New coalition speaks out against budget cuts

Nevada's budget should not be balanced on the backs of its most vulnerable citizens.

That was the message on Monday to Gov. Jim Gibbons from a new coalition of advocacy groups representing children, seniors and families.

The coalition, called Save Our State, comprises 15 advocacy groups including the Nevada Parent Teacher Association, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Every Child Matters, ProgressNow Nevada and several labor unions.

"The budget shortfall is worse than we thought," said Alison Turner, president-elect of the Nevada PTA. "We need to pull together to save our state and provide a better future for our children."

Turner and others spoke against additional cuts to education and services for seniors, the mentally ill and disabled. About 100 people gathered for the coalition's kickoff at the Clark County Government Center. Events also were held in Carson City and Reno.

State legislators are trying to figure out how to patch a hole in the budget that appears to be close to $3 billion.

Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, said Saturday it would take more than three-quarters of a billion dollars the state doesn't have just to fund the budget proposed by the governor in January -- a heavily criticized budget that took into account anticipated revenue shortfalls.

Save Our State formed to make a final push against Gibbons' proposed budget cuts. Speakers at Monday's Las Vegas event included a teacher who said she has to pay for many of her own classroom supplies, a nurse who said more cuts to health care would put lives at stake, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas' student body president, Adam Cronis.

"If we are going to see a successful future, we have to make sure they (students) know we care about them," Cronis said.

The coalition urged people to contact their elected representatives about finding alternate ways to balance the state's budget.

Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.