Miller earns B in group’s report rating governors on fiscal restraint

Friday, Sept. 4, 1998 | 9:55 a.m.

Miller's grade remained unchanged from 1996 although his overall fiscal policy score dropped slightly in the evaluation released Wednesday.

The report says Miller "has presided over Nevada during a period of rapid economic expansion, fueled by its status as one of only five states with no personal or corporate income tax.

"When Miller's term ends next year, Nevada's economy will be much larger than when he began, but so will state government."

From July 1996 to July 1998, the period covered by the Cato report, state employment grew by 10.7 percent to 25,900 employees.

The report is the institute's fourth biennial look at the fiscal performance of the nations' governors.

The highest grades went to governors with the most fiscally conservative records, those with records of tax and budget cuts.

Only two governors, South Dakota's William Janklow and Connecticut's John Rowland, received A grades. Both are Republicans. Three governors, all Democrats, John Kitzhaber of Oregon, Lawton Chiles of Florida and Mel Carnahan of Missouri, got F grades.

Miller said he is flattered at the ranking but said the evaluation process was flawed because it didn't take growth into account.

"Our state has grown 56 percent in the past 10 years, two times as much as anyone else, yet their sole criterion is reducing taxes," Miller said. "We're the third-lowest taxed state in the country, and we've met our growth needs at the same time without increasing taxes. That's something to be proud of."