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What was cut, what was saved, other details
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU
Updated: Mar. 1, 2010 | 7:59 a.m.
Because of declining tax revenue caused by the deepening recession, Nevada's government faced an $887 million budget shortfall, requiring a 20 percent overall cut in spending over the next 16 months.
What was cut?
■ Total spending reductions ordered for state agencies were about $314 million, less than 10 percent of what they were scheduled to spend between March and June 30, 2011.
■ State support to public education was reduced by 6.9 percent, $117 million.
■ State support to higher education was reduced by 6.9 percent, $46 million.
■ The Department of Health and Human Services was cut by 10 percent, $108 million.
The remaining shortfall was covered by:
■ $197 million in unspent state funds held in state agency trust accounts was used to cover a part of the shortfall.
■ $62 million in extra revenue is to come from mineral taxes paid by mining companies with higher-than-expected net proceeds.
■ $25.7 million is to be raised by a temporary, one-time increase in annual mining claims fees. No fee will be charged to those with fewer than nine mining claims. The charges are $70 per claim for 10 to 199 claims, $85 per claim for 200 to 1,299 claims and $195 per claim for 1,300 or more claims.
■ $13.8 million is to be raised by increasing the fee lending institutions charge for filing a notice of default, or foreclosure against a homeowner. The fee will be raised to $200, up from the current $50. Small businesses now can participate in the foreclosure mediation program.
■ $105 million in federal funds is to be used to cover part of the deficit.
■ $25 million from a Clark County School District capital improvement fund is to be used to reduce teacher layoffs.
■ $5.3 million is to be saved in lower utility costs by implementing a four-day, 10-hour a day workweek in most state agencies starting in July.
■ $4.2 million is to come from higher fees that will be charged by Secretary of State Ross Miller to companies incorporating in Nevada.
■ $56 million in sewer and water hookup fees is to be taken from a Clark County reclamation fund.
■ $6.1 million is to be gained from a lower-than-expected caseload in the Nevada Check Up program
■ $7.6 million was taken from the fund used to support the Millennium Scholarship program. Even with that action, the program is expected to remain solvent until 2015.
■ $10 million is to be saved by reducing the number of contracts the state executes with private businesses.
■ $10 million is to be secured as the Department of Taxation hires new auditors to collect unpaid taxes and launches a new tax amnesty program.
■ $10 million is to be raised as the Division of Insurance hired auditors to collect unpaid insurance premium taxes.
■ $5.9 million is to be raised through higher fees charged by the Division of Water Resources.
■ $4 million is to be raised by increasing fees for investigating applicants for gaming licenses.
■ $1.5 million is to be raised by increasing the costs the Athletic Commission charges for licensing and broadcasting boxing and other events.
What was saved?
■ The Casa Grande Transitional Housing Facility in Las Vegas is to remain open at a cost of $2.2 million over the next 16 months.
■ The Nevada State Prison in Carson City is to remain open at a cost of $12.6 million, saving 136 jobs.
■ The Nevada Equal Rights Commission is to remain open at a cost of $1.1 million, saving 20 jobs.
■ All 21 Nevada state parks are to remain open by charging higher entrance fees to cover the $5.1 million in annual costs formerly paid by the state.
■A program to provide diapers for incontinent senior citizens and disabled people was saved at a cost of $800.
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END THE WARS! WHY IS IT THAT THE PENTAGON IS THE ONLY ENTITY WITH AN INCREASED BUDGET? PEOPLE NEED TO WAKE UP! AFTER THE COLD WAR ENDED, THERE WAS NO ENEMY AND WEAPONS MAKERS STOCKS FELL.WITH THE THREAT OF TERRORISM INSTALLED,NOW THERE IS A NEVER-ENDING ENEMY THAT WE MUST ELIMINATE NO MATTER THE COST. SOME DEFENSE CONTRACTORS STOCKS HAVE INCREASED BY OVER 600%!PRESIDENTS EISENHOWER & KENNEDY WARNED ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. AMERICA'S 2 BIGGEST EXPORTS ARE WEAPONS & SECURITY.PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELVES ON THESE HUGE ISSUES. AMERICA HAS LOST 42,400 FACTORIES SINCE 2000, & IS STILL LOSING MORE.UNLESS THESE WARS ARE BROUGHT TO AN END, THESE CUTS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT.OUR CHILDREN & GRAND CHILDREN WILL BE THE ONES TO SUFFER.THE U.S. IS AT WAR IN FAR MORE COUNTRIES THAN AFGHAN/IRAQ/PAK. GO TO WWW.DOD.GOV & LOOK UP MILITARY DEATHS BY NAME OF OPERATION. JOIN ANTI WAR PROTESTORS ON MARCH 20,2010 IN SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, & D.C. TO STOP THE WARS.CHECK OUT THE UNITED FOR PEACE & JUSTICE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO.
@taxpayer... Do you really think the pay is not in line with the private sector? I took a cut to be in government work. Also, we contribute to our retirement. Until I am vested, I am the only one that contributes, not the state.. Even then, it will take 30 years for the state to match. I have had matching retirement in the private sector better than that. The only difference is that state retirement is mandatory..
@thieves.. I don't know what cutting CITY workers pay is going to do for the STATE budget
@ lol.. 25% less work??? The new schedule is 4-10's.. the old was 5-8's.. Where is the 25% less work?