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Students return to campus during the first day of the fall semester at UNLV Monday, August 23, 2010.
Friday, Aug. 27, 2010 | 12:01 p.m.
Sun Coverage
Sun archives
- Higher education wants bigger slice of state budget pie (6-24-2010)
- State education officials fear deep cuts for public schools (6-14-2010)
- School District’s budget woes prompt shuffling of administrators (6-15-2010)
- Jim Rogers offers to lead Clark County School District for free (6-9-2010)
- Clark County teachers sweating out the budget crisis (4-22-2010)
- ‘Almost catastrophic’ budget cuts on horizon for Clark County schools (4-22-2010)
- Clark County teachers face peer pressure on furloughs (4-9-2010)
- School Board rejects moving schools to nine-month calendar (3-26-2010)
- Year-round schools could face calendar shift to save money (3-16-2010)
- Teachers resist increasing pressure to accept pay cuts (2-5-2010)
- Budget crunch puts shorter school year, teacher pay cuts on table (2-4-2010)
- Gibbons: School districts should brace for 10 percent cuts (2-2-2010)
After sharp debate, the Nevada Board of Regents on Friday approved a budget that includes a request for a nearly 25 percent increase in state spending, despite Gov. Jim Gibbons' call for a 10 percent cut in spending among all state agencies.
Overall, the 2011-2013 budget, including student and other fees, approved by a vote of 11-1 would rise about 3 percent to $1.65 billion. But the most sensitive part of the budget is the 72 cents for every dollar the higher education system receives that comes from the state.
Next year, the Legislature is facing a $3 billion shortfall in a two-year budget of more than $16 billion.
The regents voted to ask the state for $1.19 billion, nearly $237 million more than they received in the 2009-2011 period.
University officials noted that $185 million in federal stimulus spending won't be available in the future.
Chancellor Daniel Klaich, who submitted the budget, said it was premature to budget for cuts and noted the overall budget rise of 3 percent. "I never thought flat was outrageous," he told regents.
Talking about the "elephant in the room," the governor's call for a 10 percent cut, Klaich said, "it's simply premature. This is not the time for budget cuts."
He said identifying cuts now, then, as is likely, he said, undergoing one or more cutting exercises in the future would be ruinous to higher education.
"It's programs, careers and 120 days of hell, as you go through the list of who will stay and who will go," he said. "We can't go to our campuses and say you may be next but please stay and work. This is not a benign process, it's not a simple process."
He noted, however, that "nothing could be further from the truth" that the budget is "in contempt" of Gibbons.
The Board of Regents is an independently elected board. The governor appoints the heads of most state agencies but the university doesn't regard itself as a state agency.
Regent Ron Knecht of Carson City, the only vote against the budget, said "expecting an increase at this point would be the height of self-absorption."
"It simply isn't so," he said, that spending on education will immediately stimulate economic growth.
Knecht said the regents were representatives of Nevada's people, not a "cheerleader for higher education."
Whatever, drug test them now.
"expecting an increase at this point would be the height of self-absorption."
Nailed it!
"Talking about the "elephant in the room," the governor's call for a 10 percent cut, Klaich said, "it's simply premature. This is not the time for budget cuts."
He's right. There's no reason to submit a budget with cuts at 10% when they don't know what the actual figure will be. They are better off submitting a budget and waiting for the economic forum to calculate what the projected income will be from taxation.
Why go through the work of submitting a 10% cut if the actual number is 17%, or 2%?
Lame Duck Gibbons wants Higher Ed to jump through a hoop for no reason. Let's wait to see who gets elected before we start talking about next year's budget.
Gibbons should mind his own business and go on a few more trips with his mistress. Oh, wait, I mean his "good friend" who he texts hundreds of times at 2 am.
I'd be more than happy to give them a 25 percent increase so long as it comes out of Metro's budget...
Hahaha, is this a joke? The state is broke and the Board of Regents asks for an increase in funding.
What is the future of Nevada??? Gbigs thinks it is mining and engineering, maybe it is, but right now we need to get people educated so that we can plan for the future. With kids graduating from high school some barely able to read, we in Nevada need to think about what the future holds for our future. Tourism is diminishing so we really do need to think about how to educate people so that there will continue to be work here. If we don't... well then there will be no tax money because so many people will be unemployed and living off the government. Let's educate people and get them jobs not just wait for a brighter day.
"Why go through the work of submitting a 10% cut if the actual number is 17%, or 2%?"
Huh??????
Ok then answer this question....Why go through the work of submitting a 25% increase?
That type of logic probably does not work with your wife either.
(I am using a Ralston thingy here).
Wife: We need to cut around 10% from the budget.
You: Honey.......I am planning to increase the house budget by 25%. I will work on that budget for the next few days.
Wife: You know we need around a 10% cut.
You: That would be a waste of time to budget for that. We don't know if it really be 2% cut or 15% cut. So I am saving tons of time by generating budget with an increase of 15%. Don't you see how much time I am saving by generating a budget with a increase instead of budget with a decrease?
Wife: You are a total moron.
Short term perspectives reflected in Regent Knecht's statement "spending on education will not stimulate immediate growth" is one of the primary reasons we find ourselves scraping the bottom of every state ranking. Why do you think states that seriously diversified their economy and invested in higher education in the long term weathered and recovered from this recession faster than Nevada? We would not have the highest unemployment rate in the nation if we were not uniquely dependent on a tourism economy. We may be a low tax state, but why would skilled workers and professionals want to come to a state that 1) derides the hard work of teachers; 2) ignores the contributions of higher education professionals to the community; 3) slashes higher education health benefits making it even more difficult for them to access an already inadequate health system; and 4) eliminates merit increases and institutes salary cuts?
Anticipating the response of naysayers, states with diversified economies are currently hiring higher education professionals, recruiting them from states practicing short sighted planning. The brain drain is ongoing, and that's one of the reasons the Board of Regents (minus one) voted for the budget submitted by Chancellor Klaich today.
Did any of the Regents notice the state is BROKE? Did anyone notice the economy is NOT on the mend. Did anyone realize the people paying the taxes are BROKE and have no more to give? Did anyone notice that business in Nevada is near bankrupt and cannot pay any more in taxes without firing more workers or closing?
You wonder where the educators get their information. The certainly don't know how to read.
"Ok then answer this question....Why go through the work of submitting a 25% increase?"
They are required to submit a budget to the Governor/Legislature, Sarge. They are NOT required to leap through the hoops Gibbons sets out for them.
They submitted a budget of what they thought Higher Ed would need to function. Any cuts will come from that budget. Once the economic forum predicts revenue, and the Legislature targets the funding level they are going to give to Higher Ed, they'll respond with an appropriate budget cuts.
Why are you having such a hard time understanding this?
And I'd recommend you stay away from "Ralston's thingy [sic]." The problem with your "analogy" is that the wife knows they need a 10% cut.
No one... not the Legislators, not either Gubernatorial candidate, nor the Higher Ed people themselves know what that final percentage will be. Furthermore, in order to budget for a cut, you should probably calculate how much you would need in the first place to find where you should cut.
You're saying that they will be asked to cut exactly 10%? I'll hold you to that. You always were a Gibbons fanboy.
I'll use a Ralston analogy here:
James F Nance Jr: "Honey, we need to reduce our budget for next year."
Mrs Nance: "By how much?"
James F Nance Jr: "I have no idea."
Mrs. Nance: "So you want me to write you a budget, but you don't know how much income we'll have?"
James F Nance Jr: "I have absolutely no idea how much money we'll have next year. I think it will be less."
Mrs. Nance: "Can you give me an estimate?"
James F Nance Jr: "No."
Mrs. Nance: "You never were any good with math, dear."
James F Nance Jr: "Make it 10% less than last year."
Mrs. Nance: "Why?"
James F Nance Jr: "Because I tell you to."
Mrs. Nance: "But you just said you have no idea how much money we'll have next year!"
James F Nance Jr: "Just do it. Don't ask me any questions."
Mrs Nance: "Why 10%?"
James F Nance Jr: "Just do it. Don't ask me any questions."
Mrs. Nance: "This doesn't make any sense."
James F Nance Jr: "Just do it. Don't ask me any questions."
Mrs. Nance: "You are a total moron."
ALERT: NRA BACKS AWAY FROM ANGLE, REFUSES TO ENDORSE HER RIGHT-WING AGENDA
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/damon-p...
"The NRA's relationship with Sen. Reid has been long-standing and productive and, unlike for Sharron Angle, they've put their money where their mouth is this cycle," he said.
MAJOR BREAK FOR REID
ksand99: I am going to work on the budget.
Wife: It looks rough. We need to make cuts.
ksand99: Ok, I am work for the rest of the week on the budget. I am going to increase the budget by 25%.
Wife: Don't you think that will be a waste of time?
ksand99: Nope because we don't know how much we are going to cut...like is it 2%, 5%, 20%???
Wife: So why spend time on a budget that has a 25% increase? That would be even a more waste of time.
ksand99: Duh...lady.....that is not a waste of my time. Yeah...I know it is a pipe dream but duh....wasting my time would be working a budget that has cuts.
Wife: Ok....let's do this slowly. We are going broke. Our salaries are cut in half and they are planning to reduce them even more.
And you are spending time on budget that has a 25% increase and you think that is not a big waste of time?
You are a total moron.
These Regents need to be fired !!! Lotsah people want Lotsah things.
How about we cut their salaries by 40% and strip their retirement packages in half ?
What a joke these people are !!
It's not a 25% increase, Sarge, it's a 3% increase. The system's budget will be based on FY09-11 with a 3% increase in total expenditures.
You're confusing their request from the state, which is an increase to offset the loss of ARRA.
"The regents voted to ask the state for $1.19 billion, nearly $237 million more than they received in the 2009-2011 period."
They received that amount in ARRA funding.
But don't let facts get in the way of you babbling on about things you obviously don't understand.
Or, to dumb it down: You spent $100 last year. $75 you got from your Mom, $25 you got from your Dad. This year, your Dad doesn't give you any money, so you ask your Mom for $28 more.
You're now spending $103, a 3% increase from last year... you're not spending $125.
Basic math, Sarge. Maybe you should be demoted to a Private.
Cities, counties and states that invested in education in the past, where their citizenry are much more educated than those in LV, are recovering from recession rather quickly. Those with low levels of education are floundering. The reason is that education provides the know-how to innovate when times get tough. Uneducated populace, because they don't know better, cling to the same systems that failed in the past.
Look it up, folks. Education provides revenues for the state,not the other way around.
Sgt James F Nance Jr Rock argues that creating a budget without knowing how much money you get is "a waste of time."
If it's a waste of time with an increase, then it's just as much of a waste of time with a decrease.
He agrees with the regents, then!
They were provided a target by the governor. They blew it off. They were not required to follow his lead.
The governor is required to submit a balanced budget. The money is not there, regardless of what the Board of Regents votes on this one. If they won't do their jobs, the governor and the legislature will do if for them.
The Chancellor and the Board better get with the program and lead this state forward instead of whining.
The story of not knowing how much to cut is lame.
The quotes from the Chancellor sound like a Ralston imagining session.
"If it's a waste of time with an increase, then it's just as much of a waste of time with a decrease.
He agrees with the regents, then!"
You are correct in your little goofy way.
You and the Regents say that doing a budget without knowing the exactly cut level is a waste of time.
If that is true then why did they waste their time?
THEY WANT AN INCREASE, LOOK WITHIN , CUT YOUR DAMN SALARY... YOU WILL FIND YOUR BUDGET MONEY.
"If that is true then why did they waste their time?"
Reading comprehension 101, Sgt James F Nance Jr Rock:
Edgewise: "They are required to submit a budget to the Governor/Legislature, Sarge. They are NOT required to leap through the hoops Gibbons sets out for them."
They may as well request what they think they need from the Legislature. When the economic council meets and projects revenue, the legislature will give the University system a percentage to cut. THEN they will cut.
The likelihood it will be 10%? It's improbable, to say the least. They may as well present their desired budget to the legislature/governor and wait to see what happens in the next legislative session.
See, out here in the real world, that budget starting point is critical. I know you don't know this, but that starting number will likely determine whether some institutions remain open for students.
Also? Not everyone is a Gibbons bootlicker. You have to respect a board that completely disregards the lame-duck, worst Governor in Nevada's history.
The answer is obvious.
They are living in la-la land.
They are running away from their jobs.
They should have submitted a budget that will be close to what they will get.
Instead, they wasted their time and their staff's time by submitting this fantasy budget that has absolutey zero meaning.
According to your logic and their logic they should never submit a budget because they will not know if it is will be a 1% increase or 5% increase or 2% decrease or 10% decrease.
They should first wait for the Carson City to tell them the revenue number and then create a budget.
I am not even sure why they have a Regents board.