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Monday, Jan. 31, 2011 | 1:52 p.m.
That's the purpose of the latest missive from the media shop state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford set up and is run by ex-Rory Reid spokesman Mike Trask. It lays out all the cuts in K-16 and proposes a massive tax increase to bridge the gap.
Well, half of that, at least:
Proposed K-12 Education Cuts Recap
• The governor’s K-12 budget represents a 13.6 percent reduction in state support from what the 2009 Nevada Legislature approved (or $699 million), with most of this coming from $457.5 million in pay and benefit reductions for teachers and other K-12 employees, who would see their take-home pay cut by 10.3 percent.
NOTE: K-12 pay and benefit reductions must be negotiated with employee bargaining units, and are subject to binding arbitration. If contract negotiations didn’t achieve the $457.5 million reduction target, layoffs of more than 2,500 teachers could occur (based on average teacher pay).
• In addition to cuts in teacher compensation, the governor’s K-12 budget depends largely on diverting $425 million in capital project reserve accounts to the operating funds of school districts. Jeff Weiler, the chief financial officer for the Clark County School District, says the plan would jeopardize the district’s ability to pay off existing school construction bonds. These bonds are being paid off by diminishing property tax revenues, and Weiler says those revenues are “just barely enough to cover us through the next five years.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, “School district CFO says Sandoval plan would jeopardize district’s finances,” Jan. 26, 2011]
• Governor Sandoval’s K-12 budget proposal would eliminate class-size reduction, full-day kindergarten and other programs as stand-alone programs, and replace them with discretionary block grants to school districts. But the block grants would be $18.7 million less than the $325 million in funding provided for class-size reduction and other programs, and would be shared with charter schools for the first time.
Clark County Superintendent Dwight Jones says elimination of class-size reduction in the school district would be “1,200 layoffs right off the top.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, “School district faces $250 million shortfall,” Jan. 25, 2011]
Class sizes throughout the state could increase by an average of five to six students because of the reduction in state basic per pupil support and eliminating class-size reduction as a stand-alone program.
Proposed Higher Ed Cuts Recap
• Current annual state support of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) would be reduced $162 million in the 2012-2013 fiscal year, from $558 million in the current fiscal year to $395 million in the 2012-2013 fiscal year – 29 percent. It would be reduced $91 million from $558 million to $467 million in the upcoming 2011-2012 fiscal year – 16.3 percent.
NOTE: A $162 million reduction in funding is equivalent to:
• Combined annual state support for the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Desert Research Institute, or
• Total funding for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or
• Funding for all four community colleges, or
• Layoffs of about 2,000 employees.
• The governor is anticipating that some of the higher education budget cuts would be offset by tuition increases imposed by the Board of Regents. To offset a $162 million reduction in state spending, tuition and fees would need to increase 73 percent – or 83% if 15 percent of the tuition increases were set aside for financial aid, as the governor proposed.
• Governor Sandoval’s proposed higher education budget cuts would be on top of reductions of 36 to 42 percent cuts imposed at universities and community colleges since 2009, resulting in a 9 percent reduction in staff, larger classes, lack of access to classes, and students taking longer to graduate.
What Nevadans think
"I was astounded by the cost per pupil cut."
Marion Bell, Las Vegas, retired educator
"You cannot cut all education to the bone and still ask more. New industries will not come to a state that devalues education. They want educated people to work in their positions."
Sandra Farino, Las Vegas, school counselor
"I teach two classes at Nevada State College. Unfortuantely, they're not hiring me as a full-time professor for an obvious reason: economic. We cannot cut higher education system. Otherwise, I would lose my adjunct teaching position."
David Kelsey, Las Vegas, college professor
"Our children are the future of this state. This state already has a reputation for bad education and with more cuts our children will suffer. Please do whatever it takes to protect our children."
Marie Heiberg, Las Vegas, grandmother
The government needs to be adequately funded. If you are going to cut something start with the governor's salary - recall him now!
To revtomperl: Governor Sandoval already gave-up his salary increase. How about recalling your post instead of recalling the person who is trying to save our state from the liberal feds?
"You cannot cut all education to the bone and still ask more. New industries will not come to a state that devalues education. They want educated people to work in their positions."
Sandra Farino, Las Vegas, school counselor
Why is this statement of FACT discounted by B.S. and his puppetmasters?
ANSWER:
Because an educated workforce is not in the cards under a Republican Administration. It's simply not seen as a priority. Because, obviously, "We can't see the forest for the trees!"
Some people just don't get it. THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY! Severe cuts have already taken place. Are there more that can be made probably but certainly not enough to cover the deficit. Destroying education and virtually eliminating mental health is not the answer to the deficit. GENERATING MORE REVENUE THROUGH TAXES IS THE ANSWER. When the economy rebounds lower the taxes don't spend the money.
It's really not that difficult to figure out. That is unless you one of those who think state services are not necessary and all state employees are overpaid lazy bums!
Those who are not citizens should pay for their educational services and medical services. Period.
These people do not want to be accountable, and it appears that our government allows this to continue and GROW! Las Vegas has an overpopulation of people, there is not enough WATER to susstain the excess. More are born daily, on welfare, in American hospitals. How do we fix this?
Why is it that NO ONE talks about the impact of illegal immigrants in our state and country? Certainly, I feel for them, but my own grandparents came off the boat at Ellis Island and became legal citizens of the USA, they worked very hard, weren't rich, owned a store and bar, and all my Aunts and Uncles read, listen, speak, and write in English perfectly, & were put in Catholic School. They did not come looking for a hand out. Nope. We are letting future generations down by allowing illegal immigrants to drain the goodwill of well meaning Americans dry. Honest to God, what is wrong with the leaders and people of our country?
Until we get some kind of control of this population, schools will spend millions towards these children of illegal immigrants meeting standards that their parents cannot comprehend. Educators are committed toward elevating learning successes, only to be thwarted by scores of ELL students of families who don't speak English in the home.
So start here, make them pay, make them accountable to the people of this state. Let's start here.
Yah.
Horsford needs the taxes to pay for the $70 million D Street underpass.
The one he got pushed through so that "his people" would not be "cut off from the heart of the city", or at least so they wouldn't have to drive any extra 3 or 4 blocks.
a true "hero of the people" that Horsford is.
Cutting education is not the way to go. Balancing the state's budget on the backs' of school teachers and state employees is ridiculous. Let's see, where can we get money? Hmm, strip casinos made 18.2 billion dollars last year. Compared to casinos nation-wide, they are the least taxed. How about mining. If Nevada was it's own country, we would be the 4th largest gold producing country in the world. Yet they are paying taxes based in 1848. Yes, they are paying taxes at a rate established over 160 years ago. Did you know that the state of Alaska makes so much money off the oil and gas companies that 90% of it's residents collect a yearly check from the state government. And Alaska has no state income tax, no state sales tax and no lottery. But our governor will never talk about mining, since they made huge donations to his election coffers and obviously pull his strings. We are 49th out of 50 states in education spending, yet we allow 2 enormously wealthy corporations keep billions and billions of dollars from our state. Everyone always talks about diversifying our economy. I've been here for almost a quarter of a century and nothing has changed, but that's ok. We have two very viable sources of income already in this state. Let's use what we have.
It seems that everybody forgot about the official the presented fact with numbers of raising business licensing by 1/2 of a percent would eliminate the majority of Nevada debt? Probably due to casinos creating their losses by building in foreign countries and saying "No" again?
The harsh truth about Sandoval, who speaks from both sides of his mouth, is that his methods of madness cutting education and privatizing other school entities simply compound the existing financial woes. His plans to privatize certain departments within the school district include terminating existing employees paid $12.00 per hr. and allowing them to reapply for $8.00 per hour with no benefits and a 6 hour work day. Can somebody say fewer sales, lesser taxes received, more foreclosures, additional people forced to leave the state? This doesn't even benefit the "Rich". Simple fact without education we are without knowledge and easily controllable, just what Sandoval seems to want? I never thought I would live long enough to see America on its way to becoming a 3rd world country; check the history or Argentina in the late 1800s and see if their wish for "Change" and its results ring any bells for what is going on here now. I am not ready to give in; how about you?