Analyst has budget-balancing plan

CARSON CITY -- A policy analyst for a conservative think tank has done what neither Gov. Jim Gibbons nor the state Legislature has been able to do -- balance a much smaller state budget without tax increases or federal stimulus funds.

Nevada Policy Research Institute fiscal analyst Geoffrey Lawrence released his two-year, $5.1 billion budget Thursday on his organization's Web site: npri.org.

That budget is $1.1 billion less than the almost $6.2 billion two-year general fund budget Gibbons proposed to the Legislature in January.

Gibbons' budget included more than $200 million in additional room tax revenue, however, while Lawrence avoided all tax increases.

Some legislators believe state spending over the next two years should be $8 billion to keep services at the levels approved in 2007.

What Lawrence did was remove new state spending approved since the 2005 session. He cut out about $53 million in all-day kindergarten spending and nearly $200 million in spending to reduce class sizes.

Lawrence said those programs have not been proven to help students.

He said in his budget he reduced spending for purchases of vehicles and equipment that were not requested by state agencies. In some cases, Lawrence said governors and legislators added to what state agencies requested.

But he said his budget added $186 million to Nevada System of Higher Education spending, with funds going mainly to help community colleges such as the College of Southern Nevada, which is experiencing enrollment growth. Lawrence said his budget also increases mental health spending.

Lawrence said his $5.1 billion budget can accomplish necessary spending because he identified "true priorities," and was not beholden to any interest groups.

ED VOGEL/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU