Governor

Las Vegas attorney Mark Hutchison says he will soon be going to Florida for oral arguments in the federal motion to dismiss the health care lawsuit being brought by 20 states including Nevada.
Reagan-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson will hear arguments challenging the states’ right to bring the suit on September 14, 2010 in the Northern District of Florida.

In the waning hours of the special session this past February, legislators hurriedly introduced and passed Senate Bill 5, a bill intended, among other things, to remove the sunset on part of a half-percent sales tax passed in 2003.

Legislators this week voiced objections to the passage of Senate Bill 5 during the 2010 special session, which lifted the sunset on a temporary sales tax increase that was passed by voters in 2002.

RENO – One Democrat running for lieutenant governor criticized the GOP incumbent for being invisible in the job, and all three Democrat candidates appearing at a debate Wednesday evening took jabs at each other as the June 8 primary election day draws near.

Food for Thought, a program that helps feed homeless children in the Carson City region, will hold a fundraiser, Coconuts for Kids, on May 22 at the Governor's Mansion from 4 to 7 p.m.
The Hawaiian-themed fundraiser will have hula dancers, authentic island food and an auction. All are welcome to the event.

Executives from P3 Development were introduced to the members of the Carson Nugget Redevelopment Advisory Committee tonight, saying they were looking forward to working as partners with Carson City and the Nugget.

For a play-by-play of the meeting, check out the live blog here.

CARSON CITY – Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki says it is now clear the Nevada Legislature should have “securitized� the money the state was scheduled to receive as part of a settlement with the tobacco companies a decade ago to protect it from the current reality of lower than expected annual payments.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Jim Gibbons is touting his successes in implementing recommendations from his SAGE Commission on ways to improve efficiencies and save money in state government, but many of the proposals remain in progress or will require action by the 2011 Legislature.

CARSON CITY — Nevada Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley spoke today about a number of issues concerning both Nevada and the nation, including immigration reform and Nevada’s projected budget shortfall.

CARSON CITY – Nevada GOP state treasurer candidate Steve Martin and Democrat incumbent Treasurer Kate Marshall engaged in a war of words this week over her management of the office for which she is seeking a second term.

CARSON CITY — Nevadans who intend to vote early in the primary and general elections this year will likely find themselves in the dark on the question of who has contributed to the campaigns of the candidates.
Despite efforts in past legislative sessions to improve the transparency of campaign contributions received by candidates, lawmakers have failed to make meaningful reforms to the reporting process.

CARSON CITY – A spokesman for Nevada State Treasurer Kate Marshall is rejecting any suggestion that her participation in radio ads to promote a children’s contest involving a college savings program is aimed at helping her re-election campaign.

But a campaign consultant for her GOP opponent called Marshall a hypocrite for engaging in the same practice she criticized her predecessor for doing, and for “pushing the envelope” by running ads after the close of filing for office.

The Carson City Shade Tree Council will be hosting its annual Arbor Day Celebration on April 30, 2010. The celebration will be held in the park across from the State Library on the corner of Stewart and Musser Streets and will begin at 5:30 p.m. and is scheduled to last an hour.

RENO – The three Republican candidates vying to become the next governor of Nevada engaged in a spirited discussion Friday on issues ranging from taxes and public education to the future of Yucca Mountain.

On Tax Day it was my day off so I thought I'd go to the Tea Party in front of the Legislature to check out the scene. As a Progressive in my first Tea Party, I found it both exhiliarating and stomach turning. Despite my patchouli scented locks and my tie dyed hat, no one seemed to recognize me as "the enemy" so I browsed and schmoozed freely all over the area. Met 2 ex-coworkers there who were protesting with signs and I even got my picture taken with Govenor Gibbons! (I'll attach it here if I can.) He was real nice.

A crowd of about 600 people gathered around the courtyard surrounding the Nevada State Capitol for the tea party rally. Many held signs condemning big-government policies, calling for Senator Harry Reid’s defeat, protesting tax increases, and ridiculing President Barack Obama.

With veiled threats to the governors of Nevada and several other states last month by a far-right militia group, the amount of anti-government fervor may be boiling over nationally, but all is peaceful today in Carson City as more than a thousand have gathered at the Capitol to protest President Barack Obama, Sen. Harry Reid and health care.

Oh, and taxes. But there were far more anti-Obama and Harry Reid signs and a few Hitler ones than anything remotely about the IRS, today being the filing deadline for federal income taxes.

This morning in a statewide media conference call moderated by the Nevada News Bureau, candidate Brian Sandoval fielded questions on numerous issues including the 2003 Supreme Court ruling on the two-thirds legislative supermajority needed to increase taxes, tax policy, the Tax Pledge, budget cuts and higher education salaries, renewable energy mandates and the state’s health care reform lawsuit.

CARSON CITY – Despite being described as a “wounded” senator who has not been effective in representing Nevada in Washington, DC, state Republican officials and candidates surveyed by the Nevada News Bureau for the most part are still not calling on U.S. Senator John Ensign, R-Nev., to step down.

Four attorneys with ties to the issues and parties of Nevada’s health care reform lawsuit gave their perspectives to media and political bloggers during a Nevada News Bureau-hosted conference call this afternoon.
Mark Hutchison, lead counsel for Governor Gibbons’ newly retained pro-bono team, said he plans to participate in a conference with US District Court Judge Roger Vinson next week as part of the process to join Florida and other states in an amended complaint challenging the federal government on provisions in the recently passed health care legislation.

CARSON CITY – Nevada has crafted the proper policies of low taxes and small government that has helped it weather the current recession, and these same policies have positioned the state to respond favorably when the economic recovery takes hold, according to a report released today by the American Legislative Exchange Council.

CARSON CITY – A member of the Gibbons administration said today he believes Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto violated attorney-client privilege when she commented on legal work she is doing on behalf of the governor.
The comment was made by Deputy Chief of Staff Lynn Hettrick during an interview on the Nevada NewsMakers television program. The discussion centered on Gibbons’ decision to move forward today with a challenge to the federal health care law without the participation of the attorney general’s office.

CARSON CITY – Governor Jim Gibbon’s today announced that the state has redesigned its website for reporting activities related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to allow greater transparency of the stimulus program in Nevada.
“We are committed to making information about Nevada’s use of stimulus funds readily available to our residents,” the Governor said. “During these tough economic times, it’s important that our citizens know we are utilizing stimulus in the most efficient way that will help our economy and create more jobs for Nevadans.”

The recently-passed health insurance reform bill will lead to major changes for Nevada’s Medicaid program.

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.

In an act of defiance against the advice given him by Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto, Governor Gibbons appears to be arranging to have private counsel, acting on his behalf as Governor, file suit against enactment of the recently passed National Health Care Reform Act.

CARSON CITY — An Arizona man is due in court April 7 and faces multiple felony charges after allegedly making terrorist threats to citizens and public officials in Nevada, according to the Department of Public Safety.

The Nevada Department of Public Safety – Investigation Division obtained an arrest warrant on March 9 for Douglas Hoffman, 63.

Nevada is preparing to compete in round two of the federal Race to the Top grant program. Only two states that applied, Tennessee and Delaware, received funding from the first phase of the competition.

CARSON CITY – A study showing how well Nevada’s students perform on achievement tests, released today by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, concludes they fare no better than mid-range, and often well below, students in other states.

An Easter celebration will be hosted at the Governor’s Mansion, 600 Mountain Street in Carson City. Residents are invited to bring the kids to meet the governor and receive a commemorative gift. Call (775) 882-2333.