The Logic Of Doing Something Different
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
When you keep doing what you’ve been doing – you will keep getting what you’ve been getting. Such is the case as it relates to the circumstances surrounding the $900 Million gap in Nevada government’s finances. After raising taxes by a Billion dollars in the 2009 Nevada Legislative Session, the apparent approach under consideration isn’t about spending reductions – it’s doing what’s been done in the past…raid any fund that can be siphoned (nothing is off-limits as far as spending other people’s money), raise taxes (and yes, even the Governor who said he wouldn’t go along with that option is proposing to do so) and make as small of reductions as possible in spending levels which have shown that they can’t be sustained.
For those who want to believe that Nevada’s budget problems are simply the sign of hard times, this graphic display put together by Geoffrey Lawrence of the Nevada Policy Research Institute shows what got us to where we are. It demonstrates how the spending increases authorized by our elected representatives have spiked and how a more responsible track would have provided for necessary growth, without exceeding the ability to cover the tabs these elected officials have run up.
In digging out of the hole we’ve been spent into, voters need to givunconstrained e strong consideration to putting in place a mechanism to protect us from future problems of spending. A formula which takes into account the costs associated with population increases and a rational requirement for possible cost increases, instituted in a manner to prevent legislators from by-passing the constraints, has to be given greater discussion and consideration. We’ve seen that growing government is a priority which cannot be addressed when those advancing the cause have no qualms over justifying their actions on the basis that providing for the government’s excess is the private sector’s responsibility. Those who keep assisting in the election of this type of representation are themselves rewarded through the process of government’s expenditures. In the analogy of robbing from Peter to pay Paul – they are the Paul who think what Peter has worked and invested to earn should be theirs.
This entire situation needs a work over with a reform package of requirements which provide for implementation of competition and actual accountability to insure that limited private sector resources acquired for public purposes result in defined and measured results -- Something different than just bigger expenses with the demands for more.
When you keep doing what you’ve been doing – you will keep getting what you’ve been getting. Such is the case as it relates to the circumstances surrounding the $900 Million gap in Nevada government’s finances. After raising taxes by a Billion dollars in the 2009 Nevada Legislative Session, the apparent approach under consideration isn’t about spending reductions – it’s doing what’s been done in the past…raid any fund that can be siphoned (nothing is off-limits as far as spending other people’s money), raise taxes (and yes, even the Governor who said he wouldn’t go along with that option is proposing to do so) and make as small of reductions as possible in spending levels which have shown that they can’t be sustained.
For those who want to believe that Nevada’s budget problems are simply the sign of hard times, this graphic display put together by Geoffrey Lawrence of the Nevada Policy Research Institute shows what got us to where we are. It demonstrates how the spending increases authorized by our elected representatives have spiked and how a more responsible track would have provided for necessary growth, without exceeding the ability to cover the tabs these elected officials have run up.
In digging out of the hole we’ve been spent into, voters need to givunconstrained e strong consideration to putting in place a mechanism to protect us from future problems of spending. A formula which takes into account the costs associated with population increases and a rational requirement for possible cost increases, instituted in a manner to prevent legislators from by-passing the constraints, has to be given greater discussion and consideration. We’ve seen that growing government is a priority which cannot be addressed when those advancing the cause have no qualms over justifying their actions on the basis that providing for the government’s excess is the private sector’s responsibility. Those who keep assisting in the election of this type of representation are themselves rewarded through the process of government’s expenditures. In the analogy of robbing from Peter to pay Paul – they are the Paul who think what Peter has worked and invested to earn should be theirs.
This entire situation needs a work over with a reform package of requirements which provide for implementation of competition and actual accountability to insure that limited private sector resources acquired for public purposes result in defined and measured results -- Something different than just bigger expenses with the demands for more.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 2/20/2010 9:28 AM 
Categories: Nevada State Spending
Tags: Special Legislative Session Nevada State Budget
Categories: Nevada State Spending
Tags: Special Legislative Session Nevada State Budget
Comments