Friday, Jan. 7, 2011 | 1:27 p.m.
Gov. Brian Sandoval makes his inaugural address during Monday's inauguration ceremony, Jan. 3, 2011 at the Capitol in Carson City.
Oscar Goodman
Shari Buck
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval huddled with the mayors of the five largest cities in Nevada on Friday over financial problems and they say they came away feeling optimistic.
North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck said the governor has pledged not to take their reserves or touch local sales tax revenue.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he felt optimistic after the meeting but refused to discuss details. “We came away with a smile on our face,” Goodman said.
Mayor Bob Cashell of Reno echoed Goodman’s statement and declined to discuss specifics.
After the meeting with the mayors, the governor talked with Dwight D. Jones, the Clark County superintendent of schools. Jones said the governor didn't share any numbers from his upcoming budget.
Jones said the governor “might be looking at some potential options” such as taking some of the money in the capital construction programs of schools. “There is nothing finalized,” Jones said.
Jones said the governor assured him that any reductions would be shared equally.
After the session with the mayors, Buck said it was clear that some programs will be shifted from the “high level” of government to the “lower level,” meaning the state would send some of its social programs to cities and counties.
The governor's proposed budget will be released Jan. 24.
Sandoval called it a positive meeting. He has been stressing “home rule” that would give counties, cities and Nevada’s university system more authority to conduct their own affairs, such as raising taxes or student fees.
The governor has said he won’t propose a tax increase to balance the state’s budget, which may face a shortfall of anywhere from $1.2 billion to $3 billion.
Sandoval met with university officials earlier this week. The university system is expecting big reductions in their proposed budget.
James Dean Leavitt, chairman of the Board of Regents, said after the meeting that students should expect to pay higher fees.
Sun archives
- Sandoval eyes students’ wallets to help close deficit (1-7-2011)
- Sandoval suggests ‘significantly higher’ fees for higher ed students (1-5-2011)
- Sandoval increasingly isolated in his anti-tax stance (12-29-2010)
- State has upper hand in budget turf war (12-27-2010)
- Sandoval to build own budget (12-22-2010)
- Panels propose ideas to squeeze state budget (12-4-2010)
- Sandoval budget assumes 10 percent cut to state, higher ed and furloughs (12-2-2010)
- Polished knife still cuts deep into state’s budget (11-28-2010)
- 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)
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