Sandoval’s message: Sorry, but I just have to hack away

Nevada is hurting, and Gov. Brian Sandoval sends his sincerest regrets.

That's the gist of Sandoval's first State of the State address Monday night in Carson City. Those looking for fiscal conservatism with an eye on the bottom line found an ally in Sandoval, who is fully prepared to make hard choices, cut the budget and pass millions of dollars in responsibility down to county and city governments. Those hoping for a deeper vision and a broader definition of the governor's "shared sacrifice" theme were surely disappointed.

It was a nicely delivered speech filled with nicely phrased regrets.

Sandoval regrets unemployment has reached a new high and plans to expand the state's economic development mission, which has apparently been in a coma the past 100 years.

He regrets the budget deficit compels him to ask state workers to take a 5 percent pay cut and give up merit and longevity pay benefits. He further regrets being forced by circumstances -- and his no-new-taxes pledge -- to cut state spending to 2007 levels.

On the bright side, he says, "positions are eliminated in this budget , and layoffs will occur, but not on the scale seen in other states."

Teachers' salaries will be cut, which is regrettable, but at the same time, Sandoval proposed Nevada's teachers should be held to higher standards, lose their tenure, lose their education incentive pay bonuses and be made to serve as the scapegoat for a struggling public education system that already ranks low in funding on a national level.

But just so no one is confused about where the governor stands, he added, "Our education system is broken. Not the people, but the system."

Yes, he loves teachers. He just questions their competency. It's the kind of doublespeak we heard often from Jim Gibbons.

Sandoval is essentially proposing to junk class-size reduction. He proposes to improve education while cutting per pupil spending.

"Educators who are effective at teaching students and leading schools are paid exactly the same as those who are failing," Sandoval said.

Yes, governor, but does that discipline go for the state bureaucrats and regulators who have failed to make the state a better place to live? While you're scrutinizing the classroom teacher, why not fix a trained eye on human resources, public safety and social services?

Meanwhile, higher education will be cut 17.6 percent. The governor says the university system can make up the difference by increasing tuition and fees. In other words, balance the budget on the backs of students and their families. Some might call that regrettable.

In the Democrats' measured, respectful and somewhat spongy response, Assembly Speaker-elect John Oceguera replied, "A lesson I learned early -- you get what you pay for. We can't stay at the bottom of funding and get to the top of education."

Oceguera regrets to inform the governor the Democrats don't think his cuts will balance the budget and a tax increase might be necessary. At least, I think that's what he was getting at when he said, "We know it's never a good time to raise taxes. There is never a good time to fire employees. But this is the right time to shoulder our responsibility and do the right thing for our state. As the governor said, it is a time for shared sacrifice."

Those sound like fighting words.

From my reading of Sandoval's speech, it appears it's still not a good time to mention raising Nevada's laughable tax on mining despite record profits by Big Gold. Perhaps the governor, who has surrounded himself with mining lobbyists, regrets leaving that part out.

In tough times like these, and with the Legislature set to begin, it all sounds regrettable to me.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.