Guinn aide says Comeaux to stay on as budget chief

Thursday, Nov. 19, 1998 | 11:08 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- State Budget Director Perry Comeaux has served under two Democratic governors, and now he's going to be a part of the Republican administration of Kenny Guinn.

Peter Ernaut, chief of the transition team for Gov.-elect Guinn, said Wednesday that Comeaux will stay on in his present $92,000-a-year job.

"One of the first things the governor-elect talked about was the budget, and he felt strongly Perry was doing a good job and there's no reason to make a change."

Comeaux is in the midst of cutting $800 million to $900 million from the requested budgets of agencies to present a balanced spending program to the 1999 Legislature.

"The major priority is the budget, and that's where we are focusing," Ernaut said.

Ernaut spoke from New Orleans, where he and Guinn are attending a Republican governors conference. Last week, they were in Delaware for the "New Governors School" sponsored by the National Association of Governors. Both will be back this week and start on molding the new administration.

Comeaux came to Nevada in 1980 from Florida to work as the chief financial officer at the state prison, untangling a mass of budget problems. He was later promoted to director of the state Department of Taxation and then to budget director.

"He's (Comeaux) is the right person for the job," Ernaut said. The budget director presents the governor's spending program to the legislative committees and argues for its passage. He's also in charge of building a major new accounting system for the state.

Other duties of the budget director include chairmanship of the state Public Work Board that handles state construction and serving as a member on the state Committee on Benefits, which runs the health insurance program for state workers.

Ernaut said Gov. Bob Miller's press secretary, Gordon Absher, probably would stay through the interim. But Absher said he has not made any decision. He said he doesn't know what he will do after Miller's term ends in January.

Sources say Absher is being considered for a job in the Washington, D.C., office of Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev. Absher declined comment.

Since the election, Guinn has been "flooded with resumes" of people wanting state jobs, Ernaut said. "I've found a lot of friends," he quipped.

"In the coming weeks you will see more announcements," Ernaut said, adding that the names of the 13-member transition team would be released either today or Friday.

"We will begin a process in the next two weeks of meeting with each department head and key staff people," said Ernaut, who is expected to be named chief of staff for Guinn.

The governor-elect said during the campaign that he would not make immediate changes but wanted to see how people in key positions perform.