The state is facing a deficit of nearly $900 million and legislators are trying to close the gap. Republican Governor Jim Gibbons wants across the board spending cuts of 10 percent and says he’ll veto any tax increases.
Fred Lokken is a political scientist at Truckee Meadows Community College. He says Gibbons convened the session without proposing any real policies.
Fred Lokken is a political scientist at Truckee Meadows Community College. He says Gibbons convened the session without proposing any real policies.
Lokken: "We seem to be absent leadership from the governor’s office in helping to find workable solutions. What we’ve seen unfortunately is confrontation, finger pointing and other types of behavior that have sort of worsened the climate of compromise."
Gibbons says the Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats, made the recession worse by increasing taxes last year. He’s ordered the session to end Sunday at midnight. Legislators fear he’ll wait until the end of the session to veto any tax increases. That would rob them of a chance to override vetoes. Lokken says Democrats may end up challenging the order in the Nevada Supreme Court.