May '10 Nevada Government—Governor Jim Gibbons Column

Governor Gibbons Announces Rollout Of Connect Nevada’s Statewide Broadband Map

May 19, 2010 – Carson City, NV – Governor Jim Gibbons today announced the rollout of Nevada’s broadband availability map aimed at promoting technology development and increasing high-speed Internet throughout the state. “The map and the technology which will follow will create jobs to construct these critical networks, establish employment opportunities where they never existed before, bring a new level of economic competitiveness, allow e-government to be more fully deployed, will lower taxes by lowering the cost of government, allow healthcare providers and caregivers to deliver world class services in every corner of the state, and most importantly, bring educational opportunities through distance-learning models for our children where such opportunities did not exist,” Governor Gibbons said.

Much like the revolutionary impact of harnessing electricity or the telephone, high-speed Internet connection is Nevada’s new lifeline to quality jobs, information, and vital services like telemedicine, e-government, and education. The map’s development, funded by a stimulus grant award, was developed through the Connect Nevada initiative by Connected Nation - Nevada’s designated entity under the grant award. The Nevada Broadband Task Force, created in mid-2009, supported the development of the map along with other Task Force duties.

“Under the direction of Nevada’s Broadband Task Force, which I created by Executive Order in 2009, Nevadans will now have a map that not only puts information about available broadband services at their fingertips, but also defines where the state and the private sector need to focus their attention to bring high-speed Internet to every part of our State,” Governor Gibbons said.

In December 2009, Connect Nevada was awarded $1.4 million in stimulus funds for broadband mapping and planning in an effort to increase the availability and use of high-speed Internet service in the state. Utilizing that funding, Connect Nevada has been able to gather and verify state-specific data on the availability, speed, location, and type of broadband services as well as the adoption and availability of broadband at community anchor institutions across the state. These initial maps include data from more than 35 state providers. 97.29% of households have access to the minimum threshold for broadband at 768 kbps downstream (this does not include mobile wireless or satellite services.) There are approximately 21,000 unserved Nevada households of which 14,541 are rural. The grant calls for semi-annual updates to the map over a two-year period and planning efforts driven by the data for five years.

This data is accessible via Connect Nevada’s BroadbandStat interactive mapping tool at www.connectnv.org and will ultimately populate the comprehensive, interactive, and searchable national broadband map that NTIA is required by the Recovery Act to create and make publicly available by February 17, 2011. As the designated entity for broadband mapping in the state, Connect Nevada is a public-private partnership uniting local governments, businesses, and citizens in the goal of increasing broadband service in the state’s underserved areas.

Governor Gibbons Names Tom Lozich To Homeland Security Commission

May 19, 2010 – Carson City, NV – Governor Jim Gibbons has announced the appointment of MGM MIRAGE Corporate Security and Surveillance Executive Director Tom Lozich to the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security. Lozich joined MGM MIRAGE after a thirty-year career with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department where he rose to the ranks of Captain, then Deputy Chief, and finally Assistant Sheriff.

“The Nevada Commission on Homeland Security plays a vital role in the public safety of Nevada citizens and visitors,” Governor Gibbons said, “Tom’s experience will be a valuable asset to the Commission.”

“I am pleased and proud that the Governor has shown such confidence in me,” Tom Lozich said, “I look forward to working with the other members of the Homeland Security Commission to prepare and protect Nevada.”

The Nevada Homeland Security Commission is a 19-member group that advises Governor Gibbons on homeland security issues and focuses on prevention, detection, and deterrence of terrorism with enhanced information collection and sharing, critical infrastructure protection, citizen preparedness, and strengthening Interoperable Communications.

Nevada Joins Federal Lawsuit Against Obamacare

Governor Gibbons: “The Reid/Pelosi/Obama Nationalized Health Care plan tramples the rights of Nevada citizens.”

May 14, 2010 – Carson City, NV – The State of Nevada today officially joined Florida and 18 other states in an amended federal lawsuit filed today in Florida against the Reid/Pelosi/Obama Nationalized Health Care plan. Additionally, the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) joined the lawsuit as a co-plaintiff on behalf of its members nationwide. That Nationalized Health Care plan would force all Nevada citizens to buy health insurance. Those who do not comply would face Internal Revenue Service (IRS) penalties. The Nationalized Health Care plan will also increase federal and state taxes paid by Nevadans.

“The Reid/Pelosi/Obama Nationalized Health Care plan is a national disgrace and their legislation clearly exceeds constitutional authority,” Governor Gibbons said, “It is patently unconstitutional for the federal government to break the backs of Nevadans by trampling the Constitution, and then threaten to use IRS agents to enforce this ridiculous plan.” Governor Gibbons noted that the Reid/Pelosi/Obama Nationalized Health Care plan marks the first time in American history that the federal government is trying to “regulate inactivity”.

“If a Nevada citizen takes no action and does nothing, they will be committing a crime in the eyes of Reid, Pelosi and President Obama,” Governor Gibbons said, “It is that kind of arrogant Washington DC back-door-dealing mentality that crushes the American Spirit.” Governor Gibbons added, “I have fought in two wars and dodged real bullets to protect the rights contained in the Constitution. Nevadans will fight back and let everyone in Washington DC know that they need to listen to the people of Nevada and the people of America.”

The Reid/Pelosi/Obama Nationalized Health Care plan has already cost Nevada taxpayers over $100,000. The Interim Finance Committee, controlled by Democrat legislators in Nevada, has already approved an additional $250,000 in tax money to pay for “pre-planning” for the Nationalized Health Care plan. In a few years, Nevada taxpayers will be forced to pay nearly $600-million dollars for the program and eventually several billion dollars when the federal government forces the entire plan onto the backs of Nevada taxpayers.

Specifically, the lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Northern District of Florida, alleges that the new law infringes upon the constitutional rights of citizens by mandating all citizens and legal residents have qualifying health care coverage or pay a tax penalty. By imposing such a mandate, the law exceeds the powers of the United States under Article I of the Constitution. Additionally, the tax penalty required under the law constitutes an unlawful direct tax in violation of Article I, sections 2 and 9 of the Constitution.

The lawsuit further claims the Nationalized Health Care plan infringes on the sovereignty of the states and Tenth Amendment to the Constitution by imposing onerous new operating rules that Nevada must follow as well as requiring the state to spend additional dollars without providing funds or resources to meet the state's cost of implementing the law.