County fearing pinch from lawmakers

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, March 28, 2001 | 11:30 a.m.

Legislators' misconception that Clark County is Nevada's fat cat and has millions of dollars to spare is already hurting customer service and could result in higher taxes and major cutbacks, county commissioners said Tuesday.

In a special budget meeting commissioners agreed to thrust into full savings mode in preparation for legislative decisions and a continuing sluggish economy.

"Staff has developed policy on cost containment measures, and we've asked them to accelerate that plan as well as develop a plan to cut services if we have to," Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates said.

Atkinson Gates and her six colleagues said they are frustrated by an increasing number of unfunded state mandates and proposed bills in the Legislature that are aimed at stripping the county of millions.

For example, the state is directing the county to create five new district judge positions. The state pays for the judges' salaries, but the county must fund supporting staff -- about 70 new employees -- and office space.

County Finance Director George Stevens estimated the new judges would cost the county about $4.5 million annually.

The Legislature also is considering a bill proposal that could be bruising to the county's 2001-02 fiscal budget of $745 million.

If the bill passes, local governments would lose their share of the state motor vehicle privilege tax for two years to fund a 2 percent raise for teachers and help rejuvenate the educational system. The county would lose $17 million out of its general fund the first year and $36 million the second year.

Commissioners and administrators say they are tired of the state leaning on Clark County.

"State issues should be taken care of at the state level," Commissioner Erin Kenny said. "The day we start taking money away from road building and park building and social services is the day we see the end of Clark County."

In the county's proposed general fund budget, expenditures exceed revenues by $12 million.

The budget is further strapped this year because sales tax revenue is lagging.

State mandates aside, Clark County has its own major projects planned.

Ten new fire stations in as many years will cost $2.5 million annually; five new police substations will eventually add another $5.4 million and the Regional Justice Center is estimated to cost the county $6.5 million a year. The county also wants to create an air quality agency, which would cost about $1.7 million.

"People need to understand that with that (budgeted money) we pay for things; it's not just sitting there," Atkinson Gates said. "That budget is spent toward providing services to the people of the valley. It's their money."

County Manager Dale Askew has already essentially announced a hiring freeze, saying each position must be closely scrutinized before it is refilled. And Stevens said Monday that department heads were told not to even request supplemental positions -- jobs filled with leftover revenues -- in the upcoming budget.

"We have significantly limited their ability to make their (staffing) requests," said Stevens, who added that the county typically creates 50 new positions each year.