D.C. delegation speaks against Bush land sales plan

Suzanne Struglinski

Friday, March 4, 2005 | 9:43 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Nevada lawmakers spoke Thursday against the Bush administration's plan to put the state's public lands sales money toward decreasing the federal deficit.

All three of Nevada's House members told the House Budget Committee the plan was unfair and should not go forward. The Committee held its annual "Members Day" meeting, when it hears from fellow House members on what should --or should not--be included in the federal budget.

Currently, under the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, all the money from public land auctions in Nevada stays within the state and different percentages go to the education fund, water treatment and federal land conservation projects.

But in the 2006 budget proposal, President Bush wants to funnel 70 percent of money earned from Nevada public land sales to the general treasury, leaving 30 percent to the state.

Rep. Shelley Berkely, D-Nev., told the committee this would deny the state an estimated $700 million a year, but "it won't make a dent in the federal deficit."

She said the reduction in money would mean the difference between land getting protected, creating trails and protecting wilderness area or not.

"That's why I am so concerned that this money will be taken from where it can do the most good and we can see tangible results and put into the general fund where is it going to be dissipated and its impact won't be felt," Berkely said. "The only impact will be on the state of Nevada and it will be adverse."

Berkley said it will be largely up to her Republican colleagues to tell the administration how bad this is for the state. Budget negotiators are looking for other ways to fill tight budgets and the discussion are mainly done behind closed doors. She said other states looking for this type of money could create their own law similar to Nevada's.

Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., said if the change goes through, Nevada will have to start asking Congress for money to help protect land and resources to make up the difference for the money lost from the smaller percentage.

"It has to come from somewhere," Porter said "Now it frees up money for other programs."

Porter said there are better ways to find money to help reduce the deficit. He generated a list of "duplication and waste in federal programs" highlighting that 10 different agencies administer 35 different food safety laws. He points out that the Agriculture Department regulated frozen pepperoni pizzas while a separate office inside the Food and Drug Administration inspects cheese pizzas.

Porter wants to use his new chairmanship of the House Civil Service and Agency Organization subcommittee to examine federal agencies, find other forms of wasteful spending to eliminate and use the savings to decrease the deficit, instead of using money from Nevada.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said he wants to work with other members from Western states, especially those with large federal land areas, to show how this is an "unfair burden."

"For every dollar in Nevada taxes that goes to Washington, DC, Nevada receives only 70 cents back to our communities," Gibbons said. "The administration's proposal to divert revenue from SNPLMA to the federal treasury means Nevada would be sending more money to Washington, D.C., and getting even less back."

Gibbons has a meeting with House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif., next week and plans to meet with Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa., As head of one of his subcommittees, Gibbons hopes the proposal will go through the Resources Committee so he would have more control over it.

Porter said he plans to meet with House Republican leaders and has already met with Nussle and Pombo about the issue.

The three House members also spoke against money for the proposed nuclear waste storage facility at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

"They politely listened," Berkley said.

Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., the committee's top Democrat asked Gibbons how much money would he support for the Yucca project, Gibbons said "Zero!" and Porter said the same from the audience.

Berkley said every year the project is getting less money and it is getting harder to keep the project on track.

Berkley and Porter also objected to another Bush proposal that would have casinos garnish someone's winnings if he or she won over a certain amount and was found to owe child support.

Both lawmakers said they want law enforcement to be able to collect missing payments, but this option sets a bad precedent for other businesses.

Berkley asked if banks or car dealers would need to check the Child Support Federal Parent Locator Service.

"The answer is no, but the Administration's proposal will open the door to additional costly and unreasonable mandates on our business communities and by singling out gaming, it is a huge mistake that leads us down a slippery slope we do not want to go down."