Comments (17) | Add a comment
Here we go again: Panel talks diversity
-
Alyssa Orr/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Gov. Brian Sandoval, right, speaks Monday during the board meeting of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, which is pushing for a diverse state economy. » Buy this photo
Tools
-
Gov. Brian Sandoval, seated at far right, joins in the conversation Monday during the board meeting of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. Alyssa Orr/Las Vegas Review-Journal » Buy this photo
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Jul. 27, 2011 | 4:11 p.m.
Just over a year after the last push to diversify Nevada's economy got under way, state leaders formally launched another effort -- this time dampening expectations for a gusher of new jobs in the near future.
Monday's board meeting of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development focused on setting up what will become the state's new Office of Economic Development in the next few months, as spelled out in legislation that passed in June.
Gov. Brian Sandoval, who campaigned last year on being able to steer the state away from its heavy reliance on the gaming, tourism and construction, counseled patience.
"I want to be able to manage expectations here," he said. Later, he added, "It's no secret we need help (now). At the same time, we need to plan for 20 years from now."
For more than five decades Nevada leaders have been talking and studying economic diversity, with the results largely relegated to library shelves. The New Nevada Task Force, convened by Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki on July 12, 2010, concluded the following March with a final report that recommended more studies of industries such as technology, medical tourism and movie and television production, as well as closer co-operation between agencies and with the private sector.
If that sounds familiar, consider this:
"(We) should market the state as a whole, identify our strengths and weaknesses and, most important of all, bring together the public and private sectors," former Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt Bono said in addressing diversification in 2000.
Sandoval acknowledged the legacy of talk with little to show for it.
"That is a valid criticism in regard to, 'Here we go again,' " Sandoval said.
But this time Nevada is in the most severe economic downturn since the 1930s, he said, and this has galvanized local and state leaders to act.
A preliminary analysis for the meeting prepared by the consulting firm SRI used graphics with bubbles and boxes to once again show that Nevada has a lopsided economy, based on discretionary spending. When that contracts, as it has in recent years, everything suffers.
By November, SRI is supposed to suggest what new industries can be realistically pursued, a particular focus for Sandoval.
The new legislation, Assembly Bill 449, allocates $10 million to the new agency through next June 30, with more funding to come after that. In addition, both the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Reno are to set aside $3 million a year to help commercialize their research, with an additional $2 million at the joint Desert Research Institute.
That's not much, compared to what other states are spending, Sandoval acknowledged.
Last year Ohio voters approved a $700 million fund to promote economic development, on top of a prior commitment of $1.4 billion.
"We're in a tough spot," said Sandoval. "Other states have a head start."
Contact reporter Tim O'Reiley at toreiley@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290.
Comments
Terms & Conditions
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The Review-Journal does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please use the Report Abuse button.
Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 24 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
I would agree with most that Nevada's work force is overpaid and undereducated. But the problem is not that the education system is deficient in and of itself. Educating children requires involved parents who push their children to excel. That's just something we're really short on in Nevada. We need an attitude shift about the importance of an education from the parental perspective. It's a GIGO thing and an outside firm wanting to set up shop has to consider the lack of motivation in the workforce. MGM properties realized that when it opened the Mississippi casino. Workers would just not show up because they didn't want to work that day because that was the culture there.
So states like Ohio have 700 million plus a previous 1.4 billion to invest to attract businesses and little Nevada has about 18 million. My math tells me we have about .08% compared to Ohio. Sounds like we have a fighting chance to me, yet Nevadians complain endlessly about our high taxes and blame Federal politicians instead of state politicians (like the governor) that truly have the power to make change locally.....FACT: Nevada has the second-lowest tax burden in the country, with residents paying just 7.5% of their income on state and local taxes. Nearly half of all state tax revenue comes from non-residents. According to the Tax Association's State Business Tax Climate Index, Nevada has one of the most favorable environments for business, as it is one of the four states to levy no corporate tax at all.
Right.
More money for public education.
More money for tax incentives.
More money for Profsters.
More money for Commissions.
More money for consultants.
More money for studies and promotions.
More money. More money. More money.
MORE Government. MORE Government. MORE Government.
Higher taxes. Higher taxes. Higher taxes.
Why have we not figured that out before?
We don't want low taxes to induce employers to come here.
We don't want high taxes to induce employers to come here.
We want low taxes to cut off BIG Government's Oxygen supply.
Laissez-faire!
BTW. To Sandoval's right is a namecard (picture?) of Somer Hollingsworth, head of the NV Development Authority. NDA supports large corporations actively working to implement government policies (and vice versa). This goes beyond mere Chamber of Commerce advocacy for more government contracting. NDA seeks a more formal partnership between gov & biz. NDA is a fascist front-group.
Imagine yourself as a CEO of a large company in California. You are tired of the high taxes. You bring in all of your executives to determine a place to move your company. Of course most of the people working for your company are well-educated which is a major reason your company is successful. Some workers will relocate with you while others won't. Now, what company in their right mind is going to move to a state that does not value education at the K-12 level or the university level? You see the workers that are willing to relocate are often looking to continue their education and want a good education for their children and the workers that don't intend on relocating will need to be replaced with educated workers.
That's what we needed, another government bureaucracy. I'm sure the new Office of Economic Development will do things the Commission on Economic Development could only dream of.
California has been hemorrhaging businesses for years now, and I am still puzzled as to why our state hasn't been reducing regulations and working overtime to attract some of these businesses to Nevada.
Texas has been able to attract so many to move halfway across the country that CA legislators actually went to Texas to find out why. And we aren't working hard to get them to simply move next door?
I really don't think Nevada lawmakers are serious about this.
The New Nevada Task Force, convened by Gov. Brian Krolicki .. recommended more studies of industries such as technology .. as well as closer co-operation between agencies and with the private sector.
As libertarians often observe, our job as voters is to choose between DEM communism and GOP fascism.
It's a sure bet that SRI, a notorious, GOP-connected goverrnment contractor, which is conducting the latest (rigged) study, will recommend MORE Government. Naturally, because that consulting firm "earns" its living off of government contracts. Just as every other study of its kind has done in the many years since I first moved here.
No study ever recommends small government, minimum taxation, or even symbolic (much less *radical*) deregulation.
Finally, that $8M/y earmark to NSHE for research commercialization activities is just a complete insult to taxpayers. There any other number of innovative, private sector firms in this state -- far and away better tuned to consumer tastes and trends -- which would rather keep their money to fund/commercialize their OWN research activities rather than hand it over to a bunch of Profsters and Educrats who'll use the money to maintain their own sinecures.
So states like Ohio have 700 million plus a previous 1.4 billion to invest to attract businesses and little Nevada has about 18 million. My math tells me we have about .08% compared to Ohio. Sounds like we have a fighting chance to me, yet Nevadians complain endlessly about our high taxes and blame Federal politicians instead of state politicians (like the governor) that truly have the power to make change locally.....FACT: Nevada has the second-lowest tax burden in the country, with residents paying just 7.5% of their income on state and local taxes. Nearly half of all state tax revenue comes from non-residents. According to the Tax Association's State Business Tax Climate Index, Nevada has one of the most favorable environments for business, as it is one of the four states to levy no corporate tax at all.
How much more diversaty do we need? The machines take ones, fives, tens, twentys, fifties and hundreds!
"Other states have a head start?" YA THINK??? They also have an education system and people in government who can think outside the box. For god sakes, we have high school drop outs in the legislature. We can't think outside the box when we can't figure out how to open the door on the telephone booth. You groveled to gaming for so long, that you suck your thumb when you have to think of something else. Good lucka!