The Private Sector Option As A Vision For Nevada’s Future
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
On January 8th, 2010 the group of Nevada citizens (the Nevada Vision Stakeholders Group) will meet for the first time to take on the assigned directive of recommending strategies for improving Nevada’s standing in key quality-of-life components…
A policy analysis by Geoffrey Lawrence of the Nevada Policy Research Institute entitled, “Tax Dollar Performance in Nevada” should be one of the policy papers that the stakeholder group should consider. In this quantitative assessment of how well government spends tax dollars, Lawrence offers a key finding…
Between fiscal years 1992 and 2007, the study notes an increase of 133 percent in the total of state tax collections. Although that growth in the amount is linked to the population growth, the state’s per-capita tax increases went up by 23 percent over that 16-year period. On the local level, for the same time frame, the per-capita tax for local governments increased 26 percent.
To go with the evaluation of how Nevada’s spending hasn’t delivered, Lawrence teamed with Patrick Gibbons (also with the Nevada Policy Research Institute) to offer a policy outline for costs-cutting and reform.
The attention by the Vision group needs to include evaluation and study of these reports and others which focus on a better understanding of what we are getting for spent tax dollars and determining ways for accountability and structural reform to assure that we’re getting our money’s worth. Instead of simply advancing the single idea that more tax dollars will get us better return, we need to consider that bigger government is not necessarily the best alternative to accomplish desired objectives.
Building in principles and components for private sector competition should be at the forefront of choices considered by the Vision group.
On January 8th, 2010 the group of Nevada citizens (the Nevada Vision Stakeholders Group) will meet for the first time to take on the assigned directive of recommending strategies for improving Nevada’s standing in key quality-of-life components…
- Economic Diversification
- Education
- Energy Use
- Health and Human Services
- Job Creation
- Public Transit and Transportation
- Public Safety
A policy analysis by Geoffrey Lawrence of the Nevada Policy Research Institute entitled, “Tax Dollar Performance in Nevada” should be one of the policy papers that the stakeholder group should consider. In this quantitative assessment of how well government spends tax dollars, Lawrence offers a key finding…
“The average quality of life in Nevada may improve if structural reforms are implemented to expose government agencies and their workers to market forces that encourage greater efficiency and effectiveness.”In examining the performance for educational achievement, public safety, public health and road construction/maintenance, Lawrence indicates that the data suggests that “higher tax rates may have a negative impact on the quality of government services.”
Between fiscal years 1992 and 2007, the study notes an increase of 133 percent in the total of state tax collections. Although that growth in the amount is linked to the population growth, the state’s per-capita tax increases went up by 23 percent over that 16-year period. On the local level, for the same time frame, the per-capita tax for local governments increased 26 percent.
To go with the evaluation of how Nevada’s spending hasn’t delivered, Lawrence teamed with Patrick Gibbons (also with the Nevada Policy Research Institute) to offer a policy outline for costs-cutting and reform.
The attention by the Vision group needs to include evaluation and study of these reports and others which focus on a better understanding of what we are getting for spent tax dollars and determining ways for accountability and structural reform to assure that we’re getting our money’s worth. Instead of simply advancing the single idea that more tax dollars will get us better return, we need to consider that bigger government is not necessarily the best alternative to accomplish desired objectives.
Building in principles and components for private sector competition should be at the forefront of choices considered by the Vision group.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 12/28/2009 1:20 PM 
Categories: Nevada Vision Project
Tags: Private Option Nevada Nevada Vision Stakeholders Nevada Interim Tax Study
Categories: Nevada Vision Project
Tags: Private Option Nevada Nevada Vision Stakeholders Nevada Interim Tax Study
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