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twitterGibbons shunned by state lawmakers
Unpopularity, disengagement bring lame-duck treatment
Sam Morris
Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, asks a question during a meeting Feb. 3 of the Interim Finance Committee. Given Gov. Jim Gibbons’ low profile, many in Carson City see Raggio as the most influential Republican. Some think he is likely to be the one to work out a compromise budget for higher education, which he has long supported.
Friday, Feb. 13, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Carson City — One of the worst-kept secrets in the early days of the 2009 Nevada Legislature is the near perfect isolation of Gov. Jim Gibbons.
Sun archives
The first-term Republican’s proposed budget, which includes a nearly 36 percent cut in higher education and a 6 percent pay cut for teachers and state workers, is considered a non-starter.
Most legislators and lobbyists, Republicans and Democrats, don’t expect Gibbons to serve a second term. Much of the Republican Senate caucus, which he should be assiduously courting to implement his budget and policy priorities, is dismissive of Gibbons.
Instead, veteran Sen. Bill Raggio of Reno, now minority leader after years in the majority, is regarded as the Republican with real clout as the state deals with a $2.3 billion budget crisis. Raggio has criticized Gibbons’ budget as calling for too many draconian cuts.
Last week, when state Sen. Randolph Townsend of Reno, a leading Republican on energy policy, was asked about the governor’s energy plan, he ignored the question and said he’s working closely with the office of Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader of the United States Senate.
Gibbons’ staff is sometimes in the Legislature to testify at hearings on various bills, but they have little influence. The governor himself is scarce at the Legislature. His predecessor, Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn, was a constant presence during the session, always ready to swap gossip or go wonky on the budget.
Gibbons’ troubles aren’t new, stemming from a constant stream of political miscues, a divorce battle with first lady Dawn Gibbons, high staff turnover and a terrible economy, as well as the governor’s puzzling lack of engagement.
Now, however, the situation is even bleaker, longtime observers say. The governor’s administration has a lame-duck look, which is dangerous during a legislative session.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said one veteran lobbyist, who didn’t want to be named because he has business before the government.
Often, the errors are unforced:
A close adviser to Gibbons reached out Thursday to a senior deputy to Jim Rogers, chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, to propose working together to craft a new plan for funding higher education, Rogers said.
Observers found the move puzzling given that the governor released a video message Wednesday in which he criticized the higher education system’s “decided lack of cooperation” regarding budget matters. For more than a year Rogers has lobbed public insults at the governor and called for new taxes to fund education.
Rogers said Patty Wade Perry, who does not work for the governor’s office but is known as a close friend and adviser, spoke with Dan Klaich, executive vice chancellor of the System of Higher Education.
According to Rogers, Wade Perry told Klaich, “We ought to have a discussion between the governor’s office and the chancellor’s office that’s related to a proposal for a new plan that we could go together to the Legislature with.”
Wade Perry originally denied to the Sun that the conversations took place, but she backtracked later in the day.
Wade Perry, who sits on the governor’s P-16 Council education advisory board, said she had lunch Sunday with Gibbons and broached the topic of a deal with the higher education system: “This is me trying to make peace and him saying, ‘Sure, why don’t you sit down, and if you can come up with something that works for both sides, great.’ ”
Wade Perry said she hoped there could be reconciliation between the governor and Rogers and the higher education system over which he presides.
But that seems unlikely. Gibbons has refused to talk about raising taxes, except for the small, voter-approved room tax increase. Rogers has said he opposes any further cuts to higher education.
Rogers said he rebuffed the offer. “What I have told Dan (Klaich) is that he is to tell the governor’s office that we don’t see any upside to having any discussion, we’ve had several discussions, none of them go anywhere, and quite frankly, that I question the governor’s sincerity in what he’s trying to do.”
Rogers said that if Gibbons’ administration wants to put something in writing, “we will be glad to look at it. We are not going to engage in any across-the-table discussion, because nothing’s ever come from any of those.”
Wade Perry said she didn’t expect her overture to be made public, although Rogers has a long history of public confrontation with the governor.
Rogers knows that Raggio holds great sway with Republicans and has been a long and consistent supporter of higher education. Raggio can likely muster enough support to join Democrats in the Senate and rewrite the budget over Gibbons’ objections.
Told about Wade Perry’s offer to Rogers, Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, a Las Vegas Democrat, chuckled and said, “Too late.”
Gibbons’ public approval rating hovers around 25 percent, according to a recent poll, and a number of Republicans are considering a run against him in a primary.
His reported campaign cash on hand last month was about one-tenth the combined total of the two Democrats presumed to be running: Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid and Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley.
A spokesman for the governor didn’t return phone calls from the Sun.
Sun reporter Charlotte Hsu contributed to this story.
Discussion: 18 comments so far…
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I really hope that Gibbons does run in 2010. He would be the best reason for Reed to be elected to the office. Can't happen soon enough.
This wannabe gov should refund all his pay back to the state.
Reid, not Reed.
The Gov'ner, reaping what he's sown. Pathetic.
Reminds me of Jessie Ventura when I lived in Minny.
The Governorship is a PEOPLE PERSON job. If you are a class
A ***hole, it's not the job for you.
Having Gibbons for a Governor reminds me of the clown that can't tie balloons without breaking them. Everyone just sits, and waits, and wonders, "Is this guy a clown, or what?"
The people do not have high regard for the legislature either.
According to a recent poll, only 32% trust the legislature to do a good job.
Gibbons' real problem is that he let a big government moron do the budget math. The state is NOT facing a $2.3 billion crisis.
The $2.3 billion is a number that represents a 17% increase in WHAT THEY WANTED to spend in the last biennium. Thus they are adding the existing shortfall to an imaginary one.
The real cut is $200 million. A 1% decrease. I don't know if its Mr. Coolican that thinks a 1% decrease is a crisis or if this is the propaganda his bosses at the Sun are pushing, but ironically the SUN was the first newspaper to get this fact right - then never to repeat it again. Shame on you Sun.
I should also add that Andrew Clinger projected that $2.3 billion number using June 2008 CPI. Since then the CPI has fallen 4.5 percentage points.
You may have noticed with gas prices being half priced now compared to this summer.
This created an artificially high imaginary shortfall number to begin with.
Sen. Reid is unfit for ANY office. Vote him out in 2010!
I say we vote any politico out of office for not being able to figure out first grade math. These hacks love playing th shell game with tax payer money, and we are letting them get away with it.
Gibbons, Reid, and the rest of their ilk needs a good, hard, pants-down spanking.
What in the world is wonky?
Reid and Gibbons are both very poor politicans. I hope both of them aren't around in the next election.
It's lonely at the top......Especially if you're stupid.
Ahh, NB, you must be Patrick Gibbons, or some other fool who's part of Adelson's and Weidner's NPRI goon squad. Your comments read too closely to Patrick Gibbons' latest screed, as mentioned by Jon Ralston. He outed you any way. What are you going to do when Sheldon finally goes broke?
Oh, and by the way, when (please) are you going to start calling Raggio a "moron", Mr. Gibbons? Even he sees the devastation of Gibbons budget that your myopic, vitrolic eyes can't see. You can't hold a candle to a man of Bill Raggio's stature. EVER.
Wonk, via dictionary.com: a person who studies a subject or issue in an excessively assiduous and thorough manner: a policy wonk.
Jim Gibbons is being blamed for Nevada's poor methods of funding key infrastructure systems such as schools, colleges, and social services, the basic foundations of a civilized society.
Place the blame on the Legislature, for having enacted the system in place today. Gibbons is merely a spectator in the arena of Nevada politics.
gqbossing "Reid and Gibbons are both very poor politicans."
Actually I disagree with that. I would say they are both excellent politicians, as they have both excelled in that field. However, with regard to their ability to govern, I agree. Neither of them are leaders.
Gibbons is a no show. Reid needs leadership Viagra.
There are so many articles that simply complain about how Gibbons is responsible for these budget cuts. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY - WHAT ELSE CAN THEY DO?????
Could you please do one article on someone, ANYONE, that is actively doing something to make the budget cut better. I've seen too many articles on "POOR UNLV" and not a single article that says proactive things that they are doing to save money.