government employees

CARSON CITY – While some critics may never be convinced that Gov. Brian Sandoval should have agreed to support new tax revenue to balance the budget, the collection of reforms approved as part of the deal finalized this morning cannot be ignored.
From changes to Nevada’s collective bargain law allowing the reopening of labor agreements in emergencies to limiting teacher tenure to eliminating health insurance for newly hired state employees upon retirement – the changes approved in the 120-day legislative session by Democrats and Republicans could have far reaching impacts.

The union movement in America has stalled, except for government employees. Today 7.5 percent of all private sector employees are union members, but more than 37 percent of government workers are u...

By Andrew Doughman
CARSON CITY – The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce is pushing for major changes to the state’s collective bargaining law for public sector employees.
In an amendment to another bill that already passed the Senate, the  chamber said the changes will alleviate budget concerns for local governments and save taxpayers money.

CARSON CITY – The Nevada Legislature finally took up the issue of reforms to the state’s public employee retirement system today, but the proposed changes from Democratic Assembly Speaker John Oceguera are modest.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval is seeking significant changes to Nevada’s public employee pension plan in the 2011 legislative session to reduce the ongoing and long-term financial cost of the benefit to the state and taxpayers.
But if he wants fundamental change, he might look to the state university system’s retirement plan for faculty.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval will propose a change to the retirement system for new state employees that would reduce their current pension benefits by one half and cut the long-term liability for taxpayers by the same amount, his chief of staff said today.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Long-time Nevada tax expert Carole Vilardo said says she does not see how the state can move Nevada’s public employee retirement system to a defined contribution plan in the upcoming legislative session.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada’s public employee retirement system will require increased contributions from the state and local governments next year to maintain the long-term financial health of the defined benefit plan, the board overseeing the program was told today.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – The neighborhoods of this capital city and the Washoe Valley just to the north are ground zero for one of the most fiercely contested state legislative races in Nevada this year.
Potentially at stake is the makeup of the 42-member Assembly and whether Democrats can sustain their dominance of the lower house with a 28-member, veto-proof majority.

Nevada News Bureau staff
Nevada’s state and local governments have wasted millions of taxpayer dollars over the past two years through lavish and wasteful spending – in some cases by outright theft – according to a new study from the Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI) and Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW).

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – A plan released today by Democrat governor candidate Rory Reid on how to balance the Nevada state budget without raising taxes received some praise from a free market think tank even though many questions remain, including whether the proposal includes an overly optimistic prediction of future tax revenue growth.

Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada could find a way out of its $3 billion revenue shortfall next year without raising taxes, but only if the Legislature looks at restructuring the way the state and local governments provide and pay for services, the state’s top fiscal officer said yesterday.

CARSON CITY – The Nevada Division of Insurance is alerting Nevadans to a new federal website for information about the temporary high risk health insurance pool program created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The pool, which is to provide coverage to uninsured individuals with pre-existing conditions, is accepting applications beginning today.

CARSON CITY – Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers agree the 2011 legislative session will likely see a debate about the future of Nevada’s public employee pension program, but differences remain over whether radical change is needed to protect the state from a multi-billion long-term unfunded liability.

CARSON CITY – If the idea that a $9.1 billion long-term unfunded liability in Nevada’s public employee pension plan is cause for concern, then a recent analysis by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research should really get the attention of state policy makers.

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s  leading gubernatorial hopefuls all acknowledge the importance of ensuring the long-term health of the public employee pension program, but the three Republican candidates – Gov. Jim Gibbons, former federal judge Brian Sandoval and former North Las Vegas mayor Mike Montandon – each say it is time for significant changes.

CARSON CITY – The need for the state of Nevada to continue and possibly even increase funding to the public employee retirement system could make the budget problems facing the Legislature next yea

Governor Gibbons, meeting with a few lawmakers today, announced his intention to end collective bargaining laws pertaining to government employees in Nevada, including school teachers.