Governor Jim Gibbons met with key Legislative leaders on Monday afternoon and
continued discussions about potential spending reductions to balance Nevada’s
biennial budget.
The
Governor and lawmakers agreed to meet again following the Interim Finance
Committee meeting Wednesday in hopes of finalizing the reductions.
“We
have made tremendous strides in finding ways to reduce our spending to fill this
roughly $900 million gap between our budgeted expenditures and our new revenue
projections,” Gibbons said. “We are all very hopeful we’ll be able to fill that
gap without touching the operating budgets of any state agency, including
education, public safety and health and human services.”
“It’s
essential that the state make the tough decisions about reducing spending,” the
Governor said. “By reducing state spending during this tough economic time we
won’t be balancing our budget on the backs of Nevada residents.”
The
Governor and lawmakers have tentatively agreed on the vast majority of spending
reductions. They are awaiting additional information on several issues before
finalizing their initial plan. Lawmakers who participated in the meeting
include: Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley,
Assembly Minority Leader Heidi Gansert, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus and
Assemblyman Morse Arberry.
Budget analysts for the Governor anticipate a shortfall for the biennium of
slightly more than $900 million. This comes from revenue and agency reversion
shortfalls of nearly $620 million, coupled with unanticipated Medicaid caseloads
and a higher-than-expected state share for school funding.
The
Governor in December ordered a 4.5 percent, across-the-board spending reduction
that saved the state’s General Fund about $560 million.
Governor Appoints Three Temporary Members to
State Board of Medical Examiners; One Member to State Health Board
Governor Jim Gibbons has appointed three southern Nevada physicians to serve as
temporary members of the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners, as well as a
new permanent member to the Nevada State Health Board, the governor’s office
announced Tuesday.
Dr.
Ronald Kline, Dr. Beverly Neyland and Dr. Robert Wiencek have all agreed to
serve as temporary members of the Board of Medical Examiners to deliberate
issues relating to the Hepatitis C outbreak at an Ambulatory Surgery Center in
southern Nevada.
The
Governor has also appointed Dr. Edwin “Flip” Homansky to the State Board of
Health to fill a vacancy created by the recent resignation of Dr. Vishvinder
Sharma.
“I hope that with these three temporary appointments to the Board of
Medical Examiners the board will be able to fully and swiftly investigate the
Hepatitis C crisis and help restore the people of Nevada’s faith in their
healthcare system,” Gibbons said. “All three doctors are highly respected
physicians who I am confident will do everything in their power to ensure
Nevada’s healthcare system is the very best it can be.”
The
three doctors will fill the seats of Dr. Sohail Anjum, Dr. Javaid Anwar and Dr.
S. Daniel McBride, who will recuse themselves from all matters relating to the
Hepatitis C outbreak due to professional and personal relationships with a
physician involved in the matter.
The
Governor’s appointment of Dr. Homansky to the State Health Board will help
protect patients throughout Nevada.
“Dr.
Homansky has previously served on the State Athletic Commission and is renowned
for his work as a ringside physician for boxing matches,” Gibbons said. “Dr.
Homansky is known nationally as a fierce advocate for the protection of boxers
and I look forward to him bringing that commitment to patient advocacy to the
State Health Board.”
Governor’s Task Force on Auto Theft and
Insurance Fraud To Hold Initial Meeting
The
initial meeting of the Nevada Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Force is
scheduled for Thursday morning in Las Vegas, the Governor announced Wednesday.
Governor Gibbons in January signed an executive order creating the task force to
develop a statewide strategic plan to fight auto theft and insurance fraud. The
task force is also charged with making recommendations on how law enforcement
agencies and insurance companies can combine their resources to address this
issue.
“Auto
theft and insurance fraud are massive problems throughout Nevada, but
particularly in Clark County, where they have reached epidemic proportions,”
Gibbons said. “This task force will develop a statewide plan for how to address
these crimes and help create a public-private partnership that benefits
everyone.”
A
vehicle is stolen in Nevada every 19 ½ minutes, amounting to nearly 27,000
vehicles in 2006. Insurance industry studies estimate that 10 percent of
property and casualty insurance claims are fraudulent and that these crimes cost
the average consumer in Nevada approximately $300 a year in higher insurance
premiums.
“Fighting crime is one of those essential functions of government,” Gibbons
said. “Creating a statewide approach to fighting the crimes of auto theft and
insurance fraud will be a great service to all law enforcement agencies
throughout Nevada, as well as the general public.”
The
initial organizational meeting of the Nevada Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task
Force is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at the Grant Sawyer State Office
Building, 555 E. Washington St., Las Vegas.
