Sen. Harry Reid: Clean energy, education, transportation and small businesses key to Nevada’s future

By Delen Goldberg

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011 | 2:55 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid visited Las Vegas today to lay out his priorities for the 112th Congress.

On his agenda: creating good-paying clean energy jobs, improving Nevada's education system, modernizing transportation infrastructure and investing in small businesses.

Achievements in those areas will make Nevada a competitor in the global economy, Reid said.

To create green jobs, Reid wants to extend production and investment tax incentives to renewable energy companies and invest in research to tap new fields.

He said he's also working to get Nevada its fair share of transportation funding (to build a high-speed rail line and highways to Phoenix and Reno), and he vowed to fight against tax breaks for millionaires and for corporations that outsource jobs.

As for education, Reid largely placed the burden on the state - a daunting prospect since Nevada is facing a multi-billion dollar deficit and Gov. Brian Sandoval has pledged not to raise taxes.

"Funding for education comes from state government," Reid said. "Most of the solutions ... are going to have to come from state government."

Reid said he's in favor of helping the state but explained that he doesn't have the votes he needs to pass legislation. Reid would need Republican support to funnel more money to Nevada and other states - a tall order given the GOP's calls to cut spending and the national deficit.

Reid said he will not get involved in debating specific state legislation but will address the state Legislature in February.

"The Legislature, the governor, need to focus" on education, said Reid, who cited Nevada's dismal education statistic. "It's not going to be solved on its own."

Reid also urged Sandoval to "step back from election statements" and properly fund schools and education.

"Brian Sandoval has the capacity to be a good governor...but wanting to do the right thing and doing the right thing are different," Reid said.