Oceguera’s Not-so-Merry Christmas and Sad New Year greetings

Nevadans clinging to what's left of their Christmas cheer would do well to prevent dreams of the upcoming legislative session from dancing in their heads.

A presentation from incoming Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, details all the bad budget news that's been piling up like wet snow that will tumble onto the legislature in an avalanche of grim choices.

The bad tidings are packed into a PowerPoint presentation Oceguera has been delivering to local governments and others around the state. He dropped it on the Clark County Commission earlier today. (see entire presentation)

Some highlights from the document:

Nevada's 2011-13 biennial general fund budget shortfall is estimated to be the highest, on a percentage basis, of any state in the nation at 54 percent. Illinois was second at 41.5 percent.

Since the 2008-09 fiscal year the amount of general fund money going to schools has shrunk by $450. million.

Budgets submitted by agencies for upcoming biennium total up to another $819 million in cuts.

The five-point solution proposed in the presentation culminates with "revenue enhancements," which means an increase in taxes for somebody.

The saddest line in the presentation is on page 23, "Nevada could concurrently make the largest budget cut in state history, create the largest tax increase in state history and not fill the shortfall."