Raggio backs youth camp funds

Thursday, April 28, 2005 | 9:19 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Spring Mountain Youth Camp near Las Vegas is asking for an additional $1.4 million from the state over the next two years, and the request received support from an unexpected source.

Senate Majority leader and self-described arch-conservative Bill Raggio said Wednesday the state has underfunded the camp for juvenile delinquents and we "have not met the state's responsibility."

The state has been providing $342,000 a year to the camp, located in the Mount Charleston area.

Kirby Burgess, director of juvenile services for Clark County, said the state money provides only 5.5 percent of the budget.

The extra $1.4 million would enable the program to provide services to an additional 60 youngsters in counseling, parole officers and treatment coordinators, Burgess said.

Burgess said the state "woefully underfunds" its share of the operation.

Raggio said both Spring Mountain and the China Spring Youth Camp in Douglas County are "very valuable" in handling juvenile offenders. "Spring Mountain is an opportunity to keep the young offender in that part of the state."

He said the only alternative would be to send the offender to the state Youth Training Center in Elko and that is full.

Raggio said there are estimates the state will have higher-than-expected revenue and "This should be a high priority to augment."

The comments came at a meeting of a Senate-Assembly budget committee. But no action was taken on the request.

Burgess said Spring Mountain saves the state "lots of money" in building costs and staffing since Clark County funds most of the budget for the delinquents from Clark County.

Raggio, who described himself as one of the most conservative members of the Legislature, said the flat amount of $342,000 a year in state aid cannot take care inflation in food and other costs and in salary increases.