Lawmakers look at ways to head off program, staff cuts

By Cy Ryan (contact)

Thursday, March 26, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Carson City — The Legislature this week began undoing some of the spending cuts proposed in Gov. Jim Gibbons’ budget.

On Tuesday the subcommittee of the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees signaled it would restore cuts in the state’s mental health programs.

For the Rawson-Neal mental health hospital in Las Vegas, where Gibbons recommended eliminating 96 jobs, the committee discussed restoring 17 positions.

Gibbons recommended closing 11 of the 21 mental health clinics in rural Nevada. But the subcommittee tentatively adopted a plan to keep open nine of the 11 clinics. The Dayton and Wendover offices would close under the plan.

On Wednesday the same committee rejected Gibbons’ move to close four teacher training centers at a savings of $27 million.

Lawmakers didn’t say how much of the funding for Regional Professional Development Programs would be spared, but they did tell Bill Hanlon, director of the Clark County program, to develop a reduced budget.

The Clark County program has 42 employees who led workshops, seminars and classes for 7,000 teachers last year, Hanlon said.

Gibbons’ budget also eliminated $50 million in incentives to attract teachers to at-risk schools or to hire teachers in subjects such as math, science or special education.

The subcommittee discussed putting some money back but did not make a decision.

Yes, lawmakers are indicating they will restore some of Gibbons’ cuts, but they have yet to say how they will pay for it.

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Local governments have banded together to seek the power to raise taxes.

Lobbyists for municipalities testified Wednesday in support of a bill by Sen. Terry Care, D-Las Vegas, to allow local governments to boost property, sales, room and other taxes. The Legislature must approve proposals by local government to raise taxes.

Local governments know best the needs of their areas, Care argued in a hearing before the Senate Government Affairs Committee on Senate Bill 264.

“They are elected to take the heat,” he said. “This is best left to local government.”

Opponents, including the chambers of commerce of Las Vegas and Reno, the Nevada Taxpayers Association, the trucking industry and others, said the Legislature provides more open debate of proposed tax hikes than local governments.

The Legislature also provides a “check and balance” on local governments’ authority, said Trey Abney of the Reno Chamber of Commerce.

“I don’t see us running wildly down the street” in imposing taxes, countered Mary Walker, representing the city of Fallon. “The biggest control is the ballot box.”