Sandoval wants teachers to take 5 percent salary cut

By Cy Ryan

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011 | 3:45 p.m.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval wants to see a proposed 5 percent salary cut apply not only to state workers but to all school employees and university officials.

The governor announced Wednesday his budget carries an across-the-board reduction for state workers, instead of continuing a one-day-a-month furlough that amounted to a 4.6 percent salary cut.

The governor, in his budget to be unveiled Jan. 24, is providing 5 percent less money to school districts that have to bargain with teachers.

“They are probably looking at negotiation right now,” said Heidi Gansert, chief of staff for the governor.

It will be up to the school districts to decide what to do with the 5 percent decrease.

The 5 percent reduction would save $591 million over the coming two fiscal years. The state is facing a $1.2 billion to $3 billion shortfall in its budget and Sandoval opposes any increase in taxes.

Sandoval Senior Adviser Dale Equiaga told reporters there has been mixed reaction from state workers to the proposed 5 percent cut. Some said they understood the financial problems of the state and others wanted an extra day furlough a month in return for losing the 4.6 percent in pay.

The Nevada Supreme Court didn't require its employees to take the furloughs during the past two fiscal years, saying it saved enough money in other ways. It will be up to the court again to decide what it will do.

Gansert said cabinet members favored the straight reduction because of scheduling and service problems. She said the work piled up in some agencies with employees off one day a month. She said the quality of service suffers when there is not a full staff.

The reduction will also apply to those who are paid with federal funds.

The state Public Employees System is going to raise its premiums by 1.12 percent for each employee. Gansert said that additional premium would be levied against the lower salary of state workers.

Erquiaga said it was “highly unlikely” there would be a closure of museums. “We're pursuing other means,” he said, but declined to elaborate.

Former Gov. Jim Gibbons wanted agencies to suggest a 10 percent budget and targeted four of the seven state museums for closure.

They were the railroad museums in Ely and Carson City, the Lost City Museum in Overton and the Nevada Historical Society in Reno.

Gansert said the administration is reviewing whether to phase out the antiquated Nevada State Prison in Carson City. Former Corrections Director Howard Skolnik wanted to close the prison, which has been operated since the 1860s. But the 2009 Legislature rejected the suggestion to shut down the prison.

Gansert repeated Sandoval’s pledge to seek a voucher program for all schools, including parochial schools. “It (the vouchers) will cover all schools,” she said.

“Parents need to have options,” Erquiaga said.

There were nine legislative bills pre-filed by Gibbons. Erquiaga said, “Please do not assume they are this governor’s policy position.”

He said some bills were being re-written. One of the Gibbons bills calls for elimination of collective bargaining for local government and school teachers.

“The governor (Sandoval) will propose not to completely eliminate collective bargaining. He will talk about collective bargaining in the State of the State but he will not carry the complete elimination of it,” Erquiaga said.