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StumbleState budget director: Prep for another 10 percent cut
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009 | 9:48 a.m.
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State agencies will have to prepare budget cut scenarios of up to 10 percent, dramatically increasing what Gov. Jim Gibbons’ office asked them to prepare earlier this month.
According to a memo sent today by Andrew Clinger, the state’s budget director, agencies will have to come up with recommendations for 6 percent, 8 percent and 10 percent by Jan. 5.
Agencies had been asked to prepare for 1.4 percent and 3 percent cuts, plans that are due today.
In the first six months of the fiscal year, state tax revenue has come in $53 million below projections. The Gibbons administration is still weighing whether it will need to call a special session of the Legislature to deal with budget issues, and has called for the Economic Forum, a group of five business leaders, to reforecast tax revenue by Jan. 19.
“At this time no decision has been made as to whether these budget reserve recommendations will be implemented,” Clinger wrote in the memo. “However, this information will be considered in the decision making process for closing the current projected deficit.”
Earlier this year, the Legislature cut about $1 billion from the budget and raised $1 billion in taxes.
While the state has for the most part avoided layoffs, more than 1,452 positions have been held vacant through attrition and hiring freezes.
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PLEASE don't cut any funding for education.
What do you mean funding vacant positions?
The whole point is that they're saving the money by keeping those positions vacant....the same as if they'd laid off 1452 people.
Like I previously said, I am a State worker with one day a month Furlough, I am a classified employee. I made more working for the casino industry and hospitals. The people that now need a Furlough day, are the Professional Staff. Then we'd see a difference. YA THINK!!!! I, am just, a low life.
http://www.writeonnevada.com/2009/12/we-...
How about competitive sourcing to provide social services?
Why does the state have to spend $72 million paying salaries for mental health workers? Why can't we have hospitals bid to provide the service or give residents in need of help vouchers to pay for the needed service?
There is a smarter way to run government.
"Earlier this year, the Legislature cut about $1 billion from the budget and raised $1 billion in taxes."
The government cut $1 billion in wishful spending and raised $1 billion in taxes to maintain spending so there were no real budget cuts.
Of course the lov guv wouldn`t think about taxing the gold miners in Elko, who are reaping an ugodly amount of money from the natural resourse of this state.
Instead he wants to take it out of the hide of the poor and weak.
REal brave man. Guess he has to keep his buddies in Elko happy and preserve his tax free ranch.
Gibbons is Nevada and that is the trajedy.
Simple solution. Vote Gibbons out!
Same for Harry Reid in Searchlight.
Maybe if they cut all the "contractors" working for the state and / or turn some of those into salary jobs, we could have at least a small amount of light at the end of the tunnel..and yes, its probably a train coming at us!
Unfortunately, the various agencies will "game" their response by proposing cuts that are wildly unpopular in the hopes that their funding won't be cut at all. So I wouldn't hold my breath for any answers coming out of Carson City!
Meanwhile, what do the various contenders for the Guv seat think should be done? They're awfully quiet.....maybe none of them are up to the task before us?
Fire the social workers, close the welfare offices. Give the freeloaders free bus tickes to California.
A major population of state workers are not funded from the state general fund, which means the furloughs and/or possible layoffs do NOT help Nevada's budget.
But at least we have EMPLOYEE EQUITY!
Didn't the Governor warn everyone last spring the cuts were not deep enough and the revenue wouldn't come it. Now reality shows the Governor was the only one that had it right and the left yells like it's his fault.
The legislature refused to make the cuts and our dear harry Reid continued the nations recession and now we're broke. Go back and read last years stories as the Governor fought to bring spending inline with reality.
Welcome to a failing state. While other states are climbing out of the recession (Oregon has declared the recesssion "over") Nevada remains in free fall. That's because it does not have a good enough income to support itself. It's time that gaming and mining pay their fair share. That would at least provide a safety net so the state doesn't become insolvent. If it does (when it does) it will force federal authorites to come in and run the place. All state tax laws will be wiped clean and the federal courts will start over. Welcome to ground zero for stupid.
It has nothing to do with not taxing enough. Nevada's total tax collection per resident ranks 25th in the nation. The problem is that we spend too much too fast.
The state is almost always over budget and is almost always increasing spending at rates that are simply unsustainable.
http://npri.org/publications/legislature...
Wow. Quoting npri is like quoting from the RNC.
Down-stepping government is long overdue -- accelerating the pace a blessing in disguise - closing public schools a leap in the right direction.
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Sounds like a broken record. Gibbons could consult with the legislature-but he's not. Gibbons could have his fiscal people work with the legislature's-but he's not. Republicans and Democrats have asked him to with with them to solve this problem-but he's not.
Less than six months before the Republican primary. Gibbons wants to win that election-but he's not.
Last one out please turn off the lights.....
"Wow. Quoting npri is like quoting from the RNC."
The Easter Bunny could point out that the state spends money like its going out of style and that doesn't make the FACT any less true.
http://npri.org/imgLib/20090422_percentu...
Funny you bring up the Easter Bunny, Mr. Gibbons (Gibbons? Could it be...?) because every time this Governor yells "FISCAL CRISIS!" his numbers jump around and around and around. I'm glad we have smart Republicans and Democrats in the legislature who do not fall for his antics each time he cries that the sky is falling. Why waste money on a special session or on convening the Economic Forum when fiscal analysts from the legislative and the executive branches could meet and forge a sound strategy to address this 67 million shortfall? I'll tell you why-because this Governor has never tried to seriously work with anyone outside of his mansion-he has no interest in listening to any other elected official, even from his own party. In fact, not too long ago, he replaced a number of his staff because they insisted on working with other elected officials instead of continuing to pursue this non-productive, go-it-alone approach that has become his bizzare trademark.
So what is driving Jim Gibbons to act so rashly? Its simple, folks: The Republican Primary is on June 8, 2010, less than 6 months away, and Brian Sandoval is waiting to make our current governor a lame duck. Be ready for all kinds of antics from Gibbons as he desperately tries to keep power. I'm just happy we have Republicans and Democrats in the legislature who are seeing through his childish, political, fear-based rants and are ready in case he actually wants to participate with them in governing this state.
10%, Gibbons? Why not 25%? Or 50%? You lost your professional credibility long ago, so why not tell Andy Clinger to swing for the fences and insist that state government, but not your salary of couse, needs to be reduced by 75%?
BTW, how are those Nevada Highway Patrol troopers who are tasked with taking you from place to place enjoying the furloughs you insisted they take? You ever ask them? Or do you ignore the effect your decisions have on them like you do for the rest of the state?
Remember the lie you told all Nevadans when the furloughs were enacted that law enforcement would be exempt because people and property needed to be protected in tough economic times when crime rises? Where did that promise go now that LVMPD is stretching to cover the turf of NHP, Park Police, and other state law enforcement agencies who have been furloughed thanks to you?
Enough with the lies and the wild games with multiple estimated projections. Its time for the chief executive of this state to admit that he has to work with the legislature. Otherwise, Jim Gibbons will waste the next six months just like he wasted the four months of the last legislative session-by refusing to work with any other state elected official.
I find it sad that there are people that assume state employee's get a higher salary than those in the private sector. Whether you work for the county or the state, there is a big difference in pay as well as in benefits, one being collective bargaining. The comments that are made are disgusting against those that really work hard at what they do. There are those that feel that they worked for so long, they are entitled to all of these benefits as a public employee,be it insurance benefits or COLA increases, they are as entitled as anyone else in this country, the teachers, etc., don't deserve anymore benefit then the next guy in line.
"Fire all of the meter bee-ouches or cut their pay by 90%. Worthless ho wares that they are for giving me hundreds in parking tickets over the years"
You must have deserved them for you to get so many since in 95% of Vegas - parking is free. Obviously you can't read "No Parking" on a sign. Or that "Handicap Only" sign. Or what the yellow diagonal lines mean. Oh yeah - you have to put quarters into the meters, too. Guess you didn't see the fire hydrant either.....
Even for the Great Sergio The Prophet - parking comes at a price. You are not exempt from following the law.