Heather Chapman wrote on August 25, 2008 01:24 PM: It's really easy to make imaginary swooping cuts in other people's retirements. How childish. What you neglect to understand is that the state has an extremely difficult time keeping quality employees as it is because they cannot match the salaries available in the private sector. The only reason capable and educated employees remain in with the state is because they are compensated for the low wages with retirement and health benefits. You reduce those and there will be no incentive for any one of any worth to stay. You'll have a state being run by the least employable citizens of the state....

Tim wrote on August 24, 2008 02:10 PM: dearest patty,in a couple of yrs,gov.will still have grown,gov.leeches will still be getting raises,they will still be crying they don't have enough taxes,wasteful spending will still be going on and we will be a couple of yrs.closer to bankruptcy because of the gov.pension and benefit programs.but as long as those in gov.are happy that's all that matters.us taxpayers are just their cash cow anyway.see ya in the poorhouse,unless you work for the gov.

Bob A wrote on August 24, 2008 11:12 AM: Just the Facts!

Fiscal year 06-07 general fund was $3,024,395,084.

Since then the population has increased 7.2% and inflation has increased 16.464%.

The current appropriation level is $3,100,000,000. This is an increase of 2.4% over FY 07-07, even though population plus inflation (and thus, if enacted, the TASC law would have required RAISING revenues to meet the P+I targets), has increased 23.664%.

The Nevada Budget Divsion worksheet requires limiting the budget, per Governor Gibbons direction, to $3,204,000,000 in FY 2010 AND 2011.

The Governor is recommending that spending by the State will be 5.6% more in 2011 than in 2006 (3.3% more than today).

As of today P+I= 23.66%. Over the next two years population could very well be another 7% and inflation easily another 10% (conservatively).

By 2011 population + inflation over 2006 will have increased by 41% while the budget has only increased by 6%. Over current spending the budget will grow by 3.3% while P+I will increase by at least 17%.

Yes, it is going to be a veerrryyyy bumpy ride!

patty wrote on August 24, 2008 10:28 AM: Dear Tim,

According to Nevada Policy Research Institute, in June 2008 per capita spending was just 2% above the per capita spending level of 1996.

Inflationdata.com website shows inflation has increased 3.332% since the end of May 2008. Therefore, per capita spending in August 2008 is less than it was 12 years ago. In fact under Gibbons plan, with an 8% increase over the next 2 years and inflation running 12.34% YTD, Nevada will will cut it's spending 14%.

Add it all up and this reduction in revenue coupled with inflation and population growth will result in a combined decrease in per capita spending of over 47% over the next 3 years.

The future of Nevada is going to be very interesting!

br wrote on August 24, 2008 10:21 AM: I'm an old retiree with plenty of time on my hands. I have a documented record of costs reduction in goverment operations spanning about 50 years. The
The Spending and Government Efficiency Commission can have my services cheap(FREE). Just e-mail me at hdstmf@live.com. HURRY, my wife is going crazy with me under foot all day. She's been looking in the knife drawer a lot lately...

Sammy R wrote on August 24, 2008 10:14 AM: mac;
you are wrong.
Do you even know how much even a biologist employed by Nevada earns?
Go to the Nevada website, look up careers, and maybe you'll notice pages of unfiled jobs.
Feel free to apply for one of those gravy train jobs!
Remember, the demand for government employees to provide services and protect and care for Nevada's assets is directly proportional to taxpayer demand.

br wrote on August 24, 2008 10:07 AM: I love the sound of squealing public employees and their unions in the mornings!

Tim wrote on August 24, 2008 09:27 AM: the gov.is a growing cancer,the only way to stop it is massive treatment.they call a 14% reduction just that,a reduction.because the budget still grew after all the so-called slashing.the people who think we can only tax our way to prosperity are in denial and are in the majority in carson.thank goodness we have a gov.with some spine.

Brian wrote on August 24, 2008 09:27 AM: How about if the RJ actually starts paying taxes?

HELENWEILS wrote on August 24, 2008 09:24 AM: This editorial is right on point. However,
as long as we have so many double dipping
government employees in the Legislature
(over a third take 2 Nevada paychecks)
it will be nearly impossible to cut these bloodsuckers off. Just look at what happened in the special session. The Legislature gave them their up to 10%
raises despite the economy. Buckley is
planning to raise taxes on business in the next session. Businesses and JOBS will be leaving in droves. Wyoming
is already courting Nevada businesses with Much lower fees (50%) and no risk
of a business tax. http://wyomingcompany.com/
Anyone who doesn't believe that a business tax will negatively effect new business growth is a stupid Democrat.
Their symbol is an ASS for a reason!

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