Guinn holds transition team meeting in Carson City

Brendan Riley

Monday, Nov. 23, 1998 | 4:55 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov.-elect Kenny Guinn met for the first time Monday with a team of advisers helping him launch his administration, promising a go-slow approach on key cabinet-level staff changes.

Guinn, Nevada's first Republican governor in 16 years, said drafting a budget and establishing policies will come first and any reshuffling of the top agency directors in state government could take as long as a year.

"We want to go slow and be intellectual in our approach," Guinn said at a brief news conference held a few feet away from a door into the governor's office in the Nevada Capitol.

"We have a full-time job just coming in with a budget," added Guinn, who is sworn in Jan. 4 and must have a two-year spending plan ready by Jan. 18. "We can't get spread too thin."

To help get the budget done, Guinn already has said Perry Comeaux, outgoing Democratic Gov. Bob Miller's budget chief, is staying on. Guinn noted that until the spending plan is worked out, he can't firm up any new policies or initiatives that require state funding.

Guinn also said there are many vacant positions to be filled before he decides whether to replace or retain other Miller cabinet members.

Posts that must be filled immediately include three District Court judgeships vacated by successful state Supreme Court candidates. Also, the terms of two state Gaming Control Board members are about to expire.

Guinn also has to find a place to live here for the next several weeks. Construction crews are wrapping up a major renovation of the governor's mansion, toured Monday by his wife Dema and first lady Sandy Miller.

And planning for inaugural balls must be completed. Likely dates are Jan. 29 in northern Nevada and Jan. 30 in Las Vegas.

On other subjects, Guinn said:

-Legal hassles should ensure that Nevada has two to three years before any economic downturn as a result of expanded Indian gambling in neighboring California. But the former banker agreed would-be investors in Nevada projects might be more cautious in the interim, adding, "It would be very foolish for us not to consider that."

-While there are no blacks or Hispanics on his executive transition team yet, Guinn said he has already talked with people who, if they agree to join the team, will give it more diversity. He also said Pete Ernaut, his transition team leader, remains the front-runner for the chief of staff's slot in his new administration.

-Comeaux already has sliced more than $600 million from requested budgets of various state agencies. By the time he's done, the budget chief will have cut up to $900 million from the spending plans.

-The "State of the State" address, normally given to the state Legislature after the session begins, could be given before the 1999 session opens on Feb. 1. The session is starting later this year, and Guinn said an early speech would help "get our message out."

-There's no big rift between him and Democratic Sens. Richard Bryan and Harry Reid, even though they differ over permanently locking up 3 million acres used for training by Nellis Air Force Base.

Reid and Bryan oppose the land's permanent use by the Air Force, but Guinn said his idea is to ensure that Nellis stays in the Las Vegas area for years to come for its economic benefits.

Guinn added he'd oppose any use of the land to provide access to a proposed federal nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain.