Three leaders on pragmatism and partisanship, taxes and teamwork.

• Position: TAKING THE FLOOR - Mike Flood, Christopher G. Donovan and Beth Harwell - Interview

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Senator Mike Flood (NP)

Nebraska Speaker of the Legislature

State Legislatures: What were your biggest challenges this session? Flood: The budget, of course, and our state economy remained priorities. Other priorities included finding solutions to our state's child welfare reform efforts, maintaining needed funding for roads, ending an ongoing funding dispute among community colleges, and deciding how to implement the The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act while we await the Supreme Court's decision.

SL: What was your top priority for the FY 2013 budget?

Flood: I think our top priority was retaining the necessary cuts that were made last session. There will be some pressure to take another look at the decisions we made, but I think our focus has to be on rebuilding the state's savings account or cash reserve, which allowed us to weather the storm of the recent years without increasing taxes.

SL: How do you work with the other party?

Flood: Nebraska is unique with its nonpartisan unicameral Legislature. As speaker, in our institution I deal directly with the membership and not with party caucuses. A one-house model probably could not work everywhere, but it has served our state well and allowed a collaborative approach to issues that many times bridges party lines.

SL: What advice would you give to the next leader?

Flood: Let others lead and become leaders. Committees and their chairs have tremendous expertise in their subject matter. Listen to them, work with them.

SL: What do you wish you had more time for?

Flood: It's a constant effort to balance legislative duties, especially the evening and weekend engagements, and family. Without a doubt, it has been a privilege to serve in the Legislature. There really is no such thing as a part-time legislator, though, so I've really come to appreciate the time that I do get to spend with my wife and our two young boys.

Representative Christopher G. Donovan (D)

Connecticut Speaker of the House

State Legislatures: What were your top priorities this session?

Donovan: No. 1 was jobs--keeping those we have and creating new opportunities in growth areas. We passed a sweeping jobs bill last fall. We want to build on that to help small businesses and entrepreneurs and create new jobs. We need to raise our minimum wage. Those earning the minimum wage can't meet their most basic needs. That's not right. We're also tackling education reform. We need to close a huge achievement...