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A little history lesson on the budget cuts from budget director Andrew Clinger:
• In January, the $564.8 million shortfall identified. Lawmakers tapped the rainy day fund and made 4.5 percent across the board cuts.
• As of April the shortfall had grown to $902 million. A second round of cutting knocked out capital improvement programs, retiree liability, drained the rest of the rainy day fund, took $56 million for transportation projects.
• By June 27th the shortfall had grown to $1.2 billion. A special session was called and there were more cuts to services, including eliminating money to Millenium Scholarship.
Mark Stevens, legislative fiscal analyst, said that shortfall is now $1.5 billion.
Our state, Nevada is one one of the worst in a long list of services to children, homeless, mentally ill, low income, elderly-
the cuts we are now making in many of these services are a travesty.
The majority of the comments I read from Nevada citizens are callous, hostile or indifferent.
We have a large population of Hispanic citizens who are citizens of this country and our state. Many of them work the low paying jobs in the casinos-they are your servers, maids and gardeners. Many of the custodial staff members in the schools are hardworking Hispanic citizens of this country.
They are the first to be laid off. As a teacher, I have kids in my second grade class asking that Santa bring food and money to their parents for Christmas. One student wants a pair of pants and a shirt.
I work two jobs to support my family. I would gladly pay more taxes if it means we will be able to keep people working and medical care provided.
Nevada has never been a state that gives "hand outs"-for all of those thinking we have thousands living the great life on the public dole.
In fact, it is one of the stingiest states in the nation.
What do we cut when nothing is left to cut?
Shall we close our schools? The majority of Nevada citizens think they are all lousy and the teachers are overpaid anyways.
Shall we close down public services? The same citizens think fire and police are overpaid.
This mind set of cut, cut, cut sounds like bad surgery to me. Whatever happened to preventive care??
I used to feel disgusted with the attitude- now I just feel sad.
And yes, I know, (wearily)-if I don't like it-leave. *sigh
Does anyone realize the future is further reductions in tax revenue as the income of our residents and lack of visitors continues to drop. Thank you harry Reid, your desire to eliminate all energy sources here at home have crippled the country and destroyed Nevada's income
Wow, neiman1, that is one hell of a non sequitur just to get a shot in at Senator Reid.
As a native Nevadan, who has been through the boom-and-bust cycle before, this is just ridiculous. Economists and government officials now are saying the economy won't recover until at least 2010. And if the auto industry goes down, all bets are off.
Considering that, if all we do is cut what exactly will be left of state governance and infrastructure when 2010 arrives?