It might have been worse, the Assembled Wisdom in Carson City could have further raided the treasuries of Washoe and Clark counties, but shifting $52.6 million in expenses from the state to the counties is significant. [related link] See also: [NV Appeal] Some Shrugs listed below:
State obligations to support Child Protective Services was shrugged off to the counties in SB 480. “Section 4 of this bill requires each of those counties to pay to the Division of Child and Family Services an assessment for the provision of child protective services not to exceed the limit of legislative authorization for spending on child protective services by the Division in each such county.”
Yes, indeed, the mining lobby shaved millions off the liability of its powerful constituents, but for all the palaver about how much we value our children the Legislature couldn’t find the resolve to maintain state funding for child protective services.
How do we fund the Youth Parole Board responsibilities? We shrug the costs off to the counties. SB 476: “Section 1 of this bill requires each county to pay an assessment for the activities of the Youth Parole Bureau of the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services. The amount of the assessment is determined by the Administrator of the Division of Child and Family Services using a formula that is based upon the number of pupils enrolled in public schools in the county.”
Are services needed from the Division of Health, or the office of the State Health Officer? SB 471: “Section 1 of this bill requires each county to pay an assessment to the Health Division of the Department of Health and Human Services for the costs of services provided in that county by the Health Division or the State Health Officer.”
Public health services are in that realm of governmental functions not often supported by federal funding, outside of health care access programs such as Medicaid and Medicare the federal government has a relatively small footprint compared to its security, commerce, and agricultural programs. We speak to the necessity of public health and safety — but in this instance the state was unwilling to step up to the plate in order to guarantee the essential safety of its citizens.
And, should we not be able to shrug off the costs of sustaining our institutions of higher education the burden can be shifted to — who else? — the students. Those considering majors in areas not currently “popular” could easily see their tuition costs rising because the cost of instruction ratio would naturally be higher in those subjects. We have a bill for that.
SB 449 “Section 2 of this bill authorizes the Board of Regents, in fixing tuition charges and assessing registration fees and other fees, to adjust the amount of the tuition charges and registration and other fees based on the demand for or the costs of carrying out the academic program or major for which the tuition charges or registration or other fees are assessed. The adjustment may be based on factors such as the cost of professional instruction, the cost of laboratory resources and ancillary costs.”
The Powers That Be Representing The Powers Of the Have-It-Alls have made their priorities exceedingly clear. It is more important to keep taxation low on mining and major national retailers than it is to maintain our funding for schools, child welfare and protective services, youthful offender rehabilitation, and students in our institutions of higher education. The No New Taxes mantra is more important than sustaining our efforts in these realms. When the choice is keeping the Chamber of Commerce happy or securing public health, child welfare, schools, and universities — the Assembled Wisdom of the 76th Session marched merrily to the Chamber’s tune.
And we are all poorer for it.
Desert Beacon 