Editorial: Shots over the bow

Tuesday, May 1, 2007 | 7:14 a.m.

It was not a cause for great alarm last December when, after 19 years of being at the top, Nevada slipped to No. 2 in growth among the 50 states. Arizona captured the leading spot, its population having grown 3.6 percent in the previous fiscal year while Nevada's grew at 3.5 percent.

Being No. 2 by one-tenth of a percentage point is hardly a reason to weep, we wrote at the time.

Still, it was a shot over the bow and last week there were two more. Nevada's economy remains strong, but should these shots be catching our attention? Absolutely.

Shot No. 1 last week came in the form of a Los Angeles Times article headlined, "Arizona is the new Nevada." It concerned housing prices, and the fact that many Californians do not see ours as such a great bargain anymore.

"For the first time since Nevada became a magnet for Californians in the 1990s, the Phoenix area has nudged Las Vegas aside as the No. 1 destination for people fleeing the Golden State and its soaring prices," the article stated.

Shot No. 2 came from a local report, released by the Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies. The report was based on a discussion last year among developers, business executives and government officials. The topic was the lagging pace of economic diversification, and why corporations are reluctant to move here.

The group lamented the rising cost of living, especially land prices. They noted that crime is on the rise. They cited a relative lack of cultural amenities. Transportation is not up to par, they said. They were particularly critical of the quality of education.

As Las Vegas is the economic engine of the state, Gov. Jim Gibbons and the Legislature cannot afford to ignore these concerns. The state, through its policies, has enormous influence in many of these areas.

Surrounding states are becoming more competitive. If our growth is to continue, state and local governments must ensure enhancements of transportation, education, public safety and other issues bearing on quality of life.