Las Vegas Sun

November 26, 2009

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SUN EDITORIAL:

Gibbons’ stimulus stew

Governor makes money to put Nevadans back to work a bone of contention

Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

Gov. Jim Gibbons makes a lot of news, but rarely is it the kind one would desire.

His campaign in fall 2006 generated national publicity, but only because a cocktail waitress accused him of assaulting her, an allegation now contained in a pending civil rights lawsuit.

During the 2007 session of the Legislature, Gibbons, a Republican, made news after using his state cell phone to send 867 text messages to a woman over six weeks. In spring 2008 Gibbons generated publicity by moving out of the Governor’s Mansion in Carson City because of marital problems.

In January Gibbons made headlines for being disengaged from the most critical financial issue to ever hit the state — a projected deficit of more than $2 billion. Gibbons also made news for being equally disengaged during this year’s session of the Legislature. One would be hard pressed to find any stories stressing Gibbons’ positive accomplishments as governor.

The point here is that Gibbons has been a big fat zero when it comes to leadership. This is why the Interim Finance Committee, which functions as the Legislature between sessions, this month stripped control of the state’s share of federal stimulus money from Gibbons and placed that responsibility under the state controller. The bipartisan committee, with good reason, does not have any faith in Gibbons’ ability to properly spend the money and account for it.

Now Gibbons is in a battle with the committee. He has declared the committee’s action void and has hired his own overseer of stimulus money. Friday, he sent out a rambling news release, asserting his power and asking questions that should be addressed directly to the committee, whose very legitimacy he is questioning in yet another sideshow.

Given Nevada’s high unemployment rate, stimulus money is critical, and Gibbons should not be turning it into a contentious issue. Assembly Majority Leader John Oceguera said Friday that the Legislature has worked to ensure that stimulus money is spent wisely and with transparency, and that the governor’s office and Legislature should be working together. Instead, he said, the governor is “bringing Washington politics to Nevada.”

Gibbons likes to say that his administration is working for the people of Nevada. He would have a hard time proving it.

Discussion: 11 comments so far…

  1. By mred
    8/23/09 at 4:36 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Stimulus money? I drink to that. Where's the nearest steak house?

  2. By darkhorse
    8/23/09 at 4:46 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Gibbons, aka "the Titanic", truly is going down with the ship.

  3. By SgtRock
    8/23/09 at 5:58 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    It is the IFC that started this thing and was the first to put at rish a delay and possible lost of stimulus funds.

    Wow....the Sun says that IFC can used it unconstitution powers to overturn the results of elections.

    Gibbons is the duly elected Governor of the state.

    Your Mrs. Taxus lady lost.

    Deal with it.

  4. By fremmasmind
    8/23/09 at 6:40 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    If Gibbons was sincere in getting our citizens back to work he'd start a fund to rid our State of the illegal immigrants who are taking jobs away from us. At the same time it might save our hospitals and emergency wards from firing employees and/or closing down.
    Isn't it about time to start aiding our citizens who have been going through months of hell and let these illegals' countries of origin take care of their own nationals?

  5. By darkhorse
    8/23/09 at 8:41 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Sgtrock, did he forget Gibbons was adamant about refusing all this Federal money? Now he wants complete control of it with no oversight. I say go to court, but it still shows how two-faced Gibbons is.

  6. By neiman1
    8/23/09 at 9:12 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Accusations of a sexual nature during a campaign. Claims of being disengaged from the most crucial issues facing his office. Trying to dictate control through executive orders instead of working with legislators on messy laws and building consensus.

    The Governor sounds like a democrat. A mix of Clinton and Obama. Why are the democrats so upset?

  7. By geenab65
    8/23/09 at 9:32 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    Neiman1
    You are very, very critical, yet never offer a viable suggestion for resolution. So....any thoughts on how to resolve or at least soften the current economic blow?

  8. By El_Lobo
    8/23/09 at 9:57 a.m.
    Suggest removal

    geenab65.......

    It appears that Neiman1 is out of the Herbert Hoover mold of the 1920's and 1930's. Hoover was convinced that the best way to deal with the Great Depression was to do nothing.....

    Maybe that's Neiman1's approach?

  9. By geenab65
    8/23/09 at 2:54 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    El Lobo,

    Yep!! That's it!! I wasn't going to say anything, but as it turns out, I don't have to. You just wrote what others were wondering!!!!!

  10. By worstnightmere
    8/23/09 at 3:17 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    The question is WHY does Gibbons want control over this money? WHY does Gibbons want to change the rules that have applied for many many years. I will tell you WHY, Gibbons is a ruthless individual, who only cares about himself and lining his pockets... Nevadans do not have to put up with this self center out of control idiot. Gibbons needs to be impeached, this is ridicules.......

  11. By SgtRock
    8/23/09 at 9:45 p.m.
    Suggest removal

    " Hoover was convinced that the best way to deal with the Great Depression was to do nothing"

    Lobo is displaying his ignorance again.

    The Great Public Works programs started in Hoover admin and were continue in FDR's term. It is called, Hoover Dam, and not FDR Dam for a reason.

    In fact, FDR used the huge budget deficits and Hoover's spending spree's as a campaign issue against Hoover.

    Also, Hoover raise taxes on the rich and he implemented protectists excise taxes to protect American goods from imports.

    I think Obama is trying to emulate Hoover.

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