$1.4 million hole found in governor’s budget

By Cy Ryan

Thursday, March 19, 2009 | 4:26 p.m.

CARSON CITY – State legislators have uncovered another hole in Gov. Jim Gibbons’ budget — $1.4 million in missing funds for the state tourism office.

The tourism agency has been supported by three-eights of a percent from the hotel-motel room tax. But under the Gibbons plan, that money would be diverted to the state and the agency would be funded from the general fund.

The tourism office has also provided more than $700,000 a year to support the seven-employee Nevada Film Office in the state Commission of Economic Development. But in making the switch in funding, the budget office failed to provide any state general fund money to the film office, leaving its existence in jeopardy.

Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, said there is no recommendation yet from the governor’s office to address that hole in the budget.

State Budget Director Andrew Clinger told legislators he did not have a recommendation to fund the office based in Las Vegas. He said he has not talked with the governor.

Clinger said the holes in the budget would be taken care of by $254 million in the general fund freed up in the state’s Medicaid budget, which is being replaced by federal stimulus funds.