Economic talk short on details at Las Vegas event

When it comes to Nevada's economic recovery Gov. Brian Sandoval was long on optimism and short on details during a business event Friday in Las Vegas.

Sandoval, speaking at the inaugural Governor's Conference on Small Business, discussed in broad strokes his administration's efforts to help Nevada recover from an economic recession that cost tens of thousands of people their jobs and left most houses in the state underwater.

During the talk and a brief press conference afterward Sandoval also spoke in generalities about his plans for the upcoming session of the Legislature, his second as governor.

"The biggest thing is going to be education, the delivery of education, an educated work force, having kids who are college ready," Sandoval told reporters after the speech at The Orleans. "Third-grade literacy is going to be an absolute priority for me, we are going to call it 'Read by Three' that every child will be reading proficient by the time they finish third grade."

Asked what he and the Legislature would change and how it would be paid for given Sandoval's promise to oppose tax increases the governor declined to discuss specifics ahead of his State of the State address next year.

"That's one of the things I'm talking about in the State of the State; I'm not going to give any previews," Sandoval said.

Education funding was at the center of political posturing during the last legislative session.

Republicans, including Sandoval, sought to hold the line on spending by opposing tax increases Democrats said were critical to improving education.

The two sides agreed on some moderate reforms and, after a state Supreme Court decision late in the session threw Sandoval's budget into disarray, they compromised on a spending plan that kept alive about $600 million in existing taxes that had been set to expire.

Sandoval has since said he will support maintaining those taxes through another two-year budget cycle, reasoning the money is necessary for education.

"We are not going to reduce funding for education," he said.

The Republican governor wouldn't acknowledge his support for another extension of the taxes has hurt his credibility with the more conservative wing of the party.

"I guess I disagree with the premise of your question," Sandoval said. "There are always going to be differences, I made that decision very early on so that there would be stable funding for education."

Sandoval's appearance was a highlight of the one day conference organized by the Nevada Department of Business and Industry and chambers of commerce in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson.

Besides Sandoval's speech, the day included panel discussions with myriad economic and business experts and networking opportunities for small business people and investors.

At one of the more heavily attended discussions a panel of regional economic experts fielded questions from the audience and a moderator.

Answers to many of the questions struck a similar chord of speculating about when Nevada's economic recovery will gain steam.

"We are better but we are not healthy," Jeremy Aguero of the economics research firm Applied Analysis told the audience. "We are not in sort of this death spiral and business is never going to come back."

Aguero said economic activity is picking up but there are factors holding back a recovery, including a housing market that's at least partially stalled by new state rules on foreclosures.

Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285 .