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Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Gov. Brian Sandoval recently met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid about funding for Medicaid, Nov. 27, 2010.
Sun Coverage
Sun archives
- Expect Sandoval to flex his newfound political capital on his anti-tax pledge (11-10-2010)
- Let Sandoval take heat for budget, Democrats say (11-5-2010)
- Brian Sandoval defeats Rory Reid in governor’s race, now must govern (11-2-2010)
- University system snubs governor, won’t submit budget with cuts (10-28-2010)
- State’s budget woes could end programs targeting seniors (10-27-2010)
- Reid, Sandoval clash over state budget in lively governor’s debate (10-26-2010)
- Home assistance for disabled among services on budget chopping block (10-21-10)
- Museums hit under proposed cuts to state budget (10-19-10)
- Governor’s race tightens as budget debate avoided (10-5-2010)
- $2.5 billion state budget deficit: ‘Best-case scenario’ (4-23-2010)
- Gibbons: School districts should brace for 10 percent cuts (2-2-10)
- Brian Sandoval, Rory Reid spar over budget solutions (1-27-2010)
He has the no-new-taxes mantra down pat. And he is promising what could be severe budget cuts. So it might be easy to dismiss Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval as Jim Gibbons 2.0 — just a newer version of the outgoing governor.
Same basic policies, more polished packaging.
Gibbons did it with a smirk, Sandoval does it with a smile. What’s the difference?” asked Bob Fulkerson, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, which represents liberal interests.
But members of Sandoval’s team say the metaphor grossly oversimplifies the governor-elect. There are differences between the two men that will distinguish the new administration, Sandoval’s supporters say.
For starters: Sandoval doesn’t speak with the same disdain for government that Gibbons did.
Gibbons has appeared almost eager to carve up the state bureaucracy over the past four years. He continued to insist state government was “bloated” during round after round of budget slashing.
Gibbons also seemingly prefaced every statement about the budget with the phrase “these are tough times.”
Sandoval, on the other hand, expresses optimism about the state’s future. And when he talks about budget cuts, it’s in vague terms and with a heavy expression — a reluctant reaper, with no other options.
And, unlike Gibbons, Sandoval has appeared willing to cultivate allies, including Democrats. Sandoval recently traveled to Washington, where he asked U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for increased federal funding for Medicaid and unemployment insurance. Sandoval’s and Reid’s offices sent out a joint news release with a photo of the two.
Gibbons had sent letters requesting the help, but it’s unlikely the current governor would have met with Reid or posed for a photograph with him.
Critics, however, say style points will be irrelevant when the state’s next governor is judged. His most immediate and pressing challenge — balancing the budget — will be the yardstick.
It is early, to be sure. Sandoval has yet to take office and is only beginning to develop a budget plan. Despite promising during the campaign to release a proposed spending plan, he will not do so until Jan. 24, when the constitution requires it, his staff said.
But given the dire financial situation that will immediately confront Sandoval upon taking office, his promises not to raise taxes or fees, and to rely heavily on cuts, have given an indication of what his budget will look like.
Sandoval shrugged off comparisons to Gibbons.
“I’m not comparing myself to any previous administration,” he said in a Nov. 19 phone interview from a Republican Governors Association meeting in San Diego. “I’ve had an extremely productive two weeks” meeting with legislative leaders from both parties, as well as interviewing potential department heads.
“We’re two different people,” Sandoval said. “I have great amount of respect for the office of the governor.”
The day after this month’s election, Sandoval requested to meet with Gibbons, whom he defeated in June’s primary. Gibbons, who suffered a broken pelvis in September, has not responded, though he ordered state agency chiefs to cooperate with the incoming administration.
Heidi Gansert, Sandoval’s chief of staff and a former Assembly Republican leader, said Sandoval will be personally involved in staffing and budget decisions. Gibbons delegated many of those responsibilities.
He will also reach out to legislative leadership and across the aisle.
But promises of compromise might not mean much if taxes are off the table.
“Compromise means give and take,” Fulkerson said. “If he’s not willing to address the state’s revenue problem, that’s not engaging. That’s ‘my way or the highway.’ ”
Others are taking a more cautious approach in evaluating the incoming governor.
Jon Sasser, an advocate for health and human services for the poor, disabled and elderly, said, “It’s way too early” to make comparisons to Gibbons. “I haven’t given up hope yet. But there’s no great promising signs.”
Lynn Warne, president of the Nevada State Education Association, praised Sandoval’s choice of Terri Janison, current president of the Clark County School Board, as his director of community relations.
But on the budget, she said, “I’m concerned he hasn’t moved off his campaign talking points yet.”
Danny Thompson, executive secretary of the AFL-CIO, said Sandoval’s decision to retain many state agency chiefs was a good one. As for the budget, Thompson said the Legislature can override him.
“I think the budget he has proposed has always been irrelevant,” Thompson said. “The Legislature is the one who crafts something that works.”
Gansert said Sandoval will be relevant during the 2011 session despite his position on taxes. His fellow Republicans have made gains in both the Assembly and Senate, meaning he will have leverage at the table.
“Gov.-elect Sandoval is a strong leader,” she said. “We’ll be negotiating the budget, negotiating reapportionment, negotiating reforms.”
I predict a gold price crash in 2 years, not good for the State.
Look for more DMV fees and licensing fees.
The big issue will be whether Metro can keep their money, when Sandoval raids city and county revenues.
Internet taxes are also important.
"He asked U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for increased federal funding for Medicaid and unemployment insurance."
TeaHeads ain t gonna like that, you betcha.
How quick liberals are to castigate the new gov. before he even takes office! How about we wait and give the guy a chance, for crying-out-loud!
"...he is promising what could be severe budget cuts."
It should be obvious for We the People to survive government needs to get drastically smaller. Since the teat We have provided for so long has run dry it seems obvious to government needs to just get out of the way, starting with repealing those laws requiring licensing for what people have the fundamental right to do (contracts) and decriminalizing anything where nobody is injured, like raising hemp/marijuana. Then kick out the feds where they don't belong, again with marijuana being a good start.
"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual." -- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Isaac H Tiffany (1819)
Heidi Gansert is a strong leader.
I predict worsening education outcomes, more laid-off workers, worsening home ownership problems, lack of new industry to Nevada, and further recession before anything gets better. But one good thing about Sandoval's election: Now he'll have to show us that so-called economic and education plan he promised.
Chunky says:
All he wants for Christmas and beyond are political leaders who will balance the budget so they're not spending more than the State/City/Feds collect in revenue.
When times are good again, we can spend more again. For now, we need to trim up, get lean and only spend what we have.
While the Feds can and do flip the switch and simply print more worthless dollars, the state and local governments don't have that option.
That's what Chunky thinks!
Where is Jim?
I thought he was still gov until Jan 2011?
"balancing the budget".....
When Nevada is 'required' to balance the budget,
our state will be under control....
Can we get Legislation to: DEPORT THE 1,000 illegals in Nevada PRISONS and save $50,000 a day? Can we GET NO FAULT AUTO INSURANCE and save every driver a hundred bucks or more each year? Can we get legislation making it a felony to ASSIST ILLEGAL RESIDENCY? Just think, if we could remove the 1,000 illegal invader/prisoners and their extended families we could get K-12 budget, law enforcement, legal aid, Prisons, district attorney/prosecutors.
Attention government employees: seems obvious they are taking steps to eliminate higher-graded positions and lay off the long-term employees. This will immediately SLASH STATE PAYROLL. Will also cut PERS and PEBP costs when those former employees have to cash out their retirement contributions in order to survive beyond 99 weeks. Your subordinates will do your former work. Oh sure, they'll reassign and revise positions to have "defense" that same position is no longer there.
Stupid sheeple of Nevada the majority of you voted for him. Deal with it morons. He will pull a Palin and quit in 2 years to run for president. His networth will go up and yours will go down fools.
Marla, fyi...he did release an education plan pretty early on. I preferred his plan over Rory's, which is why I voted for him. Plan is at http://www.briansandoval.com/pdf/Raising....
Though I'm confident your remark was just a snide comment about how Rory released all of these "plans" (even though many were vague) and Sandoval didn't.
The election is over, get over it. You can blindly support your political party's candidate again in a couple of years. It's not about elections at this point (thank friggin GOD!), we all benefit if he's successful.
Let's give the new governor a chance.
Love this guy's "new ideas hotline."
It's like blogging...talking to "the hand."
Except people actually read blogs, of course. LOL
FIX EDUCATION: Cut teacher benefits and salary--$72K a year for part time work is excessive. TEACH KIDS TO READ, then to write. End all those costly programs for ELL/ESL. Emphasize good students, not poor performers. Face it world, the mentally handicapped are not going to solve our problems, the gifted might.
Require valid a NV ID for employment or social services, with significant penalties for employers who don't comply. That'll generate revenue & cut costs.
Reform the educational system to focus on pay for classroom performance, not credentials. Best way may be voucher system that allows parents to choose the school(s) they think best -- be they public, charter, or private. Schools would have to meet safety standards and there'd have to be state wide standardized testing of all students to assess performance. Our schools MUST do better -- raising standards & graduation rates.
Reform the prison system, which has become little more than a criminal breeding ground. First-time non-violent offenders get work camps & counseling, the rest get austere isolation cells for as long as possible (with their final year of sentence at a special work camp & then halfway house, to help them with their inevitable re-integration into society). We MUST eliminate the gang breeding atmosphere prisons & jails are facilitating.
Create tax incentives for research & manufacturing businesses to set up shop here. We'd have to make sure to improve school performance & quality of life though -- low taxes & wage scales won't be enough.
Consider legalizing marijuana & prostitution, heavily controlled & taxed. Distasteful, to put it mildly, but it would generate revenue. (Some discreet "houses of ill repute" downtown would probably save it from its slow decline and generate boatloads of money for the State, City & County.)
NLV-Indep13: How about GOVERNMENT SALES OF seized MARIJUANA? Sell it for a bit less than street rate and use all proceeds to fund NON-education programs.
The only issue with cutting pay and benefits for the public sector are that those at the top are not taking the cuts themselves. Real leaders should share the responsibility and pain of salary and benefit cuts and lead by example. Where are the Real Leaders who will step up to the plate?
Reduce spending until the budget is balanced.
That's all folks!!!