Political notebook: Guinn wasn’t in hurry to sign ‘rainy day’ funding

Erin Neff

Friday, March 28, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn begged the Legislature for the immediate approval of his plan to take money from the state's "rainy day" fund.

So lawmakers declared the measure an emergency, acted quickly, and despite a Senate amendment to strip the fund of $135 million instead of Guinn's $100 million, both houses still sent it back to his office with a stamp of approval last Friday.

"At least the paychecks won't bounce this month," Guinn's deputy chief of staff Michael Hillerby said as the measure cleared the Assembly on March 21.

Bolstering the general fund with some quick cash thus appeared to be urgent.

The bill was not enrolled by the Legislative Counsel Bureau or turned over to Guinn's office until March 24.

Finally on Wednesday night, Guinn quietly inked the measure despite his spokesman Greg Bortolin's assurances that the governor would hold a news conference later in the week to mark the auspicious occasion.

"We just wanted to go ahead and get it done," he said.

Legislative field trip

Three legislators didn't drive all night to take in the dawning of Celine Dion's new day in Vegas this week, but their whirlwind airplane tour did raise a few eyebrows.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, and Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, flew on a private plane to Las Vegas to join top lobbyist Pete Ernaut for Tuesday's premiere at Caesars Palace.

Ernaut, a board member of Park Place Entertainment, invited several legislators to join him on the red carpet before the show and for decent seats inside the new Colosseum. He also flew folks in on Park Place Entertainment's plane.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, went to the show but didn't need the ride since she was already down in Las Vegas. She said she did not pay for the show ticket because she wasn't required to.

Some in the Legislative Building wondered how lawmakers could possibly accept such a gift from a casino company during the heart of the tax debate, which is setting up as a gaming vs. big business showdown.

But the lawmakers deflected criticism by pulling out the checkbook.

"I got a bill, and I wrote a check," said Townsend, who attended the show with his wife.

Perkins said he was paying $350 for the show ticket and plane ride, based on what a comparable ticket on a commercial aircraft to Las Vegas would have cost.

Guinn and first lady Dema Guinn also attended the show, but were already in Las Vegas and didn't use the private plane. They also didn't pay.

"He doesn't pay as the governor because he represents the people of Nevada at events like this," Bortolin said. "The governor was at an event that was covered by the New York Times and on network television at a time when our tourism industry desperately needs a boost."