Everything You Need to Know About the EPIC FAIL of Nevada's Schools

The Sun has a story this morning about Daniel Avellino, a second grade teacher at Aggie Roberts Elementary here in Henderson. Because of all the budget cuts of the last two years, Avellino has had a harder time paying off his college debt... Or even paying the bills and buying groceries.

So what is he doing? Oh, he now has a second job... That may soon become his new career.

Over time, Avellino hopes to turn his second job into a full-time career. He recently took another acting job playing Tony in “Tony ’n Tina’s Wedding” at Planet Hollywood, and is starting to look for an agent.

“I definitely don’t see myself in the classroom two years from now,” he said. “I chose to teach because I’m good at it, and I love it. But it’s like any job. If you’re not being treated right, you go somewhere else where they would appreciate you.”

Holding down three jobs and working more than 80 hours, six days a week comes at a price. The stress from “basically performing from 9 in the morning to 10 at night” and the lack of sleep has exacerbated Avellino’s headaches stemming from his sports-related concussions as a child, he said.

However, acting is fast becoming his second passion.

“It’s almost to the point where when people ask me what I do, I don’t say teacher anymore,” he said. “You’re embarrassed to say you’re a teacher.

“It’s heartbreaking. I feel like I’m being forced out of this position, but you can only take so much. You have to say enough is enough.”

So why am I so upset? Read this.

“Last year, pay freeze. This year, a cut in pay. I don’t want to stick around to see what happens next year,” he said as the nine-month school year winds to an end today.

Armed with a master’s degree in elementary education, the Buffalo, N.Y., native moved to the Las Vegas Valley five years ago to pursue his teaching career. Then, Las Vegas was a boomtown, and like many institutions, the School District was experiencing growing pains.

The influx of thousands of new students necessitated more classrooms and staff, so the School District built more schools and hired young, passionate teachers such as Avellino.

“I love teaching,” he said. “I like to keep it fun and creative, so I get a little silly in the classroom … When (students) see you care about them, they’ll do all the assignments, anything.”

But the economy tanked, and Avellino became one of more than 1,000 School District teachers who were “surplused” in March to plug a projected $407 million budget deficit. Teachers whose positions were eliminated at schools where there was an excess might be hired at other schools in the district, however “it’s basically the luck of the draw,” he said.

He sounds like the kind of teacher we'd love to have our kids learn from. But instead of encouraging good teachers like Avellino to educate our next generation of Nevadans, we're pushing them away with budget cuts. And people wonder why Nevada is ranked 50th out of 50 in offering our students a chance for success?

There is a reason why education is so valuable. It really can be the key to unlocking a better future. But because Nevada doesn't value public education, we see the most of the best and brightest avoid this state like the plague while our economy remains hopelessly overdependent on casinos and tourism.







There's a reason why people in this state were crying out from January to March all the way to May. And even though Nevada has a budget, it still doesn't really do anything to solve our long-term problems. That's why there's a growing demand to take action next year, regardless of what Sandoval and The Legislature (don't) do in the interim.

Trust me. Daniel Avellino isn't the only teacher Nevada is losing. There are more like him who can no longer survive under the current system. And as long as we keep treating teachers like crap and continue underfunding our schools, public education will continue to circle the drain in the toilet in this state. Something has to be done to fix this. We can't keep waiting while our teachers are being forced to give up their passion and our students are being forced to give up their dreams.

Joe Heck AGAIN Attacks Medicare & Social Security

Joe Heck did it... AGAIN! Go ahead and listen for yourself.

But in case you can't, the transcript is below.

Robert: Congressman Heck, I just wanted to thank you, you know, because I’m a working man just like the rest of you and you’re absolutely right: Social Security is a pyramid scheme. And, you know, I’m just (unintelligible) because the money I’m paying right now I am paying for other peoples’ futures and fewer and fewer people are paying for my benefits as well. And that’s not what Social Security is intended for. Why aren’t more people talking about this, and what can Washington do to starting doing something to fix it?

Heck: Yeah, it’s a great question Robert and you’re exactly right. You know back in 1955 there were nine people paying in for every person collecting. By 1973 that dropped down to three to one. It’s projected that over the next 20 years it will be down to two to one. You know and it’s already said that Social Security is probably going to be insolvent in about 20 years. So we can wait until 20 years from now to take action, or we can take action now. And like you I’ve been paying into Social Security for almost 32 years and want to make sure that there’s a benefit there when I retire. I co-sponsored a bill that would say that Social Security contributions from your paycheck go into a fund that can only be used to pay for Social Security. You know, Congress… previous Congresses have raided the trust fund for other pet projects and to try to balance the budget and use it for other projects. We’ve got to make sure that the money going in goes specifically to those that are expecting a benefit at some point in time. And then we’re going to have to look at a lot of other options to put on the table to make sure that the program remains viable and stable. It’s a matter of leadership. You know, previous Congress has done nothing about the debt. They show no leadership on the debt and now we’re in a debt crisis. They are showing no leadership on Medicare and we are approaching a Medicare crisis. And if nobody wants to show leadership on Social Security we’ll have the same crisis in about 20 years. [emphasis mine]

Not only is Joe Heck doubling down on calling Social Security a "pyramid scheme", but he also throws out plenty of false "facts" he intends to use to scare us into privatizing Medicare and Social Security. When Heck was bragging about "taking action", was he talking about House Republicans' proposed (Un)SAFE Act to starve away Social Security by replacing it with private accounts? Does he really want to risk seniors' economic security with a corrupt privatization scheme?

Wait, doesn't this sound familiar? It should.

So now, Sharrontology Obtuse Angle claims she isn't really for abolishing Social Security... Even though she is. And the media are chattering away about why we're not seeing more "open dialogue on reforming Social Security". Sound familiar? It should. George Bush tried this exact same tactic in 2005, and the corporate media were cheerleading it on until the waves of protests all over the country killed the proposal...

Or did it? It seems Sharrontology wants to revive it. And like Bush in 2005, she's using the same ol' "It's going broke!!!!" scare tactics to goad us into letting her throw starving seniors onto the streets to "fend for themselves" like they should in a "free market".

So here's the problem. Obtuse Angle isn't giving us the full story.Social Security is NOT "going broke".



I know, I know. It's not as dramatic as the "Oh noezzz, Social Security is BROKE!!!!" storyline you hear in the corporate media and you see parroted by radical right GOoPers like Sharrontology. But let's face it, there's no real "CRISIS!!!!" here. 

Contrary to what Sharron Angle and Joe Heck would have us believe, Social Security is A-O-K as it is. But by privatizing the system and getting rid of its cash flow, then and only then is the system in danger of collapsing. The Social Security Trust Fund is currently running a surplus. But if the system were to be turned over to Wall Street, upwards of $4.5 trillion would be needed to privatize Social Security for current workers while simultaneously handling the current caseload of retirees. Where will we get that kind of money? I thought House Republicans didn't support this kind of "borrow and spend" fiscal policy.

Of course, that's what Joe Heck doesn't want us to see. He just wants us to believe he's fighting the "big bad guv'mint pyramid scheme!"

But wait, there's more! Joe Heck also reiterated this morning that he supports Paul Ryan's "Kill Medicare" Plan. And yet again, he's using buzzwords like "CRISIS!" and "leadership" to distract us from what Paul Ryan's "Kill Medicare" Plan will do in Nevada's 3rd Congressional District if enacted.

The Republican proposal would have adverse impacts on seniors and disabled individuals in the district who are currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:

• Increase prescription drug costs for 9,500 Medicare beneficiaries in the district who enter the Part D do-nut hole, forcing them to pay an extra $94 million for drugs over the next decade.

• Eliminate new preventive care benefits for 120,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the district.

The Republican proposal would have even greater impacts on individuals in the district age 54 and younger who are not currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:

• Deny 780,000 individuals age 54 and younger in the district access to Medicare’s guaranteed benefits.

• Increase the out-of-pocket costs of health coverage by over $6,000 per year in 2022 and by almost $12,000 per year in 2032 for the 155,000 individuals in the district who are between the ages of 44 and 54.

• Require the 155,000 individuals in the district between the ages of 44 and 54 to save an additional $36.2 billion for their retirement – an average of $182,000 to $287,000 per individual – to pay for the increased cost of health coverage over their lifetimes. Younger residents of the district will have to save even higher amounts to cover their additional medical costs.

• Raise the Medicare eligibility age by at least one year to age 66 or more for 89,000 individuals in the district who are age 44 to 49 and by two years to age 67 for 624,000 individuals in the district who are age 43 or younger. “

So that's what Joe Heck really wants to force upon us in Nevada... And nationwide! Look at the above facts and figures. Does that look like "solving a crisis" or creating one?

Henderson Ward 4: How the Race Was Won

A whole lot of people were surprised last night when the Henderson Ward 4 election was called early for Sam Bateman. I wasn't. In all the times I walked with him, I saw the broad and continually growing support he was gathering throughout town.











It's really one of those success stories one wants to cheer. Sometimes, "Mr. Smith" really can make it to City Hall.

Sine Die, #NVLeg: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

So it's over. It's finally over. And unless Sandoval pulls any surprise last-minute vetoes, it looks like Nevada will have a budget on time, more smoke-filled taverns, a new legal battle with California over Lake Tahoe, an "extreme makeover" of Reno's bowling stadium, and more.

Oh, joy!

Just before noon on Monday, the Senate approved Assembly Bill 561, the bill that extends $620 million in taxes approved in the 2009 legislative session, which were set to expire, or sunset, on July 1.

"They said we were too far apart to reach a budget agreement,” said Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas. “They said it couldn’t be done. We proved the pessimists wrong.”

The bill that sparked the contention was Senate Bill 506, a bill that allowed for a toll road in Boulder City, but which also included Assemblywoman Debbie Smith’s “School Works” legislation, which would allow school districts to lower their bond reserves and fund construction projects.

The bill died in the Assembly because of opposition to the toll road, but came back to life with 13 minutes left in the session.

This time, it passed 29-13. The School Works measure was moved to AB 376, a so-called “Christmas Tree” bill, which also included measures to allow the Reno Aces ownership to add a surcharge on tickets and downtown Reno casinos to add a $2 per room night charge for improvements to the National Bowling Stadium, Reno Events Center and Reno Ballroom. It was approved with nine minutes left in the session.

That could really sum it up, but there's even more to talk about. Let's start with the good that happened this session:

- The state gave up its lust for county and city funds now that The Nevada Supreme Court ruled the Clean Water Coalition money grab unconstitutional.

- SB 276, the bill written to protect K-12 students from dangerous bullying (and is LGBTQ inclusive), passed.

- AB 211! Finally, transgender Nevadans can no longer be fired from work just because of who they are.

- Yay! Kenny Guinn Millennium Scholarships continue!

- Despite a last-minute court ruling jeopardizing additional mining fees, the mining industry finally agreed to cough up an extra $24 million to keep the state running.

- And at least for now, Nevada's colleges will remain safe and gun-free.

While I wish to just leave it here, we must also unfortunately address the bad that happened this session:

- Let the Tahoe trashing begin! SB 271 passed, so now Nevada can look forward to more unnecessary legal battles with the feds and California.

The demands in Senate Bill 271 are major. Chief among the demands are that the U.S. Congress and California would have to agree that major decisions do not need approval from a majority of members of the board from both states. Also, the Governing Board of TRPA would have to consider economic conditions when amending their regional plan. Congress and California would have 4 and a half years to agree to the terms.

As the law stands now, If these demands aren't met, then Nevada would withdraw from the compact by 2015. However, there is another legislative session before that time and Nevada Legislators could back-track. But until then the measure puts at risk a 415 million dollar 10-year funding bill for the agency that is floating on the floor of congress.

And considering California still has to resolve its own budget crisis (yet again), Sacramento probably has no appetite for any of Carson's follies right now.

- Teachers and other public servants get spat upon yet again with more pay cuts, more layoffs, and possibly more limits to their collective bargaining power.

And finally, let's take a look at the simply ridiculous:

- Yet again, we have a "budget" cobbled together from random this and mix of that... And our schools are still being shortchanged.

- Redistricting is now likely to go to court, as The Legislature adjourned without agreement on a new set of maps to send to Sandoval.

- And as usual, The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce pretty much got its way on everything.

So there you have it, folks! And that's all, folks... At least for now. #NVLeg may have adjourned, but the drama stirred up from this session may just be starting.

As the 76th Session Closes...

(Btw, there's more at The Nevada View! Yes, I'm now there, too!)

We see the usual last-minute flurry of activity.

The Legislature has until 1 a.m. Tuesday to finish its business, unless Gov. Brian Sandoval calls a special session, which he has said he will not do.

Republicans, led by Sandoval, agreed to extend taxes passed in 2009 that were set to expire on June 30. In exchange, Democrats agreed to spending cuts for education and social services, and changes to policies like teacher tenure and collective bargaining.

The latter issue, which dictates how counties and cities bargain with public employee unions, threatened to unravel the budget compromise Sunday night. Republicans were unhappy with language they believed broke the general agreement the sides had struck. Specifically, they believed the agreement included a ban on supervisors bargaining collectively. It was so narrowly written that only a handful of city, county and school district employees would be banned, said Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno.

But Kieckhefer said Monday morning that a compromise had been reached about 3 a.m. this morning that would create a broader prohibition on supervisors collectively bargaining.

Oh, yes! Of course, our biggest problem right now is allowing public servants to bargain collectively. [Face, meet palm.]

So the budget is being wrapped up as we speak. In the mean time, bills addressing matters as diverse (or are they?) as HOAs, financial crises, Reno's bowling stadium and baseball team, and Lake Tahoe have one more chance of passage tonight. Fasten your seat belts, kids, we're in for one more VERY bumpy ride!

And then what? What happens when the 76th Session of The Nevada Legislature adjourns? Maybe the 77th Session won't have to be so unforgivingly, brutally banal? One can hope... And then, others can act.

Danny Thompson of the AFL-CIO and Bob Fulkerson of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, both said in the past two days that work goes on in preparing a tax ballot question of the 2012.

Fulkerson talked about the initiative being for a new broad-based business tax or a tax on mining. PLAN had given up on a service tax question since it would hit too many in the middle class. (Plus, it would get very complicated).

Thompson is leaning toward a business tax. Both, however, said that a petition drive for the ballot question on taxes is definitely coming.
“Clearly, you are never going to get anything done here (at Legislature),” Thompson said. “It’s impossible.”

As we talked about yesterday, our state can not afford any more inaction. However "messy" and "unpredictable" it may be, direct democracy may truly be the one real solution to avoid any more missed opportunities like this session's.

Redistricting: Off to Court We Go!

The Nevada Legislature is wrapping up. We're now in the final 24 hour stretch, and the final budget bills must be approved and sent to Governor Sandoval. So really, it isn't too much of a surprise that any sort of redistricting deal finally looks to be dead at #NVLeg.

Maybe this really isn't a bad thing? After all, the current districts we have are a result of a bipartisan "incumbent protection" gerrymander. Perhaps now that judges will decide the new district boundaries rather than politicians looking to protect their own behinds and/or use redistricting as a bargaining chip for something else, we'll see Congressional and legislative districts that actually make more sense. Here's to hope! ;-)

Off to the Ballot Box We Go?

SHOCK! Progressives aren't jumping for joy over the state budget deal.

Nevada's stunning budget agreement will continue to impose a much higher tax burden on the poor than on the rich while severely underfunding education and humane social services, thus inflicting immediate and long-term damage to Nevada's already hopelessly wrecked economy.

But judging from the sparkling headlines and gushing praise, perhaps the most wonderful thing about this "true leadership," this "triumph of leadership," is that lawmakers are cooperating to expedite Nevada's irreversible downward spiral politely and on time.

SHOCK! More progressives are thinking aloud about possible 2012 ballot initiatives.

There you have it. Sandoval saved our schools. He suddenly cares about class sizes. What a crock of public relations bullshit. Sandoval’s no new tax pledge was a mistake. He made it so the drooling far right wing of the Republican party would vote for him, and so they did, and now we’re all paying the price. How will Nevada students stack up to schools in states where funding per pupil is twice what it is in Nevada? Where will the best teachers look for jobs?

I wish God’s speed and best of luck to any coalition of citizens that wants to put tax questions to voters. The Democrats tried to broaden and update the state’s revenue base with a margin tax on large corporations and a sales tax on services, but the Republicans would have none of it. They sat on their hands with their fingers in their collective ears. The Governor and Republicans in the Legislature proposed no other solution than cuts to the state budget. They heard the testimony. School administrators and professors and teachers and students and parent across the state described the terrible effects of the Governor’s proposed budget on our already grossly underfunded school systems, yet Sandoval and his keen advisors decided schools could withstand the cuts. And what’s worse, our system of taxation is still broken. Our state budget will continue to yoyo, and next session we can balance the budget on the backs of schools and the poor to protect narrow corporate profits once again. Sandoval says we will grow our way out of revenue problems, but an unstable state budget and worst in the nation schools are not incentives for companies to move here. I have no faith in the governor’s promises. He works for the board room and not our state’s citizens.

I am hopeful a group of concerned Nevadans will form and gather the necessary signatures to put similar tax reforms as proposed by Democrats this session to a vote of the people in November 2012. Through the Governor and Republican lawmakers, the entire state is held hostage by a radical minority of antigovernment nut cases in the Republican party, but if given the opportunity, the citizens of Nevada will make the right choices, even if their Republican representatives will not.

SHOCK! Nevada's most powerful and influential corporate citizens are also not overjoyed with this budget deal, and they may be willing to join labor unions and other progressive organizers to pass some sort of progressive tax reform next year. Wait... HUH??!! OK, this one actually IS a shocker!

Lobbyists representing major Nevada industries are talking with labor and education leaders about putting taxes in front of voters in 2012.

The target right now is a question or questions that will revive some of the taxes Democrats unsuccessfully proposed this session, sources said.

The conversations are built on a consensus among business leaders and labor representatives that major tax reform will never come out of the Legislature.

“I’ve lost all faith in the ability of the Legislature to fund government,” said Danny Thompson, executive secretary/treasurer of the AFL-CIO, the state’s largest labor group. “The only solution is to go to the people.” [...]

According to sources with knowledge of the discussions, the coalition could end up backing a number of separate questions, including on the “margin tax” and sales tax on services. If the teachers union is involved, as is likely, there would also be some sort of mechanism to ensure that a portion of funding goes to education, a lobbyist said.

Gaming and mining, the state’s two major industries, are the most obvious funders for a campaign. The thinking for them is this: If the public gets too upset at cuts and inadequate funding for education, they will target the state’s two prominent industries.

For years now, the state’s establishment has warned against going to the ballot to set tax policy.

But as the Nevada 2011 session comes to a close with another muddling solution of temporary taxes and spending cuts, the frustration is obvious.

“The environment is ripe for those conversations (with industry leaders) to happen after this session,” said one business lobbyist, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Of course, there has to be a catch somewhere. In this case, the powers that be in Nevada's gaming-mining-lobbying industrial complex are afraid the angry mob of plebes just might come after them for years of pulling the puppet strings of "the best state government money can buy" that never seemed to care about the people very much. So now, out of desire not to bear the brunt of the people's wrath, these powers that be now want to help pass some kind of broad-based tax reform.



Now of course, everyone's favorite "lovable curmudgeon" pundit sounded the alarms yet again on what may happen if we keep kicking this budgetary can down the road. And though he doesn't utter "The C Word" himself, it's quite clear he's starting to see what I've been seeing for some time.

Republicans here always make scary comments about this state becoming some sort of "Little California", but their very obstruction on the budget and diabolical brinksmanship games with state government are turning us into California!

Sometimes, I really do wonder if Republican legislators are spending time that should be used working on a budget deal to instead study up on how California Republicans have turned Sacramento into an endless game of "Mortal Combat"... Where the folks who get killed off are kids in need of education, and seniors & disabled in need of health care. Read Calitics' budget diaries and notice the strange air of familiarity to them.

It seems like both at the federal level and in other states, Republicans are exporting the California model of obstructing their way to broken government to the rest of the country.

Either way, Nevada's governance will start to look a lot more like California's, and more like other Western states (such as Arizona) that have become accustomed to partisan turf wars, ballot box budgeting, and "direct democracy gone wild". It's now a question of whether Nevada will keep sputtering on its way to the bottom, or if progressives can turn this around and take advantage of this unique opportunity to inject more common sense into our state government. The days of Kenny Guinn and Barbara Buckley and Bill Raggio making "grand bargains" seem to be long gone. Term limits are taking away experienced legislators. Meanwhile, the power vacuum is being filled by corporate lobbyists, party central committees, and other outside forces.

So what can we do? In the long term, I still believe it's in our best interest that progressives work toward reforming state government to make it more responsive to the people and less beholden to special corporate interests. But in the mean time, we can't wait on the sidelines for the next two years while Nevada's people continue to suffer inadequate public education, health care, transportation, and other infrastructure necessary to make our state whole again.

So now, we have to ask ourselves not whether and when we will go to the ballot and ask the people to save our state, but how we will do so and who we will build coalitions with. Should we work with gaming and mining on a broad-based business tax? Should we work with other progressive activists on a corporate income tax? Should we push for some sort of mining tax reform? 2012 may seem like a long hike away, but it really isn't. We need to start planning now to take the first necessary steps to save our state and bring real progressive reform to Nevada government.

NV-03: Joe Heck Bashes Nevada Seniors (Yet Again)

(Also at Daily Kos)



Why am I not surprised? After all, Joe Heck makes no apologies of sucking up to Wall Street special interests while working class Nevada families suffer. And of course, this means Heck is gung-ho behind Paul Ryan's "Kill Medicare" plan.

So in essence, perhaps we really shouldn't be surprised by this statement that seems to be more than just some random "gaffe". Rachel Maddow actually did a great job of putting together all the pieces of this sordid Republican puzzle.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And Think Progress delivers an even more devastating blow of a reality check to "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor!" Joe Heck.

Heck’s words touched off an instant uproar among his constituents, who immediately began shouting him down and challenging his disparaging characterization. He also falsely claimed at the outset of his remarks: “No one is talking about raising the retirement age.” Heck appears to be the latest Republican to take his talking points directly from the Tea Party group FreedomWorks, run by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R). At a conference for conservative activists, Armey called Social Security a “Ponzi scheme“ that steals people’s money “under false pretenses.”

Nevada journalist Jon Ralston reported that Heck has been trying to walk back his comments. Heck first said, “I regret that I misspoke” and added, “Those who have followed my position know that I am fully committed to protecting the promise of Social Security.”

Contrary to Heck’s opinion, Social Security has actually worked amazingly well since its inception, lifting millions of disabled and senior citizens out of poverty. It remains indispensable: the median income for senior households is $24,000, and Social Security provides the majority of income for two-thirds of our elderly.

Despite numerous polls and an electoral upset that illustrate just how unpopular their position is, Republicans can’t seem to take the hint that Americans overwhelmingly like and depend on entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. After paying into them their entire careers, Americans expect these programs to remain intact to support them when they need it. There is simply no appetite for Republican efforts to abolish them, or tolerance for lawmakers who disparage them. Yet congressional Republicans remain defiant to public opinion and are sticking with their plans to end Medicare.

Wait, where have we seen this before? For some reason, this sounds so familiar. Oh yes, that's right! On the campaign trail last year, Joe Heck supported the same agenda of privatizing Social Security and Medicare that Sharron Angle championed... Except when it wasn't convenient to admit that. It looks like we (the voters in NV-03) are left holding the short end of that stick.



Many thousands of Nevadans rely upon Social Security as their main (sometimes, only) source of income, and upon Medicare for their much needed health care. Without these two vital programs, Nevada would be devastated by an outbreak of senior poverty that we probably haven't experienced since The Great Depression. But what does Joe Heck want to do? Oh, he just wants to screw around with our Social Security and Medicare!

Don't believe him when he says he doesn't. Believe his record. And believe his backers.

Want Jobs? Go Green!

(Also at DKos)

Before I hear any more about "job killing enviro-nazis" and "myths of manmade global warming hurting our economy", view this.



Need I say more? Need I go on? OK, I will.

How many of us are thinking twice about our summer travel plans? How many of us are worrying about how much more expensive it is today to drive to work and/or school? And our addiction to fossil fuels isn't what's hurting our economy?

But before I go further, get a load of this.

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman has been talking about this concept for a while, arguing that a gasoline tax “would trigger a shift in buying and investment” in clean energy here in the U.S. — a move that would provide a foundation for a reinvigorated economy and reduce Americans’ dependence on oil, particularly from foreign sources.

But despite the fact that little is being done about it legislatively, the general consensus is that America’s dependence on oil also harms U.S. national security. “Bringing down consumption of imported oil is very much in the interest of national security,” noted retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton last month. And indeed, even the U.S. military is acknowledging this reality and taking action [...]

“There are a lot of profound reasons for doing this, but for us at the core it’s practical,” said Ray Mabus, the Navy secretary and a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Yet the Saudis have an obvious interest in keeping America — and the West — addicted to its oil supply. And luckily for them, their mouthpiece in the U.S. gets generous air time to make that case. And seeing that bin Talal is also one of Fox News’s largest shareholders, perhaps he’s rubbing off on some of the network’s most high profile employees. “I love that smell of emissions,” Sarah Palin said this weekend.

We're seeing continued high gas prices as The Middle East is in turmoil. At the same time, the national unemployment rate is still painfully high at 9.1%. What we're doing now really isn't working. Yet even though our addiction to fossil fuels is now coming back to bite us, the Congressional Republicans' proposed federal budget would only worsen this if enacted.

Even business leaders are horrified by this!



Why? Simple. They're not stupid. They know that there is potential for 4.2 million new green collar jobs in the next 30 years, and that the global demand for bold solutions to the climate crisis may actually provide lucrative opportunities in renewable energy and energy efficiency.





If green jobs are the future, then my home state is at the center of it all. Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the country, yet we also have immense opportunities to take the climate bull by the horns and actually revive our economy with new jobs.







Of course, it helps that we have the Senate Majority Leader here working nonstop to bring more green projects here to Nevada and foster more green jobs efforts across the nation. However, our other Senator doesn't seem to be as interested in putting his own people back to work.

[Senator Dean] Heller [R-Fossil Fuel Industry] voted to end Department of Energy loan guarantees for clean energy projects and voted in favor of tax breaks for big oil companies. [Rep. Shelley] Berkley [D-Las Vegas] supported the loan guarantees and opposed the incentives.

Without loan guarantees, renewable energy projects such as a solar-thermal plant being built in Tonopah would be shuttered, Berkley said. The Tonopah project will create 600 jobs.

Berkley said Heller instead sided with oil companies to approve lucrative tax breaks and incentives for the industry.

"Do big oil companies need more tax subsidies?" Berkley asked. "I don't think so. What we need to be doing is putting our resources into creating a whole economy based on green jobs." [...]

"Dean Heller chose who he stands with. He doesn't stand with middle-class Nevadans," electrician Mark Williams said.

"Clean energy is not so much about the environment but (about) property owners saving money and creating jobs," energy efficiency contractor Chris Cadwell added.

In so many ways, the political battles here in Nevada over green jobs reflect the larger national debate over what to do on climate change and job creation. We can no longer continue living in denial. Climate change is real, is happening at an alarming pace, and is emerging as probably the greatest national security challenge of our time. At the same time, our economic problems are also real, and we can not avoid taking real action to invest in our economy and create more jobs.

So if we really want to avoid "double dip recession" and chronically high unemployment, and if we want to finally get off the sidelines and take the lead on pushing real climate solutions, we know what we need to do. So when will we do it?

LV CityLife Gets It. Will the Rest of the City?

Here's an interesting curveball.

[...I]n the case of Chris Giunchigliani, what "career politician" really means is that she's spent two decades mastering the workings of the two largest non-fed governments in Nevada. She's racked up an enviable record of tangible achievement: creating the bond legislation that helped build more than 100 new schools without a property-tax hike; securing the funding for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, one of the high points of Oscar Goodman's mayoralty; earning a solid reputation for supporting education (she spent years as a teacher).

So she's got skills. Enough that one of her constituents mounted a vote-for-Goodman campaign so as to keep Giunchigliani at the county.

Hers is the sort of hard-won expertise Las Vegas needs at this time. Some economists and politicians believe a recovery is under way; yet, as this endorsement is being composed, a worried headline tells us that housing prices have dropped to where they were in 1999, the year Goodman was elected. These, then, are enormously complicated times, and the city needs a leader -- however symbolic that leadership sometimes is -- who can expertly squeeze every bit of efficacy out of government.

And she is a leader. If she doesn't have Oscar-grade charisma, she does have a forceful presence. Some say she's abrasive; we say she doesn't suffer fools gladly. She'll call out staffers who don't do their jobs, yes -- but that's why we elect strong-willed people, to ensure that our representatives run the government, not the bureaucracy. Plus, she's fearless: As a commissioner she stood up to Republic Services and other big players without regard to the political consequences.

Wow. CityLife did what the other papers were too afraid to do. Instead of making "the safe pick", they actually endorsed who they believe is the best candidate.

So are Las Vegas voters doing the same? The LA Times actually noticed Las Vegas is having this election.

So Las Vegas barely bristled when Oscar ran his mouth about wanting to cart the homeless to an abandoned prison, open legal brothels in downtown Las Vegas and cut off the thumbs of graffiti taggers (none of which came to fruition). A grade-schooler once asked what he'd want if stranded on a deserted island. His answer: gin.

"Goodman is so prone to making outrageous and offensive comments, it is hard to be shocked by him anymore," a Las Vegas Sun editorial said in 2005. Two years later, he won his third four-year term with more than 80% of the vote.

Oscar's backers view him as a symbol of their devil-may-care city, which he defends with as much zeal as he once did reputed Mafiosos. They applaud him for railing against President Obama for saying bailout-funded executives shouldn't jet off to Las Vegas — though Oscar's fit probably drew more attention to the throwaway remark.

The Las Vegas mayor's role is mostly ceremonial. The mayor runs City Council meetings and can declare emergencies, but lacks veto power over the other six members of the council. Still, Oscar is credited with persuading nightclubs, art galleries and even a clinic devoted to brain health to open in still-scraggly downtown.

"When I go door to door, I find I'm running against a name ... people think it's Oscar they're supporting instead of Carolyn," said Giunchigliani, who's trying to push voters who normally blow off local elections to the polls. A former state lawmaker who bested more than a dozen contenders to face Carolyn Goodman in a runoff, she's been more focused on business licensing and urban planning than, for example, photographing a Playboy playmate (another Oscar stunt).

"He was flash and jazz more than substance," Giunchigliani said. "It worked then, but this is now."

And this is the problem that Las Vegas faces. I can say this because I travel to other "big cities" and talk to other "big city folk" who show looks of repulsion when I describe Las Vegas city government. It's really the 800 pound gorilla in the room that many here don't want to acknowledge.

So instead, we're seeing the unoriginal and pointless attack ads Carolyn Goodman is dumping onto our airwaves. Oh, and by the way, is this also Carolyn's awkward attempt to distance herself from Oscar? After all, he has espoused the exact same views on home rule, education funding, and state revenues that she's attacking Chris G for now.

It's sad to see Carolyn Goodman really has nothing else to run on. What is her plan for the city? Does she even have one? How will she create jobs? What will she do about the homeless downtown? What about revitalizing West Las Vegas? What about home foreclosures?

Oh wait, she actually does have a plan for that!



So how is Carolyn Goodman even earning votes? Poker chips? A celebrity endorsement or three? How does that really help Las Vegas?

Again, notice the contrast.





So what does Las Vegas need? And what do Las Vegas voters really want? I guess we'll know for sure next week.

Why Nevada Matters (Again)

Now that the legislative session is wrapping up, we can get back to the other great pastime of Nevada: ELECTIONS! And believe it or not, we promise to be quite relevant again this next election cycle.

Last week, the head of the congressional Democrats’ campaign arm said he thinks his party can retake the House, and that the Silver State’s races could play a crucial role.

“This House is in play. I wasn’t prepared to say that before,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel told reporters last week, later telling the Sun that “based on the current climate, it looks like most of Nevada could be in play.”

As a swing state with a new congressional district and recently one of the tightest battlegrounds for the House, politicians in both parties are eyeing Nevada’s potential to deliver significant pickup.

If Democrats really mean to take the House in 2012, they’ll have to win 24 seats that are either vacant or under Republican control — three of which, potentially, could come from Nevada. But the national parties will be watching Nevada long before 2012.

So what does this mean? Basically, we can expect yet another banner year with big money, big ticket marquee races. The US Senate race is already being closely watched, as newly minted Senator Dean Heller (R-"Anointed") is having to learn the hard way that getting anointed/appointed to office doesn't make the following election a cake walk. But now that redistricting may very well end up in court, there's also now the possibility of as many as 3 competitive US House races forming here in Nevada next year.

In the mean time, however, there is already an exciting race happening with the NV-02 special election this year. The GOP frontrunners are all over the place on Paul Ryan's craptastic "Kill Medicare" plan, which in turn is causing major teabagger angst and another possible teabagger bid to blow up NV-02 for Republicans. Meanwhile on the Democratic side, Kate Marshall looks to be consolidating most party support and pouncing to take advantage of all the Republican division.

In addition to the personalities, the policies may also be playing a bigger role this year. Nevada still leads the country in unemployment and foreclosures, though recovery is now slowly starting to happen as everyone nervously awaits upcoming jobless reports, casino winnings, and sales tax receipts. However, the state is poised to take advantage of emerging opportunities in renewable energy and green technology, and debate continues on what kind of role we want state and federal government to play in encouraging this and creating more green collar jobs. And as hinted earlier, with Nevada's sizable and powerful senior communities becoming increasingly concerned about Congressional Republican plans to alter or dismantle Medicare, this will likely remain a major front-burner issue in this year's and next year's campaigns. In essence, the NV-02 special election this year may likely become an "idea lab" where party messages on top issues like Medicare, job creation, foreclosures, and climate change are first tested on a real electoral playing field. And next year, Nevada may again prove to be a national bellwether as voters' verdicts here may ultimately tip the balance of power on Capitol Hill.

And again, redistricting will probably become a major wild card. While a court drawn map might dash Democratic hopes of securing at least 2 safe House seats, on the other hand a court will likely deny Republicans ANY safe seats. With The Nevada Supreme Court poised to put aside partisan politics and draw a "fair map", there may be as many as 3 competitive House races next year... And 3 more seats Democrats can gain to move closer to the ultimate goal of 24 seats to flip to retake The House.

My Planned Testimony on SB 271

Because there were many speakers scheduled and certain legislators were actually asking questions about this, I couldn't speak. However, this is what I was planning to say about SB 271. If you also want to make your voice heard, send a message to your legislators while you still can.

---

When I visited Lake Tahoe this spring, I did not go to see just another casino, or just another shopping mall, or just another ski resort. I went to experience the unique natural beauty of the lake. Tahoe truly is one of Nevada's greatest jewels. But if SB 271 passes, Nevada risks losing this jewel.

Lake Tahoe is a precious resource that Nevada should treasure. Yet if SB 271 passes, we will jeopardize the clarity of the lake that residents and tourists alike love by allowing for more development that harms the streams the feed into the lake. And why? So more McMansions can be built? So another ski resort and casino can be developed? And we potentially lose the economic lifeblood of this area? New development and redevelopment projects are already being approved. Why do we need to weaken TRPA?

I hope this legislature considers both the long term economic health and environmental health of the region when considering SB 271. I am afraid of the consequences of withdrawing from removing the regulatory checks and balances necessary to protect Lake Tahoe and preserve Northern Nevada's crown jewel for future generations. Please look at the big picture. I suspect you will find that if passed, SB 271 would harm the Tahoe region far more than it would help.

And We Have a Budget!

Yep, that's right. It's finally here! Nevada will soon have a budget.

Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and legislative leaders reached an agreement Wednesday on a $6.2 billion general fund spending plan that preserves funding for education and critical human services while implementing collective bargaining and education reforms sought by Republicans.
The budget will include about $620 million in taxes that were scheduled to expire in July. Now, those taxes will be extended for another two years.
Yet the bill also includes a tax break for about 115,000 small businesses who will no longer have to pay a modified business tax.
Sandoval said the budget for the 2011-13 biennium is about $500 million less than the current two-year budget for state government.
Sandoval backed off his no-new-taxes mantra to allow the sunset taxes that were expected to be eliminated after last week's Nevada Supreme Court decision that barred the state from taking money from local accounts. Sandoval estimated that the decision could eventually cost more than $600 million.

OK, so what does this mean? Basically, deja vu... More of the same.

Yes, thankfully much needed public infrastructure like higher education and health care services won't be decimated. Instead, they will just be chronically underfunded as usual. It may not be a crisis, but we still have a serious problem that will (again) become a crisis if we don't do something about it.

So what do we do? Educate. Agitate. Activate.

We need to let Nevadans know that they don't have to endure this hogwash bullshit every two years. Yes, there really is a better way forward. Instead of racing to the bottom, Nevada can rise to the top. Instead of waiting and seeing if another casino gets built somewhere, we can take the lead in diversifying our economy and finding new opportunities for our people. It doesn't have to be like this again.

So perhaps the worst of the worst has been avoided, but that still means we have a long way to go to deliver the best possible state that our people deserve.

UPDATE: Budget Deal Reached! Details Coming Soon...

UPDATE: According to various reliable tweets, a budget deal has just been reached! Apparently within two hours, we will know more details. I'll update again when we get that.


I'm at Grant Sawyer right now as Assembly committees hear testimony on various bills. I'll have more updates on those bills soon, as well as the conflicting reports on a possible budget deal being reached. As always, follow me on Twitter @atdleft for updates on The Legislature and the latest budget news.

Meanwhile in Washington, Dean Heller Doubles Down on Killing Medicare

Even though it feels like most of the action lately has been coming out of Carson City, there have also been some interesting developments from DC. For one, Dean Heller voted (again) to kill Medicare. And all of a sudden, he has a fight on his hands.

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) has the distinction of taking a second vote in support of Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget plan.

Heller was one of 40 Republicans who voted for the Ryan budget plan in the Senate on Wednesday. He also voted for it last month when he was still a member of the House. Heller was sworn in to replace former Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) in early May. The House had voted on Ryan's plan in April.

The Nevada Democrats quickly sent out a release that foreshadows the attacks likely to come in next year's Senate race: "Unelected senator doubles down on plan to end Medicare."

Of course, Republicans (and their corporate media enablers) are now crying about "Mediscare". They may call telling the truth "scare tactics", but the facts say otherwise.

[...T]he key consequence of privatization would be a steep increase in the per unit cost of health care services. Medicare is able to use its semi-monopsony status to drive down prices. If privatized the cost of treating the typical 65 year-old would increase by around 40 percent. Paul Ryan’s version of privatization then “saves” a tiny bit of money for the taxpayer by simply paying a much smaller share of the now much-higher bill. Then he promises to save large sums of money over the long term by ensuring that the share of the higher bill that the government covers will shrink drastically over time. This shrinkage in the value of the government health care coupon either won’t occur (in which case all privatization will do is increase costs) or else it will occur (in which case over 100% of the savings will come from people going without health care services they need) and in either case the consequences are scary.

And Dean Heller's response? Oh darn, Shelley Berkley is being "so mean!" Never mind that Heller is proud to have voted twice this year to kill Medicare and force seniors to spend more money (they may not have) on prescription drugs, preventive care, and much more.

So why again is Dean Heller in Washington? Is he really representing Nevada?