of the early 1980s，land values collapsed，and many farmers were unable to repay their loans in full．Many people have left farming altogether，thereby weakening the economic base of many rural communities．As a result，these communities have stepped up efforts to attract new industries and expand existing ones．To stimulate（刺激，激励）economic growth，the 1987Legislature adopted two measures that authorized tax incentives（动机）for businesses intending to create new jobs in Nebraska．
Governor州长
Dave Heineman在2005年1月21日星期五被宣布成为内布拉斯加州第39任州长。成为州长的优胜之处在于他当过3年多的副州长，2001年10月被任命，2002年11月被选举为新一届副州长。而内布拉斯加州第38任州长Mike Johanns辞去职务后，他又被批准为美国农业秘书长。
Governor Dave Heineman was sworn－in as Nebraska’s 39th Governor on Friday，January 21，2005．Prior to becoming Governor，he served more than three years as Lieutenant Governor（副总督，副州长），having been appointed in October 2001and elected to a new four year term in November 2002．Nebraska’s 38th Governor，Mike Johanns，resigned after being confirmed as the United States Secretary（秘书，书记）of Agriculture．
Governor Heineman’s vision for Nebraska is based on four priorities：education，economic vitality，efficiency（效率，功效）in government，and protecting families．He is engaging citizens in a statewide discussion about the future needs of Nebraska in an effort to ensure the state’s infrastructure（下部构造，基础下部组织）matches 21st Century needs．
As Governor，Heineman worked with the Nebraska Legislature to pass the most comprehensive jobs creation and economic incentive（激励的，奖励的）legislation since the 1980s．Called the Nebraska Advantage，this package was designed to create jobs in both rural and urban Nebraska and meet the needs of businesses of every size．Key components of the package include the Nebraska Small Business Advantage，the Nebraska Rural Development Advantage，the Micro－Enterprise Tax Credit Program，research and development tax credits，the Nebraska Agriculture Innovation Advantage，ethanol incentives，and the Nebraska Customized Job Training Advantage．
In his first legislative session as Governor，he also signed into law a no tax increase，balanced budget that provided for investments in K－12education，the University of Nebraska and higher education across the state，and was a leader for ensuring the safety of Nebraska families and communities by supporting new anti－meth legislation that stiffens（使硬，使僵硬，使生硬）penalties（处罚，罚款）for meth dealers and manufacturers．
The Governor is a strong proponent（建议者，支持者）of local control of schools and a quality education for children．He favors voluntary school consolidation（巩固，合并）and vetoed LB 126which would have forced small rural schools to become part of a K－12system．He supports high academic standards and is working to increase parental involvement in education．
Governor Heineman serves as the lead Governor for the Western Governors’Association（WGA）Farm Bill Reauthorization and is a member of the Governors’Biotechnology Partnership．He also serves on the National Governors Association Natural Resources Committee．
As Lt．Governor，he served as Nebraska’s director of homeland security，chairman of the Nebraska Information Technology Commission（NITC），and the presiding officer of the Nebraska Legislature．As chairman of the NITC，he worked with the University of Nebraska to create a telecommunications backbone（中枢）across the state，for use by both the university and state government，to reduce costs，expand services and enhance distance learning opportunities．As the state’s homeland security director，he led Nebraska into the national spotlight（聚光灯），recognized for innovative（创新的，革新（主义）的）approaches to homeland security．In March 2004，Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge appointed Heineman to his Homeland Security Advisory Council．
He was first elected to a statewide office in 1994，as the Nebraska State Treasurer．He was re－elected to that post in 1998．As Treasurer，he implemented the Nebraska College Savings Plan that has been recognized as one of the best programs in the country．
Dave Heineman is a native Nebraskan．He was born in Falls City and grew up in Fairbury，McCook，Benkelman and Wahoo，where he graduated from high school．In 1970，he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served five years in the U．S．Army，rising to the rank of captain．He is also a graduate of the Army’s Airborne and Ranger Schools．
He has also served as the Chief of Staff for former Congressman Hal Daub and the Fremont Area Office Manager for former Congressman Doug Bereuter．Heineman served on the Fremont City Council from 1990－1994．
Governor Heineman’s wife of 28years，Sally Ganem，is a former elementary school principal．Sally is a graduate of Omaha South High School and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Nebraska at Omaha．They have one son，Sam，who is a sophomore at the University of Nebraska．
State Bird州鸟
在大平原上很少有很少鸟能唱出像野山雀的喜悦和欢快。毫无疑问，这就是为什么它被选为州鸟的原因。野山雀在本州广泛存在，以欢跃的歌声见长。这种鸟能长到8—11英寸。在这种鸟嫩黄的胸部有一个黑色的“V”。这种鸟的巢在草地或沼泽地上，它们以昆虫为食。
At a Nebraska Federation of Women’s Clubs（NFWC）convention at Kearney on Oct．25，1928，the following resolution（决议）was proposed：
Whereas，the Conservation division of NFWC endorses（在（票据）背面签名，签署）the suggesstion of the General Federation chairman of the division of Wild Life to choose for Nebraska a state bird，therefore be it resolved，that a bird typical of the prairies and abundant in all parts of the state be chosen by this convention assembled and the result combined with the vote of the school children of the state and interested societies to be presented to the next session of the State Legislature for legal acceptance．
Once the resolution was adopted，a list of birds was submitted．The five birds receiving the highest votes were the western meadowlark，robin，bobwhite［鹑的一种（产于美洲）］，brown thrasher（鸫鸟之类，长尾鲛）and house wren（鹪鹩）．