Governor’s task force draws criticism

Friday, Aug. 18, 2000 | 9:45 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Common Cause Chairman Jim Hulse says Gov. Kenny Guinn broke his commitment to "encourage full public participation" in the task force that is looking at ways to improve state government.

Hulse delivered a letter to Guinn's office Thursday complaining that the meeting of the governor's Fundamental Review Committee was being held Monday in Las Vegas without being televised to Carson City.

"The interested parties in Northern Nevada are being shortchanged by this omission," he said.

The meeting begins at 10 a.m. at the Sawyer State Office Building.

Hulse said the governor indicated he wanted public participation in the task force meetings.

"This has not been easy because of last-minute changes in agendas and the difficulties in obtaining access to materials available to the committee," he said.

Guinn's press secretary Jack Finn, called Hulse's statement "reckless, irresponsible and completely inaccurate." He said Guinn's aide, Denice Miller, "has gone above and beyond the requirements to make this as inclusive as possible." Miller is co-chairwoman of the review committee.

"Anybody who felt they were shut out of the process was not paying attention," Finn said.

Hulse said he was told last week that the Las Vegas meeting would be televised to Carson City. But he said he learned Wednesday there would not be any video in Carson City.

"I am shocked and deeply disappointed by this breach of your commitment to encourage full public participation in this review," said the chairman of Common Cause, a group that serves as a watchdog on government.

Finn said the televised hearings have lacked cohesion. There was difficulty in the last session with the members located both in Carson City and Las Vegas. When a vote was called for at the end of the meeting, several of the members had left.

Finn said the administration has made a major effort to give as much public access as possible.