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Governor’s Conference On Tourism Returns
June 3, 2010 – Carson City, NV – Governor Jim Gibbons and Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki today announced the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) will resume the popular Governor’s Conference on Tourism after a two-year hiatus in response to enthusiastic pleas from the tourism industry.
“It was a difficult decision to put the conference on hold, but the economy and strained budgets required NCOT to do so,” Krolicki, NCOT chair, said. “The conference has become a staple of learning and networking for Nevada’s tourism industry, and it’s with great pleasure we can resume this valuable program.”
“As we move toward fiscal recovery we must support the needs of Nevada’s tourism industry, a staple of our state’s economic base,” Gibbons said. “In response to the State’s financial situation, we have scaled back the costs of the Governor’s Conference but plan to offer a full spectrum of content.”
The conference will take place at the Peppermill Resort Casino in Reno, and the schedule will be condensed into two days, Dec. 7 and 8. It will focus heavily on analyzing current travel trends in order to understand economically induced changes to who is traveling, how they’re traveling and how to reach them. The registration fee will also be significantly reduced from previous years to reflect the shorter yet high-caliber schedule.
“Professional development is one of those things that often gets cut in tough times, but it’s still so essential to the health of our industry,” NCOT Director Dann Lewis said. “We wanted to offer a concentrated program that won’t take individuals away from their desks too long or cause a financial hardship but gives them useful tools to take back to work and apply.”
The 2010 Governor’s Conference on Tourism is partnering with the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), which is holding a conference Dec. 8-10 on social media marketing. The Reynold’s School of Journalism, College of Business and Extended Studies program are hosting the SM@RT conference (Social Media at Reno-Tahoe) and will help develop and promote the Governor’s Conference on Tourism.
For more information on the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, visit www.TravelNevada.biz. More details will be announced as speakers are confirmed.
Governor Signs Executive Order Establishing The Nevada Crime Commission
June 3, 2010 – Carson City, NV – Governor Jim Gibbons today announced the formation of the Nevada Crime Commission. The Nevada Crime Commission will be tasked with examining existing and emerging crime problems statewide and seeking innovative methods and solutions to combat those crimes.
“Public safety is a primary purpose of government and is one of my top priorities,” Governor Gibbons said, “The Nevada Crime Commission will help bolster law enforcement at all levels of government in Nevada to make sure our law officers are properly trained and equipped to deal with new crime trends.”
Governor Gibbons also noted, “As I have said in the past, the economic crisis means particular attention needs to be paid to criminals and crimes committed against businesses and government programs. If people are illegally profiting from the misfortune of others or at the expense of others, I want it stopped and I want the perpetrators punished.”
The Nevada Crime Commission will act as an advisory body to the Governor. The Commission will promote communication among law enforcement agencies to formulate solutions to crime problems. The Commission will also bring together community and government leadership that will research, evaluate, develop and recommend solutions to build public awareness of the impact of crime on our communities.
The Nevada Crime Commission is comprised of law enforcement officers from all levels of government in Nevada, as well as state and local prosecutors, business leaders, community leaders and activists, representatives of crime victims groups, and others. Governor Gibbons says he will invite federal agencies like the FBI, ATF and other federal agencies.
EO Crime Commission Executive Order
Gibbons Open Government Initiative Moves Forward
The people of Nevada have a right to know how public funds are spent
June 2, 2010 – Carson City, NV – Governor Jim Gibbons today announced the Gibbons OPEN Government Initiative (Open Public Employee Negotiations) petition has survived its challenge period and is moving forward with signature collection. The initiative petition amends the Nevada Revised Statutes to subject public employee union negotiations to Nevada’s Open Meeting Law.
“All around Nevada hundreds of hard working public servants are losing their jobs because their union leaders will not re-open their contracts and accept salary reductions and benefits adjustments,” Gibbons said. “We are losing talented government workers to the unemployment rolls. Unions have a stranglehold on local government, and it’s time for that to stop. Collective bargaining involving public funds must be open to the public. Secret backroom deals between public employee unions and state and local governments must stop. The people of Nevada should expect no less from their government.”
The Committee has until November 9, 2010 to gather the 97,002 necessary valid signatures from Nevada’s three Congressional districts to place the petition initiative before the 2011 Nevada Legislature. Should the initiative petition not be approved by the Legislature, it will go forward to a vote of the people in the 2012 general election.
“My office has been flooded with calls from people who want to help circulate petitions and enact this initiative into law. Please contact us now as we move quickly forward to gather signatures,” Gibbons said.
Governor Gibbons has set up a special e-mail address to contact the OPEN Government Initiative at NVOPENGovernment@att.net. A web site will follow in the next few weeks. Those without e-mail access can call 775-684-5670 or send a letter to P.O. Box 4807, Carson City, NV 89702.
Governor Gibbons twice tried during the 26th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature to have legislators amend laws relating to government collective bargaining – first, to remove collective bargaining and second, to make negotiations involving public unions and public funds subject to Nevada’s Open Meeting Law. A major effort to pass this reform was made by the Assembly Republican caucus, but Democrat legislative leadership refused to even introduce the proposals despite Governor Gibbons including these items on the Governor’s official calls to session. The Governor is the only state officer under Nevada’s Constitution who has the authority to call a special session of the Nevada Legislature and set its agenda.
“It’s time for the people of Nevada to step up and do what their elected Democrat legislators will not, and that is provide for accountability in public spending,” Gibbons said.
Currently, state law exempts collective bargaining negotiations from the Open Meeting Law. Generally, between 70 to 80 percent of a local government or school district budget is spent on personnel, making most local government spending hidden from the public view. Generally, except for these union negotiations, no other spending of public funds is allowed to be done outside of an open public meeting.
The Steering Committee for the Gibbons OPEN Government Initiative includes Governor Gibbons, Nevada Republican Party Chairman and State Senator Mark Amodei, former State Senator Bob Beers, and Republican Party Executive Director Cory Adair.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) on OPEN Initiative
Governor Supports Rural Nevada
Federal government must work with Elko and White Pine counties
before closing roads
June 1, 2010 – Carson City, NV – Governor Jim Gibbons today sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service regarding its proposed plan to potentially close miles of roads in Elko and White Pine counties in Northern Nevada.
“Closing these roads limits public access to publicly owned land,” Gibbons said, “Part of the uniqueness of Northern Nevada includes ranchers, farmers and others living in isolated areas. Part of what we love about Nevada is the open space where we can go camping, hiking, fishing and hunting. These roads exist because they are needed and they are utilized.”
The U.S. Forest Service issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Mountain City, Ruby Mountains and Jarbidge combined Travel Management Plan in Elko County and a portion of northern White Pine County. Under the DEIS, many miles of rural roads in Northern Nevada would be closed resulting in many “roadless” areas in Elko and White Pine counties. The plan will have devastating economic, cultural and social impacts to these areas.
Governor Gibbons requested the U.S. Forest Service grant the request of the Elko County Commission for a six (6) month extension of the comment period to address the proposed Travel Management Plan DEIS as it is currently written.
“The federal government must start listening to the people,” Gibbons said, “The voice of Nevadans must be heard. The federal government must work with our local governments first.”
Governor Gibbons’ Letter to the United States Forest Service (pdf)
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