Differences On The Points Of View On Nevada’s Finances
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
I don’t know if you’ve had the chance to talk with anyone who is seeking votes for the 2010 election, but when you do get the chance to discuss things with a candidate for either the Nevada Assembly or Senate you might want to ask them how they see the 2011 session. From the looks of how the focus goes, if you are someone who draws a check from the state checkbook – you see the need for greater taxes as a solution to what ails the state financial condition.
Those who have the perspective of being interested in the well-being of the private sector (more than likely a payer which makes state spending possible) the view is on getting a better handle on the spending that government does. In the past we’ve drawn attention to the emerging interests in fixing a very broken budget process. Geoffrey Lawrence from the Nevada Policy Research Institute, in his first background piece on reforming Nevada’s budget system showed the inherent flaws of base-line budgeting and the way in which using this approach won’t get us to where we need to be going. He also cited this work on the way Nevada’s budget is a one-way route to MORE, MORE, MORE.
As a follow-up in detailing an improved approach to how Nevada’s budgets are constructed, Lawrence has shared this piece which gives some outstanding budgeting concepts which would provide the Silver State with a much more productive and effective government. In reading the linked report “Budgeting for Outcomes” that he sites, I couldn’t help but notice the statement...
We need to encourage those who are seeking our votes for the Nevada Assembly and Senate that even though the majority party in control of both those bodies is totally focused on getting more taxes (higher taxes with a wider tax system) – the real theme for the 2011 Nevada Legislative Session needs to be on how they decide to spend the money they already have. It is spending that has gotten us into the situation we are in and the process used to decide how to spend is the fundamental problem. It needs to be fixed and those we elect had better understand that.
I don’t know if you’ve had the chance to talk with anyone who is seeking votes for the 2010 election, but when you do get the chance to discuss things with a candidate for either the Nevada Assembly or Senate you might want to ask them how they see the 2011 session. From the looks of how the focus goes, if you are someone who draws a check from the state checkbook – you see the need for greater taxes as a solution to what ails the state financial condition.
Those who have the perspective of being interested in the well-being of the private sector (more than likely a payer which makes state spending possible) the view is on getting a better handle on the spending that government does. In the past we’ve drawn attention to the emerging interests in fixing a very broken budget process. Geoffrey Lawrence from the Nevada Policy Research Institute, in his first background piece on reforming Nevada’s budget system showed the inherent flaws of base-line budgeting and the way in which using this approach won’t get us to where we need to be going. He also cited this work on the way Nevada’s budget is a one-way route to MORE, MORE, MORE.
As a follow-up in detailing an improved approach to how Nevada’s budgets are constructed, Lawrence has shared this piece which gives some outstanding budgeting concepts which would provide the Silver State with a much more productive and effective government. In reading the linked report “Budgeting for Outcomes” that he sites, I couldn’t help but notice the statement...
“Taxpayers are not unwilling to fund state government, but they want their tax dollars to produce genuine value. They want their leaders to fund programs that work, and to kill – or fix – those that don’t.”Even those who don’t consider taxes as their favorite thing in life can buy into that observation. Those promoting a no-tax increase mantra are taking the perspective that the only way to get our money’s worth from government is to keep the government from getting any more of our money. This is partly driven by the insights that experience has demonstrated – government always needs more money no matter how badly it does in delivering programs or services. More money doesn’t equate to getting better programs or services…just a bigger tax bill.
We need to encourage those who are seeking our votes for the Nevada Assembly and Senate that even though the majority party in control of both those bodies is totally focused on getting more taxes (higher taxes with a wider tax system) – the real theme for the 2011 Nevada Legislative Session needs to be on how they decide to spend the money they already have. It is spending that has gotten us into the situation we are in and the process used to decide how to spend is the fundamental problem. It needs to be fixed and those we elect had better understand that.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 4/22/2010 12:46 PM 
Categories: Nevada Budget
Tags: Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes Government
Categories: Nevada Budget
Tags: Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes Government
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