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Dems reject Gibbons on higher ed
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Feb. 25, 2010 | 2:00 p.m.
The Assembly is working Thursday to reduce the percentage cuts to the budget for higher education from more than 12 percent to 5 percent, despite resistance from Republicans who say the Legislature is increasing a budget shortfall of nearly $900 million not closing it as they were expected to do.
In a party-line show of hands, Democrats spoke up in favor of rejecting a proposal by Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons to cut higher education more than 12 percent.
The show of hands is significant because it gives legislative leaders an indication of what members will or won't support as they draft bills. The Legislature is in special session to balance the budget.
"In my district higher education is economic activity. It is the engine that is going to get this state back on track," said Assemblyman David Bobzien, D-Reno.
Assemblyman Lynn Stewart, R-Las Vegas, echoed other Republicans' sentiment when he said the Legislature is making the shortfall bigger, not smaller.
"We are going to have to be accountable at one point," Stewart said.
Assemblyman James Settelmeyer, R-Garnderville, said he thinks legislative proposals to restore Gibbons' cuts should be coupled with proposals to pay for the decision.
"We are making promises our checkbook can't keep," Settelmeyer said.
Assembly speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, assured members the Legislature would balance the budget.
"We are going to come up with a balanced budget plan within this body," she said.
Contact Review-Journal reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861.
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ARROGANT IDIOTS
It does not make sense to increase nukmbers of unemployed by cutting jobs. Some of the people who may get their jobs cut are already supporting family members who themselves are out of jobs. The foreclosure rate will only continue to increase. Are entire family networks going to be out on the street? Spread the deficit across the board so people don't lose anymore jobs. Enough is enough. Some people are doing fine while others are hurting, why continue the pain to those who are hurting and trying to help out- of- work family members already? STOP CUTTING JOBS. Children's lives are in turmoil and being moved all around this valley in order to stay afloat.
I will assume Patrick here is Patrick Gibbons who has many posts on the LV Sun website. I will post here what I posted there. With regards to measurable metrics of research productivity, UNLV has made great progress in the last decade plus.
Regarding the cost per student at public universities, Patrick has been cherry picking statistics (or is inept - I will give him the benefit of the doubt and say he is simply misrepresenting the facts rather than being incompetent). I looked at the numbers Patrick keeps listing that "show" UNLV is spending more than the median for public universities. Dividing universities into PhD and non-PhD granting (and removing military academies) yields
PhD granting:
UNR: $30,290
Median: $22,764
UNLV: $16,537
non-PhD granting
Median: $12,779
So, yes it costs more to have a research university. And contrary to Patrick's repeated analysis of UNLV being funded above the median, it is clear that against the proper peers, UNLV is funded less than $6,000 (or 73%) of the median.
lol:
The next time you need an architect to design a home, workplace or office, the next time you visit a doctor or a dentist or a veterinary, the next time you need a nurse, or your kids need teaching.
Or the next time you turn on your faucet and water comes from it, or when you get on your computer, or when you watch tv or turn the lights on, engineers made that happen.
So as to a return on your investment.
Mark it PAID IN FULL
Patrick, I guess from your typos and from the typos in the article that you cite, that neither of you have a higher education. But why let facts change your uninformed opinion eh?
Referencing earlier years is only relevant if all elements of the equation are the same. Guess what, they are not!
I am sure that we would all struggle to pay bills today based on what we earned some years back. Did you forget about increases in enrollment too?