Report: Fewer women hold key posts under Guinn

Monday, March 13, 2000 | 9:37 a.m.

The Center for Women in Government in Albany, N.Y., says six fewer women held key policy-making positions last year under Guinn than the previous year under Miller.

Women held nine of 30 top jobs during Guinn's first year in office compared with 15 of 34 top positions during Miller's final year, the organization says.

Guinn challenged the accuracy of the report, saying he's dedicated to giving top jobs to women and minorities. He insisted the ranking has not fallen since Miller left office.

"You are trying to taint what I have accomplished. The report is flawed," Guinn told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

But Judith Saidel, the center's project director, defended the report. She said her organization let state governments provide the figures and determine what positions qualify as policy-making jobs.

"I had been thinking of your state as the national leader," she said.

In Nevada, the heads of all state departments and top boards such as the Gaming Commission and Public Utilities Commission were counted as policy makers, as were key employees on the governor's staff.

Under Miller, seven of the top 10 posts in his immediate office were filled by women. Under Guinn, two of eight such jobs were held by women.

Saidel said the shift away from female policy makers is not unique to Nevada. The 13 governors who took office last year employed 25 fewer such workers than their predecessors.

"What has happened has been disheartening," she said.

Guinn said he has a long record of naming women and minorities to top posts, dating back to his days as superintendent of Clark County schools and Pri-Merit Bank's top executive.

Guinn initially retained almost all of Miller's department heads, but has named men to fill two Cabinet-level positions formerly held by women.

Guinn said Nevada's drop in the rankings might have been caused by the report's timing. At least three women have been named to top posts since the survey was taken, he said.

Guinn press secretary Jack Finn said at least four other women on the governor's staff could be considered policy makers but were not counted as such when the survey was taken.