The County Commission recommended the department receive an 8.5 percent budget increase. Sheriff Bill Young has vowed to fight for his requested 10.2 percent hike, which he says is necessary to maintain the current ratio of 1.7 police officers for every 1,000 residents.


EDITORIAL: Spare a few trillion?
On Tuesday, Medicare's board of trustees released some sobering projections about the fiscal health of that entitlement program, which covers health costs for seniors and the disabled. While earlier forecasts said Medicare would be able to rely on money from the so-called trust fund for another 22 years, the trustees said Tuesday the fund would be exhausted by 2019.

Even worse, Medicare is already unable to meet its current obligations and will have to rely on some $7.7 billion in taxpayer subsidies this year; earlier projections claimed the program was supposed to be in the black until 2013 or later.

OPINION DIGEST

LETTERS: Nevadans are ripe for a property tax revolt
To the editor: The situation in Las Vegas is identical to the one that led to the taxpayer revolt and Proposition 13 in California about 15 years ago.

THE BIG THREE/COMING ATTRACTIONS
Subjects generating the most reader response: 1. PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS: Bush v. Kerry. 2. 911 CALL: Ohio sniper suspect found.

EDITORIAL: The Metro budget battle
Clark County commissioners proposed Tuesday to reduce the rate of growth of the planned $387.7 million Metropolitan Police Department budget by about $5 million.

EDITORIAL: Spare a few trillion?
On Tuesday, Medicare's board of trustees released some sobering projections about the fiscal health of that entitlement program, which covers health costs for seniors and the disabled.

STEVE SEBELIUS: A tale of two senators
It was 2002, and state Sen. Mark James said he was quitting the Legislature to spend more time with his family.