If They Are Working On Nevada’s Spending Problem -- We Might Be Making Progress
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
One of the most important keys in working to address a problem is working to address the problem. Instead of simply talking about it…instead of avoiding it – you get to work and take it on. From some indications there might be some progress finally underway in dealing with the problem of Nevada spending more money than it has available from incoming revenue.
The news account that has been linked to, from the Las Vegas Sun, suggest that there is a comprehensive analysis being carried out which evaluates and puts something of a priority ranking on the tax dollars being spent. From our point of view the perspective though should start with zero and determine the best way to fund from that base – it appears the thinking is still operating with the idea that what is being spent is the base and “cuts” are considered to see how to take the spending lower.
Although I’m not going to concede the zero-based approach and suggest that whichever way they go is okay as long as there is attention given to the matter – making the spending process and the decision system used to figure out how much will be authorized for spending needs to be the focus for Nevada. Members of the majority party in control of the Nevada Legislature believe the issue is not having enough to spend and they will be working diligently in pursuit of their agenda to tax, tax and tax some more – growing government’s size and scope is a full-time, never-ceasing journey when you believe that government is the core reason that everything else exist. Individual responsibility or freedom to pursue their own opportunities does not supersede the collective burden of supporting an all intrusive government intent on bringing about equality by taking from those who are trying to earn their own way to give to those who can’t or aren’t.
At the recent Nevada Vision Stakeholders meeting a new idea surfaced on early childhood development with apparently another need for government spending – training toddlers and other pre-schoolers. Instead of parents being responsible for raising these little ones, the conversation appears to be tracking along the lines of using state funding for “education and development”, since some parents aren’t really doing all that they should to provide the necessary stimulation required for the child to advance as they should. We’ve got an education system now in Nevada that can’t deliver educated students, so we’re going to turn children over to their control sooner, force more spending on those paying the bill and call that progress?
The sooner we can get to a full-fledged public debate on the direction government needs to go, with a public will taking shape that enough was something that happened a long time ago – we might start having some adjustments in attitude for the political and bureaucratic spenders to decide that demanding more isn’t going to cut it any longer.
The 2010 Election debate needs to include a central theme on reducing spending and fixing the decision process used to determine spending. We need to fundamentally adjust our thinking to expand on individual freedom and responsibility, providing the opportunity and requiring self/family maintenance.
Instead of government expansion, our election mission must be to install representatives who believe and are committed to limited, accountable government. In regard to the budget/spending decision process, we need to demand of our elected officials that they keep the process open and no longer operating with the behind-closed door, insiders only system that has been practiced as the way we do things. Instead of taking the spending amounts from the last budget and automatically adding percentages – start from zero…decide whether a program is necessary in the first place…and if it ranks a high enough priority to carry it out, the most efficient and effective cost is selected to be allocated for that activity.
Simply increasing taxes and expanding the tax base through newly invented tax schemes should not be an acceptable course for Nevada taxpayers to be force-marched into.
One of the most important keys in working to address a problem is working to address the problem. Instead of simply talking about it…instead of avoiding it – you get to work and take it on. From some indications there might be some progress finally underway in dealing with the problem of Nevada spending more money than it has available from incoming revenue.
The news account that has been linked to, from the Las Vegas Sun, suggest that there is a comprehensive analysis being carried out which evaluates and puts something of a priority ranking on the tax dollars being spent. From our point of view the perspective though should start with zero and determine the best way to fund from that base – it appears the thinking is still operating with the idea that what is being spent is the base and “cuts” are considered to see how to take the spending lower.
Although I’m not going to concede the zero-based approach and suggest that whichever way they go is okay as long as there is attention given to the matter – making the spending process and the decision system used to figure out how much will be authorized for spending needs to be the focus for Nevada. Members of the majority party in control of the Nevada Legislature believe the issue is not having enough to spend and they will be working diligently in pursuit of their agenda to tax, tax and tax some more – growing government’s size and scope is a full-time, never-ceasing journey when you believe that government is the core reason that everything else exist. Individual responsibility or freedom to pursue their own opportunities does not supersede the collective burden of supporting an all intrusive government intent on bringing about equality by taking from those who are trying to earn their own way to give to those who can’t or aren’t.
At the recent Nevada Vision Stakeholders meeting a new idea surfaced on early childhood development with apparently another need for government spending – training toddlers and other pre-schoolers. Instead of parents being responsible for raising these little ones, the conversation appears to be tracking along the lines of using state funding for “education and development”, since some parents aren’t really doing all that they should to provide the necessary stimulation required for the child to advance as they should. We’ve got an education system now in Nevada that can’t deliver educated students, so we’re going to turn children over to their control sooner, force more spending on those paying the bill and call that progress?
The sooner we can get to a full-fledged public debate on the direction government needs to go, with a public will taking shape that enough was something that happened a long time ago – we might start having some adjustments in attitude for the political and bureaucratic spenders to decide that demanding more isn’t going to cut it any longer.
The 2010 Election debate needs to include a central theme on reducing spending and fixing the decision process used to determine spending. We need to fundamentally adjust our thinking to expand on individual freedom and responsibility, providing the opportunity and requiring self/family maintenance.
Instead of government expansion, our election mission must be to install representatives who believe and are committed to limited, accountable government. In regard to the budget/spending decision process, we need to demand of our elected officials that they keep the process open and no longer operating with the behind-closed door, insiders only system that has been practiced as the way we do things. Instead of taking the spending amounts from the last budget and automatically adding percentages – start from zero…decide whether a program is necessary in the first place…and if it ranks a high enough priority to carry it out, the most efficient and effective cost is selected to be allocated for that activity.
Simply increasing taxes and expanding the tax base through newly invented tax schemes should not be an acceptable course for Nevada taxpayers to be force-marched into.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 4/23/2010 4:15 AM 
Categories: Nevada Budget
Tags: Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes 2010 Election Government
Categories: Nevada Budget
Tags: Nevada Budget State Spending Taxes 2010 Election Government
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