local government

Follow the Carson City School District Board meeting live beginning at 7 p.m.. Click here to watch. Below is the agenda.

An executive audit of Nevada’s business license filings has found that a significant number of businesses are falsely claiming they are exempt from paying the annual business license fee.

Washoe County is demanding a $21.5 million refund from the state for diverting property taxes from the local government over the past three years to pad state coffers - a practice that was common u...

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.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval and legislative leaders from both parties announced a budget agreement today that will see tax increases and restorations of funding to public and higher education in exchange for significant policy reforms in education and collective bargaining.
The agreement came on the 115th day of the session, and virtually guarantees that lawmakers will adjourn the 2011 session by Monday as the constitution requires.

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.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
The State of Nevada announced today that it has reached agreements between the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) and Eureka County, Elko County and Clark County (Mt. Charleston) to continue to provide “all-risk” emergency services to these counties.

These services were scheduled to be transferred back to the respective counties June 30, 2012, per Gov. Brian Sandoval’s recommended budget now being considered by the Nevada State Legislature.

CARSON CITY – Efforts in the Legislature to amend Nevada’s constitution failed for the most part to move forward today as a deadline hit to get measures passed out of committee.
Measures creating a lottery, repealing the minimum wage and allowing tax dollars to be spent on religious schools all failed to advance.
One of the most significant failures came on the issue of vouchers for religious schools. Two measures, including one introduced by Gov. Brian Sandoval, did not make it out of committee by the deadline.

CARSON CITY – A bill critics say will make it tougher to appeal land use decisions by Clark County local governments won easy approval in the Senate today on a 19-2 vote.
Senate Bill 85 now goes to the Assembly for consideration.

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 Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – In the end, only acrimony prevailed.
Legislators did not immediately vote on a bill from Sen. Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, but a hearing on Senate Bill 343 provoked heated testimony over how local governments and public sector unions bargain their contracts.

CARSON CITY – A proposed constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to cut funding to or impose an unfunded mandate on local governments was heartily endorsed today by local officials including the mayors of Reno and Las Vegas.

CARSON CITY – A proposed constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to cut funding to or impose an unfunded mandate on local governments was heartily endorsed today by local officials including the mayors of Reno and Las Vegas.

By Sean Whaley/Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – The Senate majority leader today advanced a bill intended to make state and local government contracts more efficient and transparent to benefit both taxpayers and consumers was reviewed by a legislative subcommittee on Friday.

In the spring of 2010, McCall Realty promised $20,000 in donations to be shared across five non-profit agencies benefitting the youth of South Shore. Included among the organizations is the South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center, dedicated to improving the emotional, social, and economic condition of women and families in our community through prevention, intervention and treatment programs and services that address domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and basic needs.

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.

The Carson City School District reports that its schools are open today, Friday, and will operate on a normal schedule.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Democratic legislative leaders today announced they will pursue legislation to ensure Nevadans are employed on state or local government public works projects.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
Retiring Sen. Bill Raggio today criticized the governor’s “rigid stance” in holding fast to a promise not to raise taxes. While stopping short of saying he would support raising taxes, he did say that increases may be likely despite the governor’s pledges to the contrary.

Here is another example of why paying companies to do business in your city is problematic. Now that Carson City handed out more generous incentives to retailers in Southgate Center than it had to others in the past, it's now faced with other businesses who want their incentives, too.

CARSON CITY – Local governments would lose some property tax revenue to help fund higher education, and college students could face higher fees, in Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget to be unveiled Jan 24.
Sandoval, in an interview on Jon Ralston’s Face to Face television program, said both elements are in consideration as his $5.3 billion general fund spending plan is finalized in advance of the 2011 legislative session.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – A close adviser to Gov. Brian Sandoval says there are alternatives to balancing the state budget besides cutting programs or raising fees and taxes, and he identified some possibilities that could find their way into the proposed spending plan to be released later this month.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada policy makers remain divided over the need to make a fundamental change to the public employees’ retirement system following the release last week of a report showing significant costs to move to a defined contribution plan.

By Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval announced today he plans to appoint Terry Johnson as director of the Nevada Department of Business and Industry in his administration. 
Sandoval also announced he will reappoint Teresa Thienhaus as director of the Personnel Department and Dino DiCianno as executive director of the Department of Taxation.
Johnson has 15 years of experience in state and local government administration.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – The panel that oversees Nevada’s public employee retirement system was told today it would cost about $1.2 billion over the next two years to change from the current defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan for new state and local government workers.

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.

Carson City was among the top U.S. cities and the only city in Nevada acknowledged for its website by e.Republic's Center for Digital Government and the Digital Community Program.

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.

HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Chamber of Commerce’s IMPAC Committee has announced its support of ballot questions 3 and 5.

IMPAC serves as a comprehensive, non-partisan political committee that contributes to the creation of a favorable business climate in Henderson as it relates to issues at the state and local level.