City representatives cheer Gibbons’ pledge to leave them alone

CARSON CITY — To the applause of about 30 local government officials, Gov. Jim Gibbons said today that he has no plans whatsoever to take any revenue from cities and counties as he looks for ways to cut $900 million in state government spending.

“We do not intend to take any money from counties and cities,” Gibbons said at the beginning of a scheduled 90-minute meeting with local government officials.

Among those clapping in the Capitol when they heard Gibbons’ statement were Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Reno Mayor Bob Cashell and Reno City Councilman Jessica Sferrazza, a candidate for lieutenant governor.

Before the meeting, Goodman said his message to Gibbons would be “very simple: Leave us alone.”

During the 2009 Legislature, cities and counties lost about $130 million to the state as Gibbons and legislators took a $50 million indigent care accident fund used by local hospitals and $79 million in property tax revenue from Clark and Washoe counties.

While pledging not to take additional money, Gibbons said he wants local governments to pledge they will not attempt to dump any of their programs on the state.

Gibbons is scheduled to deliver a special televised State of the State address Feb. 8 during which he may outline where he will cut $900 million -- equivalent to 22 percent of the tax revenue that state government will receive between March and June 30, 2011, the end of the state’s two-year budget period.

He also will announce when he will call the Legislature into special session, likely during the week of Feb. 22.

The news media was permitted to attend only the first five minutes of Gibbons’ meeting with local government officials.

Gibbons told them he did not want the media in the room in case he might mention that certain state employees will be laid off. With the media in the room, he said these employees would learn on tonight's television news that they will be without jobs.

Daniel Burns, Gibbons’ communication director, was emphatic the governor will not seek revenue from cities and counties.

“We don’t have any money, they don’t have any money,” Burns said. “(Taking money from them) hasn’t even come up in our discussions.”

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.