MEMO FROM CARSON CITY:

Give Gibbons some credit

It’s been a rough ’08, but governor made strides in many areas

Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Gov. Jim Gibbons

Carson City — On New Year’s Day, in the wee hours, Gov. Jim Gibbons will end his second year in office.

There have been highs and lows over the past year. Going by his approval rating, last clocked at 27 percent, the lows have overshadowed the highs.

Many of his wounds have been self-inflicted. (In the past year he has made insensitive comments dismissing the hepatitis C crisis; serially texted a married woman not his wife on a state cell phone; was photographed at the Reno rodeo embracing another married woman not his wife; and appointed friends with questionable qualifications to key commissions.)

But Gibbons deserves some slack. This is a tough time to be governor, with the economy in an epic slump and the state facing a drastic budget crisis.

And it’s the holidays. So here are a few of Gibbons’ accomplishments that you, dear reader, might have missed.

He quickly recognized the budget shortfall

When the first tax revenue figures came in late last year suggesting an economic slowdown, Gibbons acted fast. He told departments to freeze or dramatically cut back hiring. He ordered departments to hold back on starting new programs.

He did all of this in the face of criticism from lawmakers. Democrats, in particular, said he was acting hastily when he ordered departments to prepare cuts.

Now the administration is rightly arguing that holding back on spending and filling vacancies in state government has helped prevent a large number of layoffs. There have been 35 layoffs, and 2,900 positions remain vacant.

He worked with Democratic and Republican lawmakers on subsequent budget cuts

In the first round of budget cutting, Gibbons ended up ordering a 4.5 percent cut virtually across the board. He did it without talking to old legislative hands — individuals such as Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno — and that led lawmakers to complain of secrecy.

He seemed to learn from that experience. In subsequent rounds of budget cuts, Gibbons has reached out to Democrats and Republicans.

The compromise in coming up with the latest round of cuts, made during the Dec. 8 special session, won praise from leaders in both parties. It also led to an amazingly quick, relatively rancor-free session.

He made renewable energy a top policy issue

The next legislative session is going to be dominated by the budget.

But Gibbons’ major policy initiative, according to those close to the administration, is going to be pushing renewable energy in Nevada.

Gibbons formed a commission early in his administration to identify parts of the state suited for renewable energy projects. Recently, the commission came up with proposed paths to transmit that power from rural areas to urban areas. The commission consists of representatives of the power utility, private energy developers and environmentalists.

It’s unclear what legislation he will propose. There are also significant questions about whether he will be able to get his proposals through the Democratically dominated Legislature.

Some will question his motives on renewable energy — he also supports coal-fired power plants, and one environmental group characterized his voting record in Congress as “crimes against nature.”

He implemented new management structure

Gibbons’ new chief of staff, Josh Hicks, came in during June’s special session and helped replace a management model that wasn’t working.

For the first 18 months, the governor had a bifurcated system of supervision, with the chief of staff in Las Vegas and chief operating officer in Carson City. That led to infighting, as staff members felt obligated to between loyalty to former Chief of Staff Mike Dayton and former Chief Operating Officer Dianne Cornwall.

Hicks, formerly the general counsel, brought a level of professionalism and has avoided politicizing the office. With other senior staff members, such as budget director Andrew Clinger — whose pessimistic budget projections have proved prescient — the governor has a core of hardworking staffers who appear to have the state’s best interest at heart.

He’s not under indictment

In November, the Justice Department cleared Gibbons in a 2-year bribery investigation, the governor’s attorney said. He was also cleared this year of an ethics complaint that accused him of improperly obtaining a tax break on land he owns in Elko County.

Currently, there is no publicly known government investigations that could lead to Gibbons becoming a felon. (Two civil cases are pending against Gibbons: one by a former cocktail waitress who says he tried to rape her during his 2006 campaign, the other by a former budget employee who said he wanted her fired for blowing the whistle on his text-messaging.)

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki was indicted by a Las Vegas grand jury and faces four felony counts of alleged misuse of public money while serving as state treasurer.

In Illinois, meanwhile, Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, was caught on tape, investigators have said, trying to sell a U.S. Senate seat for campaign donations, board appointments for himself or his wife or a job in the administration.

In August, the Nevada Democratic Party created a Web site at americasworstgovernor.com to chronicle Gibbons’ missteps. Maybe the party should lease it to the Illinois Republican Party, at least for the time being.

Discussion: 19 comments so far…

By texexnv

12/28/08 at 8:26 a.m.

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"Give Gibbons some credit" LOL!

Hmmm...Isn't this misplaced? It should be over in the comics section. It's hard to decide if he's more like the Wizard of Id or Beetle Bailey.
By LasVegas2009

12/28/08 at 1:21 p.m.

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You should go back to sleep, I think you must have been dreaming when you wrote this article.
By letjusticeprevail

12/28/08 at 5:16 p.m.

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Sorry but the incredibly dumb and serious things he's done and gotten away with doesn't make up for the very little he may have done. He's still a miserable governor who has done the state of Nevada and it's people more harm than good.
By jfnance32

12/28/08 at 6:03 p.m.

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He is doing exactly what he promised to do and that his why the people elected him over Ms. Taxus.

Raising taxes could make the Nevada recession last longer and in the end actually hurt government revenue in the long run.
By azsk8fan

12/29/08 at 7:09 a.m.

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Maybe it should say "He's not under indictment....YET" He deserves a room right next to Blago. I'm really sick to death about these politicians who use their position for both monetary gain and to re-pay favors...how about choosing the BEST people for the people of this state as public servants instead of choosing those who gave the biggest campaign contributions? Novel idea, huh?
By revtomperl

12/29/08 at 11:32 a.m.

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You have to admire his ability to attract inappropriate relationships with members of the opposite sex. Maybe you have to say there are incredibly dumb women out there? Here you go - yes credit him with little or nothing and with engineering an approach which will lead to dumber citizens and a university system that is more battered rather than better. May 2009 be a better year!
By jfnance32

12/29/08 at 12:07 p.m.

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He needs to catch up with Clinton's score on attracting inappropriate relationships with incredibly dumb women.

Next, time Clinton is on his way to a million dollar speaking tour to governments and societies that believe that women are second class citizens, Gibbons should get some pointers from Bill.
By ksand99

12/29/08 at 1:30 p.m.

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It is funny on an article about Gibbons, jfnance32 screams "Clinton!" again.

Earlier today, you said Clinton was one of the worst presidents ever, in your book.

Now you are comparing Clinton to Gibbons.

Your opinion of our current Governor seems really low. I guess even you have to recognize Gibbons' many, many failures and his problems obeying the law.
By jfnance32

12/29/08 at 1:36 p.m.

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You need to learn to read.

I said that Gibbons was far behind Clinton's score on attracting relationships with incredibly dumb women.

If Gibbons ties Clinton's score on that matter than it would be bad. He needs to get about a dozen or more to do that.

The only person that I know of that has broken the law is Loux who the AG is afraid to indict because he is a big time Democrat and friend of Reid.
By ksand99

12/29/08 at 1:40 p.m.

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Yes, thank you for agreeing that you compared Clinton to Gibbons.

You said Clinton was one of the absolute worst presidents, ever. If you are comparing Gibbons to Clinton, you must have zero respect for Gibbons.

I am glad that even the wacky right wing can recognize how harmful and foolish our Governor has become. He is a national joke, almost as bad as Blago.

You were right to make fun of Gibbons, jfnance32.
By jfnance32

12/29/08 at 2:30 p.m.

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I did not agree that I compared Clinton to Gibbons equally.

If you want to make up stuff then become a fiction writer.

Clinton was a great President if you want to make the core criteria the number of inapproriate relationships with incredibly dumb women.

I guess that is what you are trying to say. That Clinton was a great at scoring dumb women by cheating on Hillary and committed a felony to hide it.
By ksand99

12/29/08 at 2:36 p.m.

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Wow, you really hate Clinton. You have made that very clear. And you compare Gibbons to Clinton?!?!?

Sometimes hatred clouds your judgement, like it is doing here. But that is ok, you see how awful Gibbons has been, the damage he has caused and the farce he has made of our state government, and have a low opinion of him, apparently.

We agree, completely!
By jfnance32

12/29/08 at 2:51 p.m.

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"We agree, completely!"

Using your own crazy logic, you now have called Clinton a farce and awful and apparently have a low opinion of him.

I am Ok with your low opinion of Clinton.
By ksand99

12/29/08 at 3:16 p.m.

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That is funny, jfnance32, that is exactly what I DIDN'T say.

You have a hard time understanding. That's ok. I'll try to write using very simple words. Maybe you will understand then.

While talking badly about Clinton, you compared Clinton to Gibbons. I said you must have a low opinion of Gibbons if you compare him with someone you said was one of the worst presidents of all time. Then you said you were confused when you compared the two. Now you say Clinton and Gibbons is a farce and awful and have a low opinion of Gibbons.

I didn't make a comparison, jfnance32, you did. Maybe this is what you mean when you accuse others of "making stuff up."

Poor guy, you are so confused!
By jfnance32

12/29/08 at 3:23 p.m.

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No, You said,,,,YOU...COMPLETELY....AGREE...WITH....ME. So your mind, when I "compare" it means two things are totally equal in all things. So in your mind, I say both Gibbons and Clinton are bad. If you COMPLETELY agree with me then it means you also think Clinton is bad.

Also, you need to look up the word "compare" in the dictionary. It does not mean EQUAL.

Like comparing apples to oranges, they may have some things in common but does not mean they are exactly the same.

Go now....go look up the word "compare" in the dictionary.
By ksand99

12/29/08 at 3:43 p.m.

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Whoops, just a little context and your house of cards blows away!

"But that is ok, you see how awful Gibbons has been, the damage he has caused and the farce he has made of our state government, and have a low opinion of him, apparently. We agree, completely!"

It is very, very obvious what I meant. I love how you are now trying to tell me what I said, even though it's a few lines up.

Yes, you compared the two and found similarities between Clinton and Gibbons. You think they share traits. You are saying that Gibbons shares traits with the man you said was one of the worst Presidents.

That's exactly what you said. LOL!

Also, I think you need to reread your first paragraph, where you acknowledge that you think Clinton and Gibbons are bad. "I say both Gibbons and Clinton are bad. If you COMPLETELY agree with me then it means you also think Clinton is bad."

You are crazy!
By jfnance32

12/29/08 at 5:35 p.m.

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Just admit that your logic is goofy.

I said that Clinton and Gibbons share a problem in attracting inapproriate dumb women. I said that Gibbons was far behind in that score.

Then you make a goofy imaginary link between my view of Clinton's adminstration to Gibbon's adminstration.

The only thing that I compared Gibbon to Clinton is their desire to have inapproriate relationships with dumb women.

If you want to make a goofy imaginery link to compare their entire life and accomplishments just because they share a tatse in dumb women that is your business.

I never did that and you can never show that I ever did that.
By kwkpost

12/29/08 at 11:03 p.m.

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I guess I come here for amusement... I certainly did not gain anything from reading the whining, pathetic complaints about Schwartz' article. Painfully obvious that few of the first commenters even read the piece, you would at least think that they could post some factual evidence to contradict what this "paid" writer had to say? No, just empty attacks and grandstanding...... Oh, and before I forget, the exchange between jfnance and ksand99 has been comical.... Thanks for the memories... ksand, how many times must you get owned in the same thread before you realize that you really should ask your Dr. to adjust your meds... or at least find a more tranquil place to play.....