hike

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Advocates for a tax hike on cigarettes and liquor made their case in the Nevada Legislature today, both to raise revenue and improve public health.
The proposal received a mixed reaction from lawmakers, and some lobbyist opposition, however, because of the negative consequences on business.

CARSON CITY – Advocates for a tax hike on cigarettes and liquor made their case in the Nevada Legislature today, both to raise revenue and improve public health.
The proposal received a mixed reaction from lawmakers, and some lobbyist opposition, however, because of the negative consequences on business.

Students from across Nevada gathered by the thousands today at the Nevada Legislature and at the Governor's office demanding the state's education system be spared from huge cuts proposed under Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Early estimates had the crowd of mostly college students at 1,500 but the numbers have begun to swell as students, faculty and parents from around the state arrive from various locations around the state. Now early estimates among officials on the ground has the number of more than 2,000 demonstrating.

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Click here for a more photos and gallery of today's event.

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One high school, Cheyenne in Las Vegas, had 400 students in a convoy of more than a dozen buses. More than 500 students from University of Nevada Las Vegas boarded tour buses last night for the road trip.

University of Nevada, Reno students also arrived by the busloads. Students from Western Nevada College campuses were quite visible, many expressing fear that education programs vital to the state's economy such as nursing, will be slashed under the governor's budget proposal.

Chanting "SOS Save Our Schools" and "No More Cuts" students walked peaceably through the Legislative Building, making it known that they fear deep cuts to education will damage the state's already shaky economy.

Here is the Northern Nevada and Northern California fishing report for the week of March 2:

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada residents bear the second lowest state and local tax burden of any state at 7.5 percent, behind only Alaska at 6.3 percent, according to a new report from the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation.

It happened almost too fast. Mayor Bob Crowell made a quick motion, and asked if anyone on the board had any appetite for raising property taxes. No one did.

The finance director spoke up to suggest a small adjustment for one area. Supervisor Karen Abowd made a different motion to keep taxes the same except for this small adjustment. That motion passed unanimously.

Gee, and you thought the big issue at Thursday's meeting of the Carson City Board of Supervisors was going to the redevelopment project that has been the object of heated discussions for the past year.

But the revelation that a 14 percent hike in the property tax rate was also on the agenda seems to be causing people to put the Nugget Project on the back burner.

By Andrew Dougman / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevadans denied health insurance for pre-existing conditions are now guaranteed coverage via a federally funded health insurance program.
In the past, it’s been either costly or impossible to find coverage if someone has a health condition requiring frequent or expensive treatment.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – A coalition of construction industry groups today advocated for a tax increase to fund public works projects around the state to help put people back to work.
The Building Jobs Coalition presented its proposal, called the “Creating 100,000 Jobs” report, in press conferences in both Las Vegas and Reno.

CARSON CITY – If it is any consolation to cash-strapped state workers, Nevada’s lawmakers will see no pay hike this session and a smaller daily per diem allowance as well.
The 21 members of the state Senate and 42 members of the Assembly will be paid $146.29 a day for the first 60 days of the session starting Feb. 7, the same amount as paid in 2009 to most lawmakers. Some state senators in mid-term earned slightly less.

There's plenty going on out there for snowshoe fans around Lake Tahoe. I've enjoyed the sport but haven't tried the big foot stuff of late. Here's what's snowshoeing these days:

— Go with Tony Berendsen at Northstar-at-Tahoe at 5 p.m. Dec. 30 at Northstar. Tony is a poet and astronomer and offers Star Gazing Snowshoe tours. Price is $50 for adults, $30 for those12 and under with 10 the minimum age. Snowshoe rentals are $5. Call Norhstar at (530) 562-3270 or go online to www.northstarattahoe.com. Tell them Sam sent you.

By Nevada News Bureau staff
CARSON CITY – Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said today his biggest concern about a “lame duck� session of Congress following the Nov. 2 general election is the potential for tax increases.

By Nevada News Bureau staff
CARSON CITY – The head of Nevada’s Retail Association says a tax increase will likely be needed to balance the state budget next year, and expanding the sales tax to include at least some services is one place to look.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Assembly Minority Leader Pete Goicoechea said today Nevada voters should be asked to expand the state sales tax to include food purchases as a way to raise revenue and broaden the tax base.
But any such revenue hike should be accompanied by a reduction in the state’s regressive business taxes, he said.

AUSTIN, Nev. — It’s not often you’ll find a classic historic mining town full of options for the more active traveler. Austin, Nevada is not only a living ghost town and a cultural heritage get-away but it has a multitude of adventurous options including hiking, mountain bike trails and more. Founded in 1862 during the silver rush, the town is located exactly in the center of the state along the Pony Express route on Highway 50 on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at elevation 6,605 feet.

Watch the sky light up on Thursday, Aug. 12, at Squaw Valley USA during the annual Perseid Meteor Shower Family Camp-out.
Families can camp under the stars and watch the night sky light-up at the best viewing location in Lake Tahoe, Squaw Valley USA's High Camp, el. 8200 feet. Reservations are necessary. Call (800) 545-4350.

If you haven’t stowed your skis or snowboards already, you can still get some slope time this weekend as three resorts are offering snowsporting: Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Squaw Valley and Mammoth Mountain.

CARSON CITY – It may be welcome news for those who have entry level jobs, but a more than 9 percent hike in the minimum wage to take effect Thursday in Nevada will have a chilling effect on hiring, particularly for teens, according to one national group.
A Nevada union official disagrees, saying the minimum wage hike isn’t to blame for the state’s record jobless rate or the high unemployment levels seen among teens in the workforce.

I sent an email to all of the members of the Carson City Board of Supervisors for their reaction to the initiative petition filed on Friday to put the Nugget Project to a vote in 2012.

We now have responses from the four supervisors, and I just added Mayor Bob Crowell's comment below.

CARSON CITY – A member of the citizen’s panel appointed by lawmakers to chart Nevada’s future for the next 20 years expressed concern today about whether the process to be followed to complete the effort conforms to meet the requirements of the state Open Meeting Law.

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.

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.

The Carson Valley Trails Association (CVTA) is making plans for the fourth annual Hike for Health fundraiser for the Genoa Foothill Trail System project.

In a mixed bag meeting Thursday, city supervisors turned down a chance to raise property taxes $220,000 for their beleaguered city budget, but set into motion the process that could raise water rates

Water and sewer rate hikes may move a step closer Thursday when the Carson City Board of Supervisors will hear plans to issue up to $32 million in general obligation water bonds over 30 years.

The Carson Library’s collection of DVDs is pretty extensive and even includes old VCR tapes of movies on a take and return, no date required.

Let’s pray for our supervisors to have the strength to resist the sweet tunes from the lips of the evil enticer, and the sobriety to see whom they’re dealing with.

How Gov.

LONG BEACH, Calif. - The California State University system raised student fees Tuesday by 20 percent as part of a budget plan that would also shrink enrollment and furlough nearly all employees for two days a month.