TRPA budget gets a bit more from Nevada

A joint subcommittee has agreed with Gov. Brian Sandoval to bump up Nevada’s funding for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency a bit.

But the amounts approved Thursday only get the state’s share to 25 percent of TRPA’s budget, far less than the traditional 33 percent the bi-state compact indicates is Nevada’s share.

When the budget crunch hit, Nevada dropped its support for the agency from one-third to 24 percent. Sandoval recommended increasing that to 25 percent for the coming biennium. That translates to $2.23 million plus enhancement funding of $505,532 for specific programs including hiring an environmental specialist, software and aquatic invasive species inspections. In addition, the proposed budget includes continuation of $419,021 in transfers from the DMV Pollution Control Account each year to support air-quality projects in the Tahoe Basin.

Assemblyman David Bobzien, D-Reno, said he would like to bring support back to the one-third level, but that funding is too tight. Fiscal staffers indicated it would take an additional $1,057,894 to get Nevada to the one-third level.

The proposed budget still must be approved by the full money committees.

California’s proposed TRPA budget for the coming two years is $8.24 million.