Editorial: Schools shouldn’t face even more cuts

Friday, May 18, 2001 | 10:14 a.m.

There have been some misguided proposals advanced on how to deal with Nevada state government's budget shortfall. One such gambit would take money that Clark County receives from the state's motor vehicle privilege tax and instead use it for education. But this proposal by Assemblymen David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, and Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, is nothing more than a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul scheme.

Now Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, has come forward with a proposal that is a twist on the Goldwater-Beers plan. O'Donnell, in a bid to ease the interminable waiting at Department of Motor Vehicles offices, wants more money to hire additional DMV employees. But O'Donnell's laudable goal has serious drawbacks since it would be accomplished by taking a share of the funds that the counties and school districts now receive from a DMV registration fee on motorists. O'Donnell says the impact would be minimal and temporary, but the fact is that Clark County government would lose $530,000 and the Clark County School District would lose $335,000 in operating funds and $125,000 in construction money.

The Clark County School District itself already is strapped for money and is cutting its existing budget, so the last thing schools need is less funding. The Legislature should stop exploring these quick-fix schemes and ensure that state agencies, local governments and schools all have enough money to carry out their missions.