(Assemblyman Pat Hickey) – Even though I am not a member of the Assembly Government Affairs Committee, I sat in on the hearing of AB 83, sponsored by Assemblywoman Debbie Smith. Her bill would allow local school districts to keep less money in reserves in order to bond for school repairs and renovation projects. Gov. Sandoval also has his sights on those money reserves, hoping to borrow on it as well to keep money in the classroom without raising taxes.
Hearing from a sheet metal union lobbyist about how facilities revitalization projects improve classroom performance, I was more inclined to believe the honest part of his testimony about the bill when he said, “It really is a jobs bill.” And even though I am a painting contractor in my other life, I am pretty certain adding a fresh coat of “antique white” won’t really help student achievement that much–although it would provide some much-needed jobs for my friends in the trade unions.
Another bill entitled “Nevada Jobs First,” AB 144, giving certain bidder preferences to Nevada contractors on state public works projects, passed almost unanimously in the Assembly on Friday. Some Nevada executives have warned the bill will trigger in-kind legislative responses from neighboring states. Even so, this “jobs bill” in and of itself will not actually create any jobs. What it does is to give Nevada construction firms a leg up bidding public projects when the economy improves. In the meantime, there are plenty of recession-generated vacancies around for government to move in to.
Being in a citizen legislature, you have the opportunity to sponsor bill draft ideas that come from citizens themselves. Like the idea from Christopher Mitchell, son of KOH Radio’s deep voice-in-residence, Ross Mitchell. Chris returned from serving his country overseas as a military policeman only to learn that although he is qualified to carry a weapon, current law prohibits him for doing so in Nevada before turning 21. The BDR 15-51, will allow for qualified members of the Armed Services to apply for a concealed weapon permit between the ages the ages of 18-21. The bill has already received bi-partisan support from legislators who look at it as a fairness issue. Another constituent-inspired bill, AB 158, comes from Ken Kruger, a private driving school instructor. The proposed legislation would level the playing field for people in his profession who teach our teenagers to drive safely.
U.S. Sen. Harry Reid will deliver an address to a joint session of Senate and Assembly members tomorrow at 11:00 AM. Don’t expect Gov. Brian Sandoval to be presented with a bag of D.C. goodies that might have been delivered had the Majority leader been coming home to visit son Rory in the Governor’s Mansion. Last Session’s stimulus package helped fill state budgets with temporary expenditures that managed to raise expectations the Federal Government’s debt-ridden largesse would be duplicated.
Instead, the good Senator might prod his fellow Democrats into introducing the tax package they really want before the last days of the Session, so that we can debate it out in the open.
(Assemblyman Hickey is a Republican representing District 25 in Washoe County)
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