Nevada governor reflects on first year in office

Brendan Riley

Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999 | 10:12 a.m.

CARSON CITY, Nev. - Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn had a tough first year in office, and 2000 won't be any picnic. But he says he was up to the job in 1999 and looks forward to the big tasks ahead.

Guinn, who in November 1998 was elected Nevada's first Republican governor in 16 years, said he's committed to giving the state a long-range plan for its rapid growth and increasing service demands.

"I just want people to understand that progress comes slowly - but we can make progress," the educator-turned-businessman-turned-politician said in a year-end interview.

Key lawmakers and representatives of various interest groups seem patient so far. They give Guinn, who never held elective office before, average-to-high marks for his work up to now, and take a "wait-and-see" approach regarding his goals for the state.

But there has been concern about Guinn's treatment of social programs, in part because of his emphasis on running government as a business, and there has been loud criticism about problems with new computer programs for motor vehicle and welfare agencies.

"I don't mind saying that had I more time with (the welfare computer) and the DMV, maybe we could have mitigated some of the circumstances," said Guinn, who inherited both programs.

But the new computer systems are rapidly improving, and Guinn said he's had a hand in some big successes in other areas.

While he didn't get a plan to privatize prison medical care through the 1999 Legislature, Guinn was on the winning side in privatizing the state's industrial insurance system, revamping the state Ethics Commission, and getting 2 percent pay hikes for state employees.

In listing his accomplishments, the governor highlighted a budget without new taxes, savings through cuts and a hiring freeze, the "Millennium scholarships" funded with tobacco settlement dollars, and a financial bailout for a state workers' health plan.

Guinn said the changes in the health plan for state workers stemmed from a straightforward dialogue between his administration and legislators - a process he said should be duplicated in the future.

"If we can't sit down as professional individuals and elected officials and figure out a more efficient and open way to do our business, we will continue to struggle in these highly complex areas because of our growth," he said.

"I don't think you can come in and run government just like a business," Guinn added. "But you can use business strategy, and business strategy is planning for a long-range period of time. It's essential to your survival.

"That's why next year's focus is on discussion of the next eight years and where it will lead us and what we need to do to be sure we're driving the train and not just letting the train drive us," he said.

Guinn also has to worry about getting run over by the train: The long-range plan is certain to call for a revamping of Nevada's tourism-dependent tax structure. If the tax burden is shifted, there could be a big public outcry, especially if property taxes are targeted.

A poll earlier this year by state universities in Reno and Las Vegas indicated support for higher casino taxes or a new tax on corporate profits if more money is needed for government.

Guinn, whose candidacy was heavily backed by the casino industry, remains confident: "Everything's a hard sell and it should be a hard sell. But my job is not to make all the decisions. It's to lay out the circumstances. Good leadership is a person who defines the constraints that you're operating under."

"If we're going to say there's no more revenue stream, then I say, 'OK, where do we cut?' But if you can show (the public) the backup material on the state's needs, they'll be more helpful than you could ever imagine," he said.

If state government wasn't enough, Guinn also has a political agenda for 2000. Just two years into his four-year term, he doesn't have to run for office. But many GOP candidates will want him to help in their races.

That's especially true in the Legislature, which now has a Republican-controlled Senate and Democrat-controlled Assembly.

Guinn said he'll help, but his top priority is a long-term plan for Nevada and a top-to-bottom review of government operations.

"I've made my choice," he said. "This is the most important thing I've worked on in the last 35 years."

He also may make some changes in agency leadership, following a first year in which many leaders from former Democratic Gov. Bob Miller's administration held onto their jobs. But Guinn added, "I don't believe in going and making changes just for change's sake."