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AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli
Gov. Brian Sandoval acknowledges the applause of lawmakers and guests after entering the Nevada Assembly chambers to deliver his first State of the State speech before a joint session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City on Monday, Jan. 24, 2011.
Published Monday, Jan. 24, 2011 | 6:05 p.m.
Updated Monday, Jan. 24, 2011 | 9:08 p.m.
Grade Sandoval's State of the State address
- What grade would you assign to Gov. Brian Sandoval's State of the State address?
- F — 37.2%
- D — 20.2%
- A — 16.6%
- C — 15.5%
- B — 10.5%
- What is your ZIP code?
- What is your political party affiliation?
- Democrat — 45.4%
- Independent — 24.3%
- Republican — 22.4%
- Other — 3.6%
- Libertarian — 2.4%
- Green — 1.1%
- Tea Party of Nevada — 0.7%
- Independent American Party — 0.1%
This poll is closed, see Full Results »
Note: This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.
Beyond the Sun
Sun Archives
- Scott Dickensheets: Imagine the state of the state two years down the road (1-24-11)
- State of the State: How doors could open for Nevada (1-24-11)
- Is Brian Sandoval’s ‘shared-sacrifice’ budget the solution to state’s economic woes? (1-23-11)
- Most vulnerable await budget cuts with trepidation (1-23-11)
- Increasingly worried liberals seek pushback on Sandoval budget (1-21-11)
- Construction industry: Raise taxes for job growth (1-20-11)
- Groups seek higher taxes on tobacco and gasoline (1-20-11)
- Sandoval warns of consolidation, job losses in state government (1-19-11)
Sun Coverage
CARSON CITY -- Gov. Brian Sandoval is calling for an overhaul of the public school system, shifting $267 million in state costs to Nevada counties and decreasing funding to higher education to help solve the state's budget shortfall.
In his State of the State message Monday evening, he outlined a proposed $5.8 billion two-year budget that would consolidate 20 state agencies, cut state workers' salaries by 5 percent and freeze their merit and longevity pay. His cuts also include closing the antiquated Nevada State Prison in Carson City.
He said his budget and other proposals will lead Nevada “onto a new path, and I submit that it is one of progress and ultimate prosperity.” (The speech began at 6 p.m., but prepared remarks were released to the media before it began.)
His proposed budget would eliminate hundreds of jobs, with most of those coming in health and human services programs. Sandoval said he wants to pay workers based on their performance, rather than give automatic pay increases every year. He also advocates giving state workers bonuses for identifying waste in the bureaucracy.
The governor will soon sign an executive order creating the Office of Inspector General to work with the internal audit staff to assess the spending of taxpayer dollars. He will sponsor a bill in the Legislature that would sunset every licensing and advisory board by June 2013 so lawmakers can determine if they should continue to exist.
Sandoval instructed state gaming regulators to draw up rules and proposed laws to “provide a flexible environment for the technological resources that are the underpinning of modern gaming devices.”
On education, total funding for public schools would be reduced by 5 percent. The state’s basic support per pupil would be $4,918, or a decline of $270 per pupil. He also proposes giving school districts greater flexibility in spending their money.
He called for an end to teacher tenure to eliminate protection of seniority; evaluating teachers and principals on student achievement; creating a $20 million system to reward performance of effective teachers and ending so-called social promotion, requiring that students be able to read by the end of the third grade or not advance.
The governor is repeating his call for better charter school options and vouchers to make private school education a possibility for more families.
His proposed budget calls for a 17 percent reduction in all funds – state and federal – to the university system, which he says has failed. The four-year schools have a graduation rate of less than 50 percent, while the graduation rate for two-year colleges ranges from 4 to 20 percent.
He said he wants to give the university Board of Regents more autonomy to raise tuition, which is “well below our Western neighbors.” But 15 percent of any tuition increase would be reserved to help those who need financial aid.
With Nevada’s unemployment rate the highest in the nation, Sandoval is setting aside $10 million to give to employers to hire those seeking work. He wants to add $10 million in economic development funds to lure businesses to Nevada.
Sandoval said the cure for unemployment “is not more government spending but helping businesses create jobs. The key is to get Nevada working again.”
On transportation, he said in prepared remarks, "We need to improve ground connections by linking Las Vegas to Phoenix via Interstate 11 and to Southern California via high-speed rail."
Turning to federal health care reform, Sandoval said he thinks many of its points are unconstitutional, but the state must prepare for it. He said the state can't wait until civil suits are resolved and must plan for a major expansion of Medicaid, which could cost Nevadans $574 million between 2014 and 2019.
He is also advocating a change in the Nevada Public Employee Retirement System so future employees would come under a defined contribution plan. The state health insurance plan can no longer afford full health care coverage for all retirees, he said.
WOW : We have a real Govenor!!
Going to be a very long 4 years.
I see Governor Sandoval has emphasized on targetting the education system in Nevada for cost cuts...more than anything else.
To make up for letting the filthy rich mining corporations/casino owners make more money, he has targetted teachers and the entire educational system.
He clearly wants Nevada to get dumber. In order for the filthy rich to contribute campaign finances to his efforts.
It is readily apparent that he don't want Nevada to get ahead. Not the people. Not small businesses. Not new businesses. Only the casinos. Only the mining interests. Everyone else that can't line his pockets with money can go to hell. Those that can't be manipulated are insignificant. He is only interested in those that can be manipulated. To make money off of.
As far as education goes, Governor Sandoval wants minimal money spent for education.
His entire goal is to get the most out of the filthy rich people.
To educate people in Nevada is not his priority. He is not interested in that.
His SOLE motivation is to incarcerate. Not educate.
He wants Nevadans to get dumber and dumber and dumbest. Because that, and only that, lines his pocket with money. And affords him political greatness.
He only wants us to turn into career criminals.
He is not for Nevada.
He wants us to turn into a third world country.
I repeat....
He only wants to make sure Nevada law enforcement incarcerates....
....and he is not interested in educating.
The devil is in the details. Can't say I disagree with any of his points. If Sandoval just shows up for work he'll surpass anything Gibbons did.
Cuts have to made. Can't get blood from a stone. If the money isn't there to fund the extras, well..it isn't there.
Job creation and better education are top priorities although I'm of a mind that government does not create jobs. All it can do is create the atmosphere. Ultimately big companies need to be drawn here to get away from a one business town.
TomD1228 states: "If Sandoval just shows up for work he'll surpass anything Gibbons did."
TOTALLY and COMPLETELY agree with this assessment.
Sell all of the casinos in the state to one corporation (MGM for example) like they do in Pennsylvania.
Tax this new entity at 55% like Pennsylvania.
Billions of new revenue for Nevada and only one large corporation for the gaming board to handle.
Win, Win, Win!!!
From Pennsylvania's gaming control website.
For every dollar produced as revenue from slot machine play, 55 is returned to Pennsylvanians. Imagine this return in Nevada. Wowsers!
Chunky says:
Not much of what Mr. Sandoval proposes is very popular face value but at least he's making the hard / crappy decisions no one else was willing to make. This is not the same economy or world we've lived in the last 25 years.
The State cannot afford to spend more than it takes in revenue anymore than a individual can. It's not that some of the programs are not worth funding if we can afford it but we can't; else we'll end up like California.
Suck it up and balance the budget like households have had to do when their income drops or they've overspent! How hard can that be?
That's what Chunky thinks!
Tax mining.
"But that would mean amending the state constitution."
So amend the goddamned constitution. Foreign companies literally take the land that makes up this state and ship it overseas making money hand over fist in the process, all the while avoiding any kind of real tax liability to compensate the citizens of Nevada.
Yet Sandoval wants some of the hardest working people in this state - Teachers - to take yet another financial hit, something that amounts to a de facto tax on teachers in this state.
So foreigners who rape the land get rich while people who are expected to improve the quality of life of the future generations of this state are told to be poor and like it.
Boy Brian, leadership that ain't.
Create a state lottery.
"But that would mean amending the state constitution."
So amend the goddamned constitution.
Nevada loses many millions of dollars annually to neighboring states in sales of lottery tickets. Nevadans want to participate in a lottery. Nevadans already spend money IN OTHER STATES on the lottery, some driving many hours to do so.
Make playing the lottery convenient for Nevadans, and keep the money in the state to make it PROFITABLE for NEVADA, not California or Arizona.
There are options to make money here. A real leader would push to take advantage of those opportunities. Man Up, Sandoval. Stop asking the little guy to give, give, give, and start opening the doors to new, viable and reasonable streams of revenue so that we can pay for things like education and social services without raising taxes.
Act like a leader, not like a fool.
Loved it. And that's why he got elected.
He's more articulate than Gibbons, but otherwise, it's the same old party line: cut, cut, cut. Nothing new, nothing innovative. Nothing at the end of the day that will help turn this state around. Tax state workers - but don't call it a tax - but God forbid, don't touch mining, or corporations. I'm not surprised, yet I'm still disappointed that we have no real political leadership in this state.
Awe, I feel so bad for all you self serving public servants. Are you guys finally gonna feel what those of us in the private sector have been dealing with for YEARS. let me get you a tissue!
Recall the gov and elect Rory - the man with a workable plan.
tbvegas,
Public employees exist to provide basic services that the private sector can't provide or won't provide because there is no "profit" motive.
Somehow, throughout the economic crash, private companies all over this country have managed to remain profitable and continue to operate. My employer included.
Others, either due to poor management, bad business planning or just bad luck fell on hard times, and their employees felt the pain. However, I don't feel much heartache when "private sector" employees turn on public employees because the bottom line is that privately held companies can either exist or not without effecting services that communities depend on and that public employees provide.
Communities fail when education is devalued. Communities could really care less if your insurance agency goes out of business. Sure, business failures in the private sector impact the employees greatly. But the gutting of public workers who teach, or who provide home care to the disabled, or who inspect produce that we buy at the grocery impacts entire communities.
So please, stop vilifying public employees. They haven't done anything wrong.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/voi...
Here's a great article that describes why the vilification of public employees is bullcrap. Take a few minutes and think critically about the issue.
Chunky adds:
If lotteries are profitable Nevada should amend the constitution and have one. It's not like we don't have all the other vices for sale in the state!
That's what Chunky thinks!
Dennis Williams,
Actually, once created vouchers prove very popular among low-income parents. They have also been shown to provide statistically significant increases in student achievement and graduation rates among low-income children.
Maybe they can re-sell this equipment to save the taxpayers some money? http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jan...
Awesome Governor! Get this state in shape!
Two things struck me as I read the transcript (I only caught a few minutes of it live.) One was this statement from the opening remarks:
"Some believe government is the only solution to our current plight. I disagree. Unemployment, foreclosures, bankruptcy -- the cure is not more government spending, but helping businesses create jobs. The key is to get Nevada working again."
I agree with that, but I have to ask, will he be able to do it? (And I sincerely hope he does.)
The second was how he mentioned in his speech and again in the new conference that (and I paraphrase here) he and his team had to look at what they must spend instead of what they wanted to spend. Say what you want, but that is what every single one of us as an individual must do, and it is about time our government got that message, too. I only hope it is for real and not so much glitter.
He is disgusting.
Tax business, Tax Tourism, Tax mining, tax, tax, tax...People are delusional to think that ANY tax doesn't simply get passed on by business to consumers, or restricts these companies from hiring new employees...Get real, stop spending!
Keystone. Let me rephrase your opening statement. Public employees exist to provide basic services TO the private sector.
As long as your bretherin in the FD make 200K, PD make 100k, LVVWD make 200k, and all other public servants continue to make 30% more than private sector comparables, you are barking up the wrong tree.
5% is not a big hit, I personally think it's not enough, but its a start.
A 5% hit can sting, but it's better than being unemployed (which would also increase the state's burden) and at the same time maintains service levels.
The real question is why did the state say local governments must recognize collective bargaining while it does not? Why shouldn't local government have the same freedom to set wage levels that the state does?
Gov. BS
Your not half as slick as I thought you were. I know you were anointed by gaming to be their shill, and all you had to do was hit the right wing talking points to be elected. But, you played yourself with the "Obamacare is unconstitutional, but we can't wait to get it" sooner or later you will have to make real decisions that keep this state moving forward and you have CAVE written all over you. Everyone, gets tired of a guy that says one thing and does another.
P.S. Next address wear a red cape because you do kinda look.......
Not a bad speech--probably a B-. I did like the part about consolidation of the bureaucracies. One must keep in mind that the only way this will work is to make some deep mgt cuts. If you take four bureaucratic departments and integrate them into one, then you get rid of three department heads (and their secretaries, admin assistants, assistant mgrs, benefits, large offices, big paychecks, etc.)
And with consolidation comes reduction in office space. Reduce the amount of square footage that is currently under lease and, at the same time, renegotiate the rates to today's rates. Big savings here--go to the State's website and just look at all of the $ going to office leases.
Also, while I don't like the reduction in education funding, it won't be so bitter to swallow if we can outsource the non-education expenses (janitorial, air conditioning maint, electrical & plumbing departments,etc.), and leave the real educational expenses as is. Outsourcing of non-educational related expenses should create some real $ savings.
Finally, I do like the idea of pay for performance as it can help get rid of the dead weight teachers. Kids deserve good teachers, not ones that tend to hide behind their union rules. Make them all step up and teach effectively or get out. And get rid of the in-service days. They serve no one and provide no beneficial value.
@keystone6,
And how much whining are you going to be doing in the six years it takes to amend the Constitution? You do realize that's how long the process takes? And that any amendment starts, not with the Governor, but with the Senate or Assembly?
Loser. He's suing Obamacare while the state applies for and receives federal healthcare grants to fill the gap in between healthcare plans that retired state workers can receive who are not yet eligible for Medicare.
Only problem with the last line of the story is that the state of NV does not provide full retiree health benefits for all state retirees. http://unlvfaculty.blogspot.com/2011/01/...
Cut funding at the University/College level and at the same time raise tuition fees to offset any loss in funding to help those in need. The ones in need are the minorities in which the governor can associate with.
My family pays for the tuition fee of my nephews out of their own pocket. Sandoval wants my family to pay more so it can provide for those who cannot afford it because he wants to CUT the funding.
Why not slash your salary in half to pay for the tuition fees of YOUR PEOPLE Sandoval.
"WOW: We have a real Govenor!!" -- Clyde Perkins, top of this comment list
Clyde Perkins' spelling details exactly why its a bad idea to cut K-12 public education by 15% and Higher Education by 30% as Governor Sandogibbons wants to do. This will be the final result when all the education cuts are tabulated. This is Jim Gibbons budget warmed over. Take from the working people of this state and let gaming, mining, and banking skate by without paying their fair share. In the last few years while we all suffered, mining and banking made RECORD PROFITS, yet small businesses, teachers, and state workers bore the pain. Republicans and Democrats in the legislature need to stop this now.
Brian Sandoval had a chance tonight to be a Governor of the people and he blew it. Wal-Mart thanks him and the foreign corporations that mine pieces of our state and take them across the ocean thank him, but his budget provides the working families of this state either with unemployment, pay cuts, benefit cuts, or all three in rapid succession. And the children of this state? Well, if your family is rich like B.S., you can go to private schools; but if you are working class people, you get more and more education funding cut with teachers who are paid less and less.
This budget proves that Sandogibbons is cut from the same cloth as the last Republican who held that office-"Let them eat cake" indeed.
He had his chance and he has picked his side-the Powerful and the Rich. Time for our side, the People, to have their turn.
Call your legislator at 1-800-978-2878 and demand that this budget be rejected. Republicans and Democrats can do better without further damaging education, harming small businesses, and taking more money from the working class that would be spent instead in our economy.
Translation:
More free goodies for the fat cats.
Less for Education.
More Unemployed Nevadans.
Tax breaks up the wazoo for "favorable business environment".
Turn a blind eye, by way of abolishing oversight mechanisms, in order to facilitate a more "favorable business environment" & more profits for Big Business.
Vouchers for himself & his wealthy cohorts.
Shaft the Public Employees! Man, are THEY going to be "sharing the pain"! Apparently both now AND down the road. They are about as popular as the U.S. Congress.
Just WAIT until they reap what they sow. Dang, will that be a stitch!
Oh, and he will ONLY SIGN BILLS THAT DO NOT FAVOR ONE PARTY OVER THE OTHER...
ha ha ha ha!
B.S.!!!
Worst Governor Ever!
Best governor ever. So far. Guinn was the worst governor ever.
Are we sure old Jim Gibbers didn't go under the knife and buy some hair dye?
The guy may look different, but he's reading from the same script.
We need a leader, not a figurehead.
We needed a leader... instead we got Brian.
Teacher pay in Nevada, if you have been in a district for a number of years, has lagged dramatically behind the majority of the country.
When the boom was at it's height, they HAD to increase salaries in order to attract the huge number of teachers needed to serve the multitudes, or no sane person would come to teach here.
So, salaries came up. To around the middle of the pack.
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Rese...
Of course, those new teachers were also paying over-inflated prices to buy in if they chose to make a commitment and own a home here. So now,
they are making less money, owe more than their home is worth if they bought, and are looking at the stark reality of Governor B.S. throwing the A-Bomb at school districts.
Additionally, there will be less money going to the already cash-strapped school systems.
Agree with Dennis/Dipstick here that B.S. sounded a whole lot like an NPRI Libbertarrian...
"Larger class sizes, 'no problemo!' facts back up our assertion that in other countries, class size does not matter!"
"Vouchers are great fun and foster competion!"
Well, that's a whole lotta hooey.
http://www.takepart.com/news/2009/03/04/...
These are nothing but subsidies for rich people.
Per-pupil spending, already anemic at best, will take another hit. I know, I know, "jeez, how much money we gotta throw down that hole before we see results!" Well, the answer to that is MORE, not LESS. When you are near the bottom, and you start to cut, where does that leave us....let's calculate:
CLOSER TO THE BOTTOM!
Of course money ISN'T the ONLY thing, but it's sure one of the important ones.
Check out this link from Ralston's column a short while back... if you want to gain at least a glimpse of why Nevader is sucking at Education, take a SERIOUS LOOK at this "Chances for Success" set of graphs:
http://media.lasvegassun.com/media/pdfs/...
The cuts to Higher Ed is a whole other story, one of sticking our youth with more debt burden, while getting less of an education in the bargain.
Bottom line:
We are winning the Race to the Bottom, BIG TIME, and this will so NOT HELP!
It'll be a good time for his sacred cash cows: Banks, Mines and Games.
For the moiety, it's lube and lashes til dusky death sets us free.
GO GOVERNOR GO. Excellent speech. Wonder what he'll do two years from now.... Cut K-12 further by DEPORTING ILLEGALS and anchor babies that cannot prove both parents are Americans. Investigate, ARREST AND DEPORT ADULTS STEALING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, TANF, FOOD STAMPS, UNEMPLOYMENT COMP. Bar illegals from our libraries. COORDINATE WITH ICE.
EXCELLENT SPEECH. It is NOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO DENY SERVICES TO ILLEGALS although some courts require K-12 if they are here. Doesn't mean we can't deport them. SO GET WITH ICE AND MOVE ON THIS. ILLEGALS ARE BANKRUPTING OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
There is no doubt education has to be taken on and salaries of teachers and administrators needs to be brought in line. Rewarding good teacherss and firing incompetent teachers is a must. The retirement benefits of government and city workers needs to be renegotiated and brought in line with others as well.
Make no mistake about all of this there is not much difference between Sandoval and Gibbons both are owned lock stock and barrell by special interest groups and the citizens come last.
LEGISLATURE: IMMEDIATELY remove teacher TENURE and employee COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. The local governments need flexibility NOW. Help them INVESTIGATE, ARREST AND DEPORT ILLEGALS STEALING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AT University Medical Center and stealing TANF, Food Stamps, Medicaid via identity theft. ICE WILL DEPORT UPON ARREST.
Seems to me the results of the poll on this page says it all:
What grade would you assign to Gov. Brian Sandoval's State of the State address?
F -- 38.1%
D -- 19.6%
A -- 16.8%
C -- 14.9%
B -- 10.6%
University of Utah President Michael Young said he has tried to work with Utah's business community during his tenure, encouraging faculty to move their ideas from the lab to the marketplace.
In that time, the university has spun off 185 companies, creating 7,000 jobs with a total payroll of $300 million, he said.
Patrick - you can't argue with success like Utah is experiencing.
They tax everything
Income
Corporations
Food
Gas
Insurance
Investments
Property
Cars
Boats
on and on and on
And guess what Patrick...
Companies are flocking to Utah and I guess that just blows the NPRI mumbo-jumbo about high taxes into the dirt!
Overstock.com just added 150 new jobs and Adobe Software adding 1200 over the next two years. Utah also grabbed the $3 billion dollar national computer security center and with it, 15,000 construction jobs.
States are doing very well even with higher taxes than Nevada because they value and commit large amounts of capital to education. Yes, some professors make over One Million Dollars per year. Hard to grasp for a simple mind like Patrick.