The "economic downturn" of which Ruffles speaks is about two years old. These should be the gravey years in Clark County. If Nevada didn't get its priorities straight during the largest economic boom this town will ever, ever, ever see - for the past ten years, then when will it? It never will. The boom is over, and America is bust. They can't play in your adult playground anymore. Nevada is an angry little Soutwestern state with ambivalent attitudes towards poverty and basic human rights and services - even for working people. Look at Desai, and the hepatits crises at your clinic: It took you people six months to suspend the man's license for Christ's sake! I mean, I've heard of corporate towns, but this place scares the crap out of me. Look the total lack of social services for lower income working people. If you want a quick fix for your schools, stop wasting millions and millions of dollars educating illegal aliens - or go to bat with lawyers at the federal level and demand compensation. How can a moral, hard-working 8th or 9th grade child survive the massive peer pressure in your town that the criminal gang/illegal alien element creates. I saw it first-hand last year: my students were almost shot on campus. They can't, and that is why your professional and working class is leaving or preparing to leave in droves. The Mexican narco-death culture will destroy your state, if it hasn't already.

"also considered was adding staff and funding to the Nevada Education Department.." - what a bunch of clowns, harassing just enough teacher candidates every year to justify thier jobs. Pony up, Ruffles, reduce classroom size for your teachers (or isn't that part of the pork you were put in office to serve to your cronies?). I taught in the CCSD last year - and what a mess. Great teachers, decent adminstrators, and not a single new (or two to three year) teacher at my school willing to seriously consider commitment to Clark County. My former middle school lost about seven young teachers this summer alone to out of state relocation. Las Vegas is not the kind of town a young person wants to be poor in, or struggling to make bills, unable to visit family back East, etc. Dr. Barbee of Nevada Ed. and his stable of jack-assess make life miserable for fully qualified teachers.