Kudos and a tip of the hat to the members of the 176th Legislative Session that grappled with a horrendous amount of issues of which the budget was the showstopper, with redistricting playing second banana.
Our Legislators and the Governor managed to balance the budget, pass hundreds of bills and still adjourn on time.
Did everyone leave happy? Of course not, but Legislators worked seven days a week, day and night to avoid a costly special session which would have not set well with people, especially on the heels of a costly special election to replace Dean Heller, which wasn't really necessary.
But the session is history. It's now time for key players to sit down and figure out how to change the way Nevada does business.
For too many years, Nevada has looked at gaming as the cash cow and it needs to get its head out of the sand and realize "it's over." Nevada needs a whole "extreme makeover."
The key players have two years to come up with a new game plan. If they don't, the 2013 session of the Legislature will open with the biggest budget deficit of all times. There won't be a big enough Band-Aid in the world to stop the bleeding.
As stated previously, "No New Taxes" is a really great campaign slogan for politicians trying to get elected; however, in order to get Nevada out of the Intensive Care Unit and stabilized we need to cure Nevada of its "yo-yo syndrome" economic budget practices in order to keep people living and doing business in Nevada.
In case no one has noticed, we have gone from the fastest growing state to one of the highest rates of people leaving. Unemployment hasn't decreased because of more jobs; it's from people leaving or not eligible for unemployment benefits.
What the "No New Taxes" advocates need to understand is that rational thinking people understand that in order to have a good education system and services to keep people healthy and protected from harm, they have to pay for it. And from all recent polls taken, 58 percent of the people would embrace new taxes over the draconian cuts proposed for education and Human Services. So what is the problem?
I for one believe we have a very intelligent governor who has the skills and ability to work with key players to put Nevada back on the right track (raise revenue), but it means finding the gumption to do it.
Will it happen?
It must.
Democrats and Republicans alike need to leave their politics on the doorstep and sit down at the table and do what is best for Nevadans. What a concept. Stay tuned.
• Janice Ayres is president Nevada Senior Corps Association.
