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Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010 | 2 a.m.
In Today's Sun
Related stories
- A look back at the naughts (1-1-2010)
- Lessons from the 2000s beckon. Will we heed them? (1-1-2010)
For governments statewide, 2010 will be a time to confront hard realities. And it won’t be pretty.
There’s no federal bailout coming down the pike. Tax revenue is shrinking. And it’s an election year, so there’s no will even among the most liberal politicians to raise taxes.
So it is inescapable: State government will have to make the hardest decisions yet in the ongoing budget cutbacks that began two years ago.
A large portion of the state’s early shortfall was covered by draining accounts and abandoning one-time expenditures. Future cuts will come through further pay reductions for government workers, layoffs or cuts in programs — likely some combination of the three. This will pit various functions of state government — public safety, health and human services, K-12 and higher education — against each other.
For local governments, the decisions will be between cutting services or trimming employee salaries. Those decisions will largely be shaped by whether public employee unions are willing to grant concessions.
State government
A special session of the Legislature will likely be called to balance the state budget.
Gov. Jim Gibbons has stood firm on not raising taxes — and in a special session he dictates the agenda.
Gov. Jim Gibbons
Not that Democrats are clamoring for that option. They appear to be heading into a November election with their brand tarnished and have yet to suggest increasing taxes.
So how to balance the current deficit, pegged at $67 million and expected to rise?
The most likely scenario in 2010 is additional cuts.
Whether a special session to balance the budget is necessary is a matter of debate. Gibbons hasn’t announced a decision, although his actions — asking agencies to prepare budget-cut recommendations up to 10 percent, calling together a special meeting of the state’s budget forecasters to make new revenue projections by Jan. 19 — seem to indicate he’s leaning that way.
Many lawmakers, meanwhile, say that financial sleights of hand can be used to postpone cuts or that the governor could avoid a special session by getting cuts passed by the Interim Finance Committee.
But there’s a sense that Gibbons inevitably will call lawmakers back to Carson City, possibly in February or March.
Here’s why:
• Democrats and Republicans agree that the Legislature needs to meet for a special session anyway. For Nevada schools to compete for $60 million to $175 million in federal “Race to the Top” funding, lawmakers must change a 2003 law that prevents test scores from being used in the process of evaluating teachers.
• Gibbons has had a tense relationship over the past year with the Interim Finance Committee. After the Legislature’s temporary money body pushed back against some of his executive decisions, Gibbons pushed back by threatening to challenge the committee’s constitutionality. It’s unlikely the governor would want to rely on the Interim Finance Committee to carry out budget cuts.
• Politically, a special session would be good for Gibbons, who is running for re-election. He controls the agenda. He can bang his anti-tax campaign drum. He can appear gubernatorial.
His staff insists a decision on a special session will be made based purely on the numbers. But the political advantage he could gain wouldn’t hurt.
So what cuts could be made?
Late last month, Gibbons sent a letter to state employees saying that he did not believe K-12 and higher education should be exempt from future budget cuts. K-12 and higher education, he wrote, represent 54 percent of the state’s general fund, and exempting them would place an undue burden on other services.
A lot of the social services budget is dictated by federal requirements that the state provide at least a minimum safety net to its residents. The Corrections Department’s director has argued that more cuts would endanger prison guards and inmates.
Administration officials have said that it will have to take a hard look at the way the state does business. Lawmakers, meanwhile, have been loath to offer up specifics. In many ways, they have painted themselves into a corner with both Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio and Majority Leader Steven Horsford saying that budgets have been cut to the bone.
What’s left? One possibility is a further pay reduction for state workers, who took the equivalent of 4.6 percent pay cuts last year when the Legislature instituted worker furloughs one day a month after the governor proposed flat 6 percent pay cuts.
Gibbons has said that he would favor pay reductions for state workers rather than layoffs.
Because state workers are not under union contracts, that’s something the Legislature can do. Local governments, whose employees have collective bargaining rights, do not have the same flexibility.
Las Vegas and Clark County
For Las Vegas and Clark County, 2010 will be the year of the union — but not in the proud, “look for the union label” sense.
For both governments, it will be a year of unprecedented battles with their employee unions.
Public employees will seek to keep what they bargained for.
Government officials will argue they no longer have the tax dollars to pay those amounts. For the city, tax revenue is predicted to be short $69 million in fiscal 2010, which begins July 1. Clark County has predicted a $129 million deficit.
Skirmishes have begun. In late December, the union representing Las Vegas firefighters launched a Web site imploring people to tell Mayor Oscar Goodman not to cut the Fire Department’s budget. The site includes a photograph of newspaper headlines with the words “al-Qaida,” “Iraq” and “Afghan” standing out boldly.
Oscar Goodman
City officials called the union’s approach “scare tactics.”
It is looking into 8 percent salary cuts in each of the next two fiscal years.
The more you make, the bigger the cut. And firefighters are among the city’s highest paid. In the fiscal year ending June 30, the average salary and benefits package of city firefighters was $155,496, a city spokesman said. The city employs 495 people in fire suppression. Of the city’s 705 employees who earn more than $100,000, 404 are firefighters.
Meanwhile, another union, the Las Vegas City Employees Association, representing 1,700 workers, also told the city last week that it will not consider concessions until the city negotiates with other unions.
The association’s current contract extends through June 2014. Without concessions, though, city officials have said layoffs are likely.
The battle could be more intense at the county, whose 700 firefighters are paid much more than city firefighters. The average county firefighter’s salary for the fiscal year ending June 30 was $128,026. With benefits, the average compensation was a knee-weakening $199,678.
Consider that Las Vegas and its firefighters have actually gotten along for the most part, with the union offering some concessions in early 2009.
No such love exists between the county and its firefighters. That was made clear when county firefighters kept a 3 percent cost-of-living raise after union chiefs presented salary concessions that county staff and commissioners argued amounted to no concessions at all.
“It used to be, all we had to worry about was how much we were going to give them,” said one county administrator, talking about past union negotiations. “Now we have to ask for things back.”
Henderson and North Las Vegas
Henderson has about 200 fewer employees than it did two years ago, the result of buyouts and a hiring freeze, but that is just the beginning of a shift that will occur over the next year, City Manager Mark Calhoun said.
So far, the loss of employees has not been noticeable, but that may change if the economy slides more, Calhoun said.
“There have been some cuts made, which would affect some services, but the people we still have picked up the slack,” he said. “It might be a little slower, but we haven’t cut services per se. That could be coming.”
That downsizing is key as the city makes adjustments to prepare for growth that is slower than it has been in the past 20 years.
“Internally we’re looking at not what it’s going to take today to just get through this mess … but we are going to be focusing on what the city’s going to look like when we come out of this,” Calhoun said. “It’s going to be a different era, things aren’t going to be like they were three years ago, and we’re looking at a whole new structure, a whole new way of doing business and providing services to our constituents.”
North Las Vegas has cut, and has saved millions with a hiring freeze, but the city needs to find another $58.3 million to cut to survive 2010, Acting City Manager Maryann Ustick said.
“The fiscal challenges are just overwhelming,” she said. “We’re going to have to cut and still maintain the quality of life in our city.”
So far, North Las Vegas has been able to survive by cutting travel and training for employees rather than laying off employees. “But we’re getting to the point now where we’re going to have to reduce or eliminate programs and that is going to involve staff — there’s no question about that,” Ustick said.
The city has been struggling because, in addition to falling tax revenue, its high foreclosure rate has created more of a demand for services, such as code enforcement.
“Preserving the quality of life in our neighborhoods is critical to our health as a city and it’s a huge challenge in this downturn along with the foreclosure rate,” Ustick said.
Sun reporter Kyle Hansen contributed to this story.
Oh yes, but we had millions to spend of Fireworks the other night...
Contract out public services. Let the unions become worthless when contractors take over the jobs. Yes, even fire suppression can be contracted for and let the fire fighters find some other city to make them each rich at the expense of the residents.
i bet you these fireman live on the outskirt of town like summerlin,anthem and so on. every1 must pitch in. this probably would have not happen if our fine government local and state would have diversify these 8 years. oops they didn't they climb on casino and construction back and rode it to the very end and see what happen
Cut administrators in K-12, not teachers and supplies. Force them to go back to the classrooms and teach, for less money or go on unemployment.
Get rid of the parole board. They don't really serve a purpose anyway. Their duties can easily be taken over by the DOC and DPS. This will stop them from keeping people incarcerated past their expiration or parole date. This would save 2.5 million. (see 2009-10 budget)
If you factor in the inmates that are held past their mandatory parole dates, you can add another 250,000. (low estimate of 100 X 25,000 per year) so we have already saved almost 3 million.
The legislators and the Governor must start looking outside the box for some ways to cut budgets and stop thinking like neandrathals.
It's time for our state to get SMART on crime. We can't afford to keep all these low level non-violent drug users etc.... in prison. Spend the tax dollars on education and you won't need so many prisons.
This anti union talk is no good !!!! My cousin work for union make big money, and works little. HE work for City of Henderson. He has his Green card and union card. Because he not married his family takes in tons in aide, Food Stamps and madical and Section 8 housing.
To begin to bring state finances under control the governor and legislature must get a handle on pay for all executive level state, county and city jobs that are funded through the state treasury. To begin with, no executive should be drawing overtime, vacation pay or bonuses in these economic conditions; secondly, the top salary for any executive must be capped.
Firefighter Captains and Battalion chiefs are earning massive salries claiming ovetime pay and then using these salaries to increase their retirment PERS allocation. That must stop immediately.
Third, there must be an immediate end to all double-dipping; no one who has worked for the State of Nevada in the past should be eligible for rehiring ever again. That is becoming a major, major problem in the CCSD and must be stopped. We have far too many fat cats of the 'good ole boy/girl netowrk' milking this system for all its worth. They are retiring with 90% of their pay as former emplyees and re-hires in the district.
Make the firedepartments, police and school districts totally accountable for each and every position they have on the salary rolls. What is the job? Why is it needed? Why that specific salary and benefits associated with it? In what specific ways does it benefit the public or children concerned?
The least damaging place to cut is in higher education because no one will die and there are many majors where people graduate with their degree and then work as a waiter or waitress. Cut some of these majors where the students do not use their degrees to contribute to our workforce and offer them at either UNR or UNLV, but not at both.
Let's just cut everyone's pay, take away services, and then claim victory, right? WRONG!! I think the pay cuts need to start AT THE TOP! Let's start with Skolnick and then Baca - the most worthless leaders on the state's payroll. Incompetent, uneducated and living in yesteryear, these two should be the first to have huge salary paycuts because they do absolutely nothing. Baca hasn't a clue how to efficiently run a prison, and Skolnick hasn't a clue how to run the DOC! Let's put Baca on the yard and see how well he does.
environprotector, god you are such a bitter liberal.
the money "we" spent on fireworks was minimal compared to the amount of money "we" MADE from people coming into town to see those fireworks.
and that should make you happy right?
all you liberals want to do is take money from people that work to feed and house murderers.
Enviro,
"Oh yes, but we had millions to spend of Fireworks the other night..."
There you go again, exaggerating the facts. It wasn't even a million spent. 500k!! You have to spend money to make money. 315,000 tourists flocked to Vegas for New Years, Do you figure that they may have each spent more than $1.59?
I implore all of you to check out transparent nevada website it list how much state county and local officals make per year. It is terrfiying how high on the hog they live and we have our homes foreclosed on and are unemployed. I am currently living on about 1/10th of what most of these guys make.
I agree the pay cuts should start at the TOP!
I just can't believe haw much these officials are taking in per year, I too am living on low wages with a furlough day and maybe another to come. Check this out www.transparentnevada.com
TALK ABOUT LIVING HIGH ON THE HOG WOW!!
I agree that some salaries are too high, but I doubt that they will cut them. As I mentioned before, a solution in which no one starves or dies is for the UNR and UNLV presidents to get together and negotiate cutting programs/majors where the state does not need all of the graduates in the Nevada workforce so that they are only offered at one school or the other. How many people graduate with a history, literature, religion, sociology degree and work as waitresses? I mean the majors are good to have in society, but our state does not need BOTH universities to offer these majors if they do not benefit our state economy.
Me thinks Government spending out of control!
BYE BYE GIBBONS you going to have time to go and womanize please don't to it to a married woman. because u might to it to a wrong couple and they find u slump over you steering wheel
neiman1 hasn't been paying attention to the Blackwater debacle and other "contract out public services" folks who made billions in Iraq doing almost nothing. Yeah, let's do that some more. Fools.
What politition is going to have the nutzies to lower the wages of the overpayed goverment employes and management in this state?
I guess when there is absolutly nada thing left. Kids don't worry about going to school cause Nevada will not have any public schools, you get to go out and play all day. Why have any collages? Cause their be no jobs anyway. So you kids get to have one life long vacation, lucky you.
Localities across the nation are faced with extreme budget problems in the coming year. I have read with interest the problems in your areas around Las Vegas as I have relatives there and visit there often.I live in Virginia Beach, VA which has in a similar population and many of the same problems. What was really surprizing was the salary and benefits given to fire fighters. I think it ranks among the best and highest in the country. That's wonderful if you can afford it. Our very professional firemen in a similar sized department start with a salary of about $36,000 per year. With all the benefits the total package does not equal 1/2 of that in Clark County. The cost of living in Clark County and my area are very similar. The cost of housing in VA Beach is actually a little higher. I certainly do not begrudge the salary Clark County firemen are getting for they provide a valuable service. However, someone in their union should wake up. Those salaries in this economic environment are not sustainable or realistic. It's better to give back some and preserve the jobs of others than it is to fight to maintain the ultra-high salaries that will result in lay-offs of many of your brother fire-fighters and other government workers. We face the same budget short-falls as you do but I hope we will be able to meet our obligations in a congenial manner without lay-offs. There are too many unemployed in our country already. Lower pay is better than no pay.
Nico777 : it was just slighlly over one million by the way...
Why don't you put a lid on your constant attacks on everyone here. No one wants to read your crap about how educated or better you are than anyone else all the time. Why don't you just return to your stinking cesspool of snobbery and love of self. No one is impressed with your comments which are off subject and self serving to your own insecurities. Get lost !
No EVINRONPROTECTOR: it was 500k. You are a bitter person judging by your posts. Since you do not like this city, then why don't you relocate? The above posters are correct...the strip was packed even as of last night. The streets and casino's are full of people. If the strip properties had to invest 500k in fireworks to make a much higher return, then it is just a smart business tactic.
Icare2009 :
No YOU are wrong, read the original report that just over one million was spent on the fireworks display. The funds were taken NOT from the hotels, but from Room taxes which should have been alotted to public service NOT irresponsible fireworks displays in the middle of the WORST depression Vegas has ever seen. Don't give me that "why don't you relocate bull crap, Our so called leaders, and business leaders have destroyed Las Vegas with their ineptness and corporate greed. So get over your momentary orgasm of all the hootenanny from New Years Eve, and deal with reality. We are in serious trouble here in Vegas, and drastic business marketing changes, and governmental changes have to be made to save what little is left... I've been here since 1959, and I've seen what this place once was. You are probably just another young no nothing poster here who I will not give another nod to after this posting...
As far as the State govt goes, Nevada has been ranked 48th out of 50 states in how well they treat and pay their employees. Cutting the state budget on the backs of these employees is like squeezing water from a rock.
And these city and county police and fire fighters negotiated their benefits in good faith. Don't throw them under the bus because the economy tanked.
I'm not suggesting that deep cuts shouldn't be made in overtime. I bet the cities and county can reign in their budgets with minimal layoffs if they kill the overtime.
And the unions would be wise to make some smart concessions to show the public they are part of the solution. Concessions don't have to cripple them permanently; they can include deferred benefits until the economy bounces back.
Perhaps in the future, we will elect people who are fiscally responsible and don't allow so many unfunded liabilities to weigh down the budget. And maybe having a rainy day fund instead of spending every nickel would be a good idea for the next recession.
So Why Is Our Government STILL Bringing In 1.5 MILLION Foreign Workers A Year?
http://www.americanworker.org/
The City of North Las Vegas needs to stop paying employees for a 40 hour week when they are only working 36 hours/week - no reason to continue paying them for their lunch hour. Ridiculous.
Cadaver :
WHO CARES how many people came her on Thursday Night ! You should start being concerned about how many people are here this Friday, and the next and next.. New Years eve is an unrealistic gauge on how well Las Vegas is doing or will do in 2010 !!!
What I dont see is ALL county and state employees listed on this website. Nobody from UMC is listed and they actually top the fire department. So why is this not being shown. Are they exempt from the budget cuts, I hope not.
Here in Henderson, there is no doubt that spending more money will bring in much more revenue down the road. Looking at the abandoned yellow golf courses at Lake Las Vegas, as well as the beautiful Tijuana clone called downtown Henderson, it is obvious that we simply need to continue to waste money on pipe dreams, like the upcoming "Air and Space Museum". 33 Million on Lake Las Vegas? Just a small piece of the pie. "Right?"
The new gigantic Senior Center on Racetrack Road is nearing completion, and will soon be overwhelmed with nearly dead people soon. Well, at least "whelmed". With taxpayer money.
If we don't stop the union loving lunatics at the "Redevelopment Department", we will continue to go into a deep hole. Lay them all off. Now...
Sounds like here in California. The spending goes on, the budget hole gets bigger, fingers get pointed, and NOTHING gets done! Administrators continue to draw huge salaries and bonuses while cutting employees and services. When a politician gets voted out due to ineptitude, they get appointed to a committee which pays them a 6 figure salary, State owned car, etc. Meanwhile we watch our roads get worse, criminals get released early, Graffiti is out of control because the enforcement that used to be there can make more money for the city/state working the speed traps. I say immediate 20% across the board cuts to each and every state / county / city budget. No exceptions. One place that can use bigger administrative cuts is the university system. Those at the top are skimming off the money, while demanding the students pay more. I say 50% cut in administrative budgets, no more "entertainment allowance, housing allowance, vehicles, etc". If they are making high 6 figures, they can pay for that out of their pay like the rest of us do.
Enviro,
I actually find you amusing. You being here since 59' explains alot. You have no backbone or real intelligence to debate anything. When you're called out on your negativity and statements that are non-factual, you get upset. You made statements that Montel Williams was a USN Seal, that was wrong, he played one on 3 episodes of JAG. You stated he was a Rhodes Scholar, that was wrong. You stated that Las Vehas spent "millions", and if I give you the benefit of doubt, a million is still not "millions". You make idiotic remarks about spending a million dollars to attract 315K visitors, as being foolish. I see from your posts, you are obviously laidoff and bitter. Maybe you being laidoff has more to do with your attitude and negativity than it does anything else. Dont hate me because I went to college and made more money in a year than you probably have in your whole pathetic self pity existence that you call your "life". People on here are constantly calling you out on your BS and negativity, it's almost on every article. Rather than read the blogs here, why not go back to0 school and educate yourself on business, it's obvious you have always been a worker bee.
And one more thing, take that idiot friend of yours with you, mrdisability, i mean mrability. Both of you need re-tooling, at least you can spell though.
Cadaver,
All he likes to do is spout inaccurate statements and be negative. He's been called out by not only you and I, but numerous others. He offers no intelligent debate or ideas, just like his cousin, mrability. Have a Happy & Prosperous New Year Cadaver.
If the city is hurting so badly then what makes them think they should be building a new city hall.
And when you look at how much money the county and city have received in stimulus funds and the fact that they haven't reported any real job creation or spending of the money it just goes to show how much these officials are pocketing. The money I'm talking about has already been received by them it not pending or awaiting payment.
Come time to vote we need to clean house and get these greedy liars out of office starting from the Governor and going down from there all the way to the bottom.
At UNLV and I only pay $25/month for my part of the health insurance. Awesome deal!!!!
Nico777 & Cadaver
You poor pathetic fools! Your so lost in your own demise, that you have no clue how badly you appear to the rest of the readers here. You are wrong on EVERY point you make, and have nothing better to do than to make yourselves feel important by being critical of others. I pity you both...
Listen I have worked at one of the local city's for many years, and I can tell you they are all full of overpaid,underqualified,cronies. Many people are underqualified for the positions they hold. Only achieving promotion because of their religon or their friends hiring them into those positions. All of the existing none elected government leaders, directors, managers should be eliminated. But what will happen is the upper management will hold thier salaries and positions while dedicated employees who actually do the work will get laid off. Watch how it happens all over this valley in the coming weeks. Employees with 10, 15, 20 years of exp. will get laid off and managers (with much less exp.)will remain. These middle managers do nothing really but will remain employeed. Revolt Now Public! Contact your elected officals and demand that middle managers be eliminated.
Enviro,
LOLOLOL, I called you out on making fun of others at the opening of City Center. You're sick and pathetic. Back up your remarks about Montel Williams, can you do that? Show me where he was a USN Seal as YOU stated! Show me where he was a Rhodes Scholar, as YOU stated!! No here appears as badly as you do, you're the one getting called out on your conjecture, bs, and innuendos. Just back up your statements with fact and intelligence. Quit ASSUMING that your some wise old owl, you're a idiot and a rumor spreader. You made fun of people in a picture when City Center opened, and I and others called you on it. No one is making fun of anyone, I, along with other are tired of your pathetic negativity, lies and BS. Go back to school, re-tool your mind, open your eyes and smell the roses. Enjoy the rest of your time here and try sending out positive vibes, it will come back to you.
Enviro,
By the way, it's a sin to call another a "fool". After you go to college, learn how to run a business, you come back and debate me. As of now, you are out of your league. Just stop with the negativity and the rumors.
Nico777 :
May I advise you that there are many fine decaff brands on the market today. You would do well for yourself to look into them...
You used that pathetic comeback before. Back up your statements on Montel Williams, or apologize for your lack of stating facts. Your choice, I find you pathetic and ignorant, I think you're a very bitter old man that thinks he's smart, but cant find a job. I think you find security in blaming a city, its people, goverment, etc for your lack of employment. I think your attitude is why no one wants to hire you or be around you.
I was horrified by the waste of money I witnessed as a State of Nevada Employee at the Southern Nevada Health District. I agree with the posts above about the finacial drain of middle managers who do nothing. Indeed the agency I worked for had created a system of time accounting so convoluted it could only be described as absurd. Most of the supervisors at the agency did nothing but serve this primative and labor intensive system. For the most part they were unnecessary adult babysitters and, at best, held constant unnecessary meetings to give them something to do. I have worked for governments all my life but never saw such waste except working for the State of Nevada. Let us hope that a review of these agencies will include an objective and informed approach at weeding out a system based on the more you make the less you do. At SNHD their are millions of dollars in cuts that could be made without any impacting of services to the public. In fact removing many of the managers and directors in this agency may ,in fact, bolster productivity and benefit the moral of the hard working and dedicated employees.
Right on Bradgore, UMC is the same way, we have assistants managing assistants, supervisors managing supervisors... everyone is babysitting the other because we continue to fall over each other looking for work to do. Course our impact will be the little guy before upper management leaves.
Nico777 :
Get off the Idiot train, and find your way in life...
You're pathetic Enviro. Still cant back up the Montel Williams BS huh?
Nico777, I think Montel Williams was in the Navy but, he was more of a spokeperson for Naval recruiting or something like that. I don't think he was ever a Navy Seal. Then he got the hottest stripper here in Vegas named Bambi ( go figure for a strippers name ).
Burrito,
Yes, he was in the Navy. A intelligence officer, also a graduate of the Naval Academy. My point was directed at Enviro, he stated he was a USN Seal, also a Rhodes Scholar. Both statements were false. I'm waiting for Enviro to either admit he is wrong, or I'm going to call out all his BS statements. He is not only a negative pathetic man, but he lacks intelligence as well. One thing I despise in this world is someone who states lies, BS, conjecture and innuendos in a public forum. I'm going to call Enviro out every time he states untrue statements as facts.
Enviro,
You really make yourself look like a fool. Reading the posts picking on you is quite amusing. Kind of reminds me of when I pick on my dad. He is such an easy target because he sets himself up. Please give us another one of your thoughts so we can continue the fun.
That juansanchez is a genious and to think I've been spelling medical like I was taught and it really should be spelled madical. Genious, absolutly genious!
I just have a few things to bring up, 1 why is the city, county, and state on a spending spree. Lets waste all this money building oscar his tajmahal and not worry about the health, welfare, and saftey of our residents. Oscar wake up if you build it they wont come. Look at all the vacancy on fremont street now, NEONOPOLIS maybey that should be your new city hall. Also why are we picking on all of the city and county unions and not even bringing up METRO. Our sales taxes went up because of them, and they keep building new buildings left and right, plus the city and county have to pay them. Have they had to make any consessions, I think not. Eveytime you turn around they are buying something new or adding more people. Im so glad all of these elected people have built these new building so they can put there name on it. Finally why dont we combine alot of our services in the valley, building department, marshalls, north town, henderson police with metro, all of our fire departments, courts, hr. That would streamline it all and cut down on redudancy. But wait then some of the administrators would loose there jobs and power and that will never happen. Lets just get rid of the worker bees. Oh and lastly for those of you that think privatetizing the FD is the answer, take a look at two things. The test site FF's make more than anyone in the valley and the privatized departments that once were through the southwest have all kicked out Rural Metro and gone back to a Municipality. If your really that jealouse about being a firefighter put in your application, but Im sure you have and cant do the job thats why you critisize them.
All of the name calling and personal attacks here are similar to what goes on in the Calif. legislature, which is why nothing is being done to save the state from complete financial meltdown in 2 years. I agree with appleslices--the "children are the future" stuff is getting old. We need colossal cuts to higher education because 1) I can't afford my property taxes and 2) college is a scam to get you into debt. Some of the you-tube videos where student debtors show you their bill from Sallie Mae are scarier than "Saw 6", like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHCtlOvzA...
manfromuncle, I watched the video and kept wondering when were the ladies gonna take off all their clothes. They looked like college strippers.
Well, I am a city employee and I make 48,000 a year. Believe me, I am grateful for that, but if they cut 8 percent now and 8 percent next year, I will be hurting for sure.
I think the TOP people should have their pay cut before any of us "peons" get cut. They need to start from the top executive pay. If they took 8 percent from them, it would amount to a lot more than taking 8 percent from the lower paid workers.
me3, welcome to reality.
Nico777 :
You are a hopeless idiot who has nothing better to do than sit around your computer all day you pathetic geek! why not try going out and getting a few lap dances because that's probably all you can manage between your diet of Twinkies and soda pop spilled all over your keyboard. And while your at it, clean under your fingernails..
this is to me3
at least you have 48,000 coming in, heck I would be happy with that, I have less than 2000 a year. Wanna trade ?
Enviro,
Still cant back up those pathetic statements you made about Montel Williams huh? Funny, I was always taught a "man" admits when he is or was wrong. I'm curious Enviro, you've been here since 59', what is your profession? Keep in mind, stating negative and false statements, and being negative isnt a profession, just a pathetic past time.
{TO ENVIRONPRECTOR} From the Sun now shut up about a Million dollars...
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Strip fireworks: 7 minutes, 96,000 aerial bursts, $500,000
Las Vegas ready to light fuse on nation's largest New Year's Eve pyrotechnic display
LEILA NAVIDI / LAS VEGAS SUN
Pyrotechnicians from Fireworks by Grucci, a company based in Long Island, New York, set up the fireworks for New Year's Eve on the roof of Treasure Island in Las Vegas Wednesday, December 30, 2009.
By Erin Dostal (contact)
Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.
Fireworks Setup at Treasure Island
Reader poll
How do you plan to spend New Year's Eve?
Partying on the Strip.
I'm celebrating away from home, but not on the Strip.
I'll be at home waiting for midnight.
No celebration for me. I might not stay awake.
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All Sun New Year's Eve 2009 coverage
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New Year's Eve in Las Vegas won't break the bank (12-30-2009)
Strip to be closed to cars for New Year's Eve (12-30-2009)
New Year's Eve celebration guide (12-29-2009)
The Black Eyed Peas won't be the only ones bringing some "Boom Boom Pow" to the Las Vegas Strip on New Year's Eve. So will Fireworks by Grucci.
The 315,000 expected visitors to the Strip will be watching the largest fireworks show in the country at midnight, while the Black Eyed Peas perform at the Luxor.
Felix J. Grucci Jr., executive vice president and CFO of New York-based Fireworks by Grucci, said his favorite part of the fireworks show is immediately after the finale.
"You can hear the din of the crowd coming up," Grucci said on Wednesday. "That's the fun part."
The celebration on the Strip, dubbed America's Party, is presented by Las Vegas Events, a not-for-profit special events agency funded by hotel room taxes. This year's fireworks cost $500,000.
The New Year's show, which will last 7 minutes, 11 seconds, will feature about 96,000 aerial bursts launched from the rooftops of seven casinos along the Strip.
The casinos are the MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Aria, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, The Venetian and the 1,149-foot Stratosphere, which is being rigged with fireworks to look like a giant pinwheel.
Downtown, the Fremont Street Experience party will feature TributePalooza, a collection of classic rock acts, and a separate fireworks show.
Nearly a year of planning goes into the New Year's fireworks show on the Strip. Designers begin choreographing the display in late spring, Grucci said.
Sixty-five pyrotechnicians have been setting up the fireworks since Sunday, he said.
On the roof of Treasure Island, where Grucci surveyed part of his crew on Wednesday afternoon, between 12,000 and 14,000 fireworks have been prepared for launch.
Anthony Magno, who works for Fireworks by Grucci, will be monitoring the fireworks at Treasure Island.
Enviro,
By the way, want to talk about sitting at their computer all day? You've made 998 posts since October 2009, LOL, thats pathetic. All of your statements are negative & false too! That truly is pathetic, get out and see Vegas, after 998 posts in 4 months, hard to take you serious.
Montell was not a Seal, but his military career is impressive:
Williams enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1974 and completed his recruit training at MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina. While training at Twentynine Palms, California, he was selected for training at the Naval Academy Preparatory School. A year later, he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.[2] In 1980, he graduated with a degree in international security affairs. Williams was the first African--American enlistee to graduate from both the United States Navy's Academy Prep School and Annapolis.[3] Upon graduation, Williams was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy.
Williams became a cryptology officer and served aboard USS Sampson during the U.S. invasion of Grenada. His awards include the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, two Navy Expeditionary Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, a Navy Achievement Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals and two Meritorious Service Medals. After 12 years of military service he departed as a Lieutenant Commander.[4]
(From "Wikipedia")
After 12 years, he only moved up 3 ranks? Thats not impressive, especially in a time of affirmative action.
Contract services out? Ok...who is going to write these contracts?...award the contracts to qualified providers?...make sure services are fulfilled?...on and on- it takes employees to do that AND THAT can take a bunch of time and money. Meanwhile, park turf is dying...buildings are hot in the Summer...plumbing repairs are needed. That is just three contracts off the top of my head. Now multiply it by EACH service needed AAAANNNNNDDD by law you need multiple bids. Can you see the pile of bureaucratic stuff building up?
I think all of this is funny (but sucks) because Obama and hardcore liberals thinks government can run healthcare, the banking system, and the auto industry but we see that government. Local officials can't control the wages of firefighters (most are city workers under Dem. Oscar Goodman.
You think government stinks on the city and state level, it smells much worse on the federal level. Instead of millions of wasted dollars, we now talk about billions and trillions in waste. How can the private sector hire more employees when the public sector bamboozles million, billions, and trillions?
Just think about about it and have an actual answer before you shoot back.
And no, calling me racist or a teabagger is not an answer Diamonddog and those like diamonddog.
Wake up people!
Vegas is run by the mob, ask them to pay up, Do any of you know how much the city of Vegas gets from police harrassing tourist? the answere is none. The mob keeps it all for themself. The police work for them and soon you will find yourselfs locked away for not paying extortion money.
The collapse is coming to a federal government near you. They can't keep printing money forever to keep appearances up and the day of reckoning is coming faster than most think. The feds will find they have significantly reduced income with significantly increased spending. Try this with your budget at home folks. It doesn't work.
PS: I noticed the State of Nevada is hiring "Licensed Psychiatrists." I don't know if that means there is hope, or hope if you are a psychiatrist.
hey GEEZ,
First, the only innamtes being kept past their expiration date s are the non compliant, sex offenders, or violent criminals. The low level drug offender you speak of is usually given probation. If the drug offender goes to prison they have the SB 184 program to come out early on or they are given the earliest parole date possible. NDOC is doing a great job getting their inmate numbers down. As for the Prole Board not being necessary you apparently haven't been to a board. Besides NRS requires that there is one so it is a dead issue. As for spending on education and the drug offenders will disappear is a joke!! We have the youngest group of heroin addicts ever, and they are in school!! Education will not and never has helped curb drug use. If you just let all the druggies out of prison they will resort to home invasions and other theft related crimes. Why? Bcause even when the job market was good they couldn't hold a job and now it is more competitive than ever!
Tullyroast and Rover, I am sorry you are making a meger living but we all make choices in what area we want to work. If you wanted job security and high pay you should have gone to college, if you went you should have picked a different major. Just because you are barely making a living doesn't mean everyone else should make peanuts! With this thinking we will be a socialist society in no time. Why don't we just tax the rich and let the poor live off of the social services their taxes pay for, oh crap we already do!! Everyone has to stop feeling sorry for themselves and work harder to do better.
Dipstick stated:cut every salary 10 percent, freeze pension payouts at current levels, and increase health care premiums for all employees, active and retired, eliminate overtime for all crafts, and cut state and municipal government by 25 percent. what is the problem?
Are you crazy? Nv State workers are some of the lowest paid state employees in the country and you want to take more?! The heath care they receive is not the best and the retirement isn't enought to live off of now. Reducing pensions and healthcare will only hurt our economy more not help it. i agree that the top saleries need to be reduced in all areas of state and local govt. Take a look at the rediculous amount of money paid to the assistant superintendants in the school system, the asst. to this and that in the state govt. and the fire dept and Metro PD. They need to cut the fat at the top not the bottom!!
Well said, peacemaker.
I AM SURE EVERYONE HAS READ WHAT RORY REID HAS STATED AS THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS..... NOT
YEAH THIS TOWN IS SO CORRUPT ...JUST KEEP PASSING THE BUCK, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REVOLT IN THIS TOWN, AND RUN EVERY OFFICIAL OUTTA HERE.
It's hard to have too much sympathy for a person getting an 8, 10 or 16 percent salary cut when my 11 year employer gave me a 100 percent salary cut in Dec. 2008. Had to start over, no vacation, no benefits. It sure is fun paying for my own health insurance now. (I became an independent contractor, working where and when there's work). The point is, I'm surviving and moving on, not crying about what could have been, or what was. I'll be glad to see the public sector finally have to do their part.
I wonder why you don't see more concessions coming from high level officials. Has Gibbons offered up a pay cut for himself? How about all those senators and congress people, have they offered to roll back the continueous wave of raises they voted in for themselves, year after year, at the expense of the tax payers? How about all these local officials? Has Oscar offered up a pay cut to do his part, may be get rid of those show girls he has around all the time? How about the city managers, and so forth and so on. If Gibbons wants to cut other peoples salaries perhaps he should hold every one across the board to the same set of expectations! Every one should do they part, especially the over paid public servants!
Hmmm....if the city is so impoverished, then why do they have $2 million going to the mob musuem on the agenda for the January 6 City Council Meeting? Under the Consent Items, no less? Just look through the Council Agenda and there is plenty of fat to be cut there first.
I agree with Mr.Ability. Every level needs to cut.
The tourists aren't coming and the county isn't growing. The only thing that continued growing were government expenditures. The funny thing is, this is also happening at the state and federal level and government officials don't seem able to work out the simple math. If you spend more then you take in.... you will run out of money if something doesn't change.
It would be nice if the reporters actually looked to see where cuts could be made instead of parroting what they're told by the government workers. If they looked, they would see that every single government entity is looking to hang on to the white collar jobs at the expense of the blue collar jobs.