Game Plan To Besmirch Non-Tax Approach To Nevada Budget
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
In yesterday’s post I noted my thoughts from observation, watching the first day of the Legislative Commission Budget Subcommittee meeting on the Governor’s proposed budget. It would seem that my perspective wasn’t unique to me, which then erupted into a little more of the same for day two of the series of meetings to get legislators started in their work for 2011.
The link provided in the Nevada News Bureau account to the Las Vegas Sun article gives a more thorough explanation of the background on how there is a difference in the percentages, than my simplistic version offered in yesterday’s post. (Although I’m biased in considered it more logical to use the base or current spending than calculations based off Legislative approved spending levels that are no longer relevant because the money wasn’t available to finance the spending approved in 2009.)
Another article from the Las Vegas Sun caught my attention offering some insights to the political gamesmanship the majority party is working to put into action seeking to belittle the idea that Nevada can have a balanced budget going forward without a tax increase. The dramatics we’re seeing is implementation of the strategy to make it more difficult for those who support the Governor’s proposal, basing a budget on constraining spending to fit the revenue instead of increasing revenue to fund increased spending.
In classic Saul Alinsky mode the thrust is to attack (“doing it for the children”) challenging with righteous indignation the premise that the funding for a failing education system can’t be reduced. Just poor in more money and quit asking about why we’re not getting our money’s worth for what is already being spent…
In searching for a better understanding of the budget we offer this link to another thoughtful analysis of the Sandoval proposed budget, offered by Geoffrey Lawrence of the Nevada Policy Research Institute. Lawrence’s colleague at NPRI, Victor Joecks also provided some observations on a budget idea that doesn’t offer as good of solution.
The bottom line for Nevada taxpayers, in considering the process ahead, developing a budget for the coming biennium, is to find as many sources as possible to acquire the fullest range of discussions taking place. If we fall victim to messaging work designed to sway a political agenda for increased taxes – we will be liable to get more of what we’ve been getting…higher spending, more taxes…
How has that been working out?
In yesterday’s post I noted my thoughts from observation, watching the first day of the Legislative Commission Budget Subcommittee meeting on the Governor’s proposed budget. It would seem that my perspective wasn’t unique to me, which then erupted into a little more of the same for day two of the series of meetings to get legislators started in their work for 2011.
The link provided in the Nevada News Bureau account to the Las Vegas Sun article gives a more thorough explanation of the background on how there is a difference in the percentages, than my simplistic version offered in yesterday’s post. (Although I’m biased in considered it more logical to use the base or current spending than calculations based off Legislative approved spending levels that are no longer relevant because the money wasn’t available to finance the spending approved in 2009.)
Another article from the Las Vegas Sun caught my attention offering some insights to the political gamesmanship the majority party is working to put into action seeking to belittle the idea that Nevada can have a balanced budget going forward without a tax increase. The dramatics we’re seeing is implementation of the strategy to make it more difficult for those who support the Governor’s proposal, basing a budget on constraining spending to fit the revenue instead of increasing revenue to fund increased spending.
In classic Saul Alinsky mode the thrust is to attack (“doing it for the children”) challenging with righteous indignation the premise that the funding for a failing education system can’t be reduced. Just poor in more money and quit asking about why we’re not getting our money’s worth for what is already being spent…
In searching for a better understanding of the budget we offer this link to another thoughtful analysis of the Sandoval proposed budget, offered by Geoffrey Lawrence of the Nevada Policy Research Institute. Lawrence’s colleague at NPRI, Victor Joecks also provided some observations on a budget idea that doesn’t offer as good of solution.
The bottom line for Nevada taxpayers, in considering the process ahead, developing a budget for the coming biennium, is to find as many sources as possible to acquire the fullest range of discussions taking place. If we fall victim to messaging work designed to sway a political agenda for increased taxes – we will be liable to get more of what we’ve been getting…higher spending, more taxes…
How has that been working out?
Posted by Doug Busselman at 1/26/2011 3:40 PM 
Categories: 2011 Nevada Legislature
Tags: Nevada Nevada Budget Taxing and Spending Governor Sandoval Nevada Legislature
Categories: 2011 Nevada Legislature
Tags: Nevada Nevada Budget Taxing and Spending Governor Sandoval Nevada Legislature
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