Marks improve a little, but majority still believe Nevada on ‘wrong track’

CARSON CITY -- With unemployment in Nevada at a 15-year high it might not be surprising that a poll commissioned for the Review-Journal found a majority of respondents believe the state is headed in the wrong direction.

Fifty-five percent of those who participated in the poll believe Nevada is headed down the "wrong track." That compares with 35 percent who said the state is on the "right track." Ten percent were undecided.

Washington, D.C.-based Mason-Dixon Polling & Research surveyed 400 Nevadans Aug. 13-15.

The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

In a similar poll June 9-11, just 26 percent of those surveyed said Nevada was on the "right track," while 56 percent said it is on the "wrong track" and 18 percent were undecided.

Brad Coker, Mason-Dixon managing partner, said the question was open to interpretation, but most people consider it a referendum on the economy.

Although Nevada's economy has not improved, Ben Kieckhefer, press secretary to Gov. Jim Gibbons, said more people may be buying into the governor's "fiscal responsibility" message.

"While the economy is struggling, it is important to act in a responsible manner," Kieckhefer said.

Gibbons and the Legislature in a special session on June 27 cut state spending by another $275 million because of declining tax revenue.

Since January, they have reduced state spending for the two-year budget that ends next June 30 by $1.2 billion.

The governor also repeatedly has stated he will veto any legislation that would increase taxes.

Despite the apparent higher optimism, the state reported last week that the 6.6 percent unemployment rate in July was the highest since 1993.

For most of the last year, sales by businesses and winnings by casinos have declined each month compared with the same month during the previous year.

But average gasoline prices, which peaked nationally at $4.11 per gallon for unleaded on July 17, were down to $3.69 per gallon on Friday.

Mary Lau, director of the Retail Association of Nevada, said Friday there are signs of an economic recovery, noting a small increase in home sales in Northern Nevada.

She added that traditionally public optimism goes up as a presidential election approaches, regardless of who the candidates are. "When it gets closer to the election, things improve," she said.

Lower gasoline prices also may have led to greater public optimism, Lau added.

"Gas prices went down because of the debate in Congress and the talk about additional drilling," Lau said. "We still need to fix the problem."

Contact reporter Ed Vogel at evogel @reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.