Panel kills Beers’ spending bill

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 | 9:38 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- A proposed constitutional amendment to limit government spending to inflation and population increases died in the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday.

The vote on Senate Joint Resolution 5 was 5-2 with only Las Vegas Republicans Bob Beers and Barbara Cegavske supporting the plan. Beers was the sponsor of the legislation to hold down state and local government spending.

Beers said he was not surprised at the outcome.

"It will play better with the voters. The people want more control over the surplus money."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said this resolution sounds good to people until they come to the Legislature asking for money.

He said a similar limit in Colorado since 1992 has "crushed the budget" in that state.

The resolution would have had to pass this and the 2007 Legislature and then be ratified by the voters.

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