OUR BLOGGERS ARE SAYING

Pay more for higher ed?

UNLV students protested last week over proposed state budget adjustments. But Review-Journal Editor Thomas Mitchell notes these facts:

"Ever since I read a passage in University Chancellor Jim Rogers' speech on the state of the system, I've been casting about looking for some way to compare his stats with those of other states.

"This is what Rogers said:

" 'The state pays about 80 percent of the system's cost. The student pays 20 percent. If the state were to cut its contribution by 36 percent, the state would then contribute 51 percent and the students would contribute 49 percent, an increase of more than two and a half times our current tuition and fees. An increase in tuition and fees to fill the hole the governor describes would make tuition and fees so high that it would be cheaper to go out of state to college. ... '

"Eureka, I found it.

"It turns out the Delta Project on Postsecondary Education Costs, Productivity and Accountability looked at how much the nation's universities are subsidized by taxes and how much is paid by student tuition.

"The stats are a couple of years old now and were trending upward every year, so there is no telling what the stats are now.

"Here is what Delta Project found:

" 'Students are paying more of the total cost of their education at all institutions except private research universities. From 2002 to 2006, the share of educational costs represented by student tuition rose from just over one-third to nearly one-half at public four-year institutions.

" 'At private master's and bachelor's institutions, students are paying between 75 and 85 percent of the full cost of their education.' "

For more see www.lvrj.com/blogs/mitchell/.

What's your opinion of the mob museum?

From Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith:

"I have been skeptical from the start about the sanity of creating a Las Vegas museum dedicated to organized crime's historical connection to this place. ...

"But Mayor Oscar Goodman's big plan for a mob museum gained steam, and support from former Las Vegas FBI Special Agent in Charge Ellen Knowlton. The idea has become a highly developed proposal that could draw thousands of tourists downtown each year.

"How we manage to pay the approximately $50 million build-out cost is just one important question that needs to be answered before the museum becomes a reality. We now know the federal economic stimulus funds won't be available thanks to the usual hypocrisy inside the Senate.

"What are your thoughts about the museum, its place in modern Las Vegas, and whether we should be celebrating our notorious and not-so-distant past?"

For more see www.lvrj.com/blogs/smith/.

A quiet anniversary

Remember the blaze last year at the Monte Carlo? Gaming reporter Howard Stutz offers these thoughts:

"Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the Monte Carlo hotel fire, but there was little notice of the occasion. ...

"A year ago, thick, black smoke billowed above the Monte Carlo and images of the fire flashed live across cable news networks.

"Clark County Fire Department officials said sparks from a welder's torch caused the rooftop facade to catch fire.

"The three-alarm blaze caused almost $100 million in damage and lost business. ... About 6,000 people were evacuated from the property during the fire. ...

"The 3,000-room hotel-casino was closed for three weeks for repairs. ...

"Everything has reopened except the Monte Carlo's top floor. The rooms ... are being completely redesigned and reconfigured.

"While the Fire Department blamed welders, no citations were issued because the fire was termed accidental."

For more see www.lvrj.com/blogs/stutz/.

Arbitration ruling on Regional Justice Center

Review-Journal columnist Jane Ann Morrison notes how taxpayers remain on the hook:

"Clark County commissioners won't challenge a binding arbitration decision that requires the county to pay AF Construction more than $53 million to settle dueling lawsuits over the building of the Regional Justice Center. ...

"The decision not to appeal was reached in a closed-door meeting Wednesday ...

"The board will appeal some of the arbitrator's calculations of about $3.7 million in interest, but that's a small portion of the award.

"That's not the same interest as the $10,000-a-day interest that's been building since Nov. 30 when the award was issued, roughly $520,000. However, by the county's calculations, since they're earning interest on the $53 million, the interest costs are a mere $3,200 a day. By my math, that's more than $166,000 in interest since Nov 30. And they're not appealing that.

"Me, I'd have moved a little faster."

For more see www.lvrj.com/blogs/morrison/.