The Budget Battle Basics
Governor Lombardo threw down the gauntlet last week, threatening to veto the state’s education budget unless it includes equal pay for all public teachers – including those at charter schools. The Democrat-controlled legislature passed a budget that gives raises to traditional public school teachers but left out the 81 charter school campuses.
“I will not sign an education budget that does not include equal pay for public charter school teachers,” Lombardo said. That’s pretty clear language from a governor who’s tired of playing games with taxpayer money.
Here’s the thing that should really bother conservatives: We’re talking about public employees doing the same job. Both types of teachers serve Nevada families. Both work for institutions funded by our tax dollars. Yet the Democrats want to create a two-tier system where some public teachers get raises and others don’t.
My full statement on Democrats rejecting charter school teacher pay raises below⬇️ pic.twitter.com/maYw8f9TTa
— Governor Joe Lombardo (@JosephMLombardo) May 8, 2025
Why This Matters to Limited Government Conservatives
This dispute perfectly captures everything wrong with big government education policy. The legislature is picking winners and losers not based on merit or need, but on politics and union influence.
Charter schools represent choice and competition in education. They force the traditional system to improve while giving parents options. When Democrats shortchange charter teachers, they’re really attacking school choice itself. They hope to make charter schools less attractive by ensuring they can’t compete for the best teachers.
Senator Robin Titus, the Republican minority leader, called it like she saw it: charter school teachers are being used as “pawns.” She’s right. This isn’t about education quality – it’s about protecting the teachers’ union monopoly on public education.
Following the Money
Here’s something that should make your coffee go cold: lawmakers are dipping into Nevada’s rainy day fund for schools to pay for all this. They’re taking out $242.6 million from the Education Stabilization Account, leaving it with only $639.6 million in reserves.
Think about that. Instead of finding sustainable funding or making tough choices about priorities, they’re raiding the emergency fund. It’s like maxing out your credit cards instead of cutting unnecessary spending. Conservative voters know this never ends well.
The Union Connection
The budget fight connects to another troubling development. The legislature is also considering a bill that would make teacher strikes legal again. Currently, public employee strikes have been banned since 1969 – a sensible limit on government workers holding taxpayers hostage.
The Clark County Education Association wants these powers restored after a messy contract dispute last year. They’re pushing ballot initiatives and legislative changes to get their way. When teachers can strike, who pays? You do, through disrupted education for your kids and tax dollars spent on extended negotiations.
What Critics Are Saying
Democratic leaders claim they can handle charter school raises in separate legislation.
Speaker Steve Yeager said:
“We can do two things at once.”
Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro promised they’ll “work on legislation to implement things that are new.”
That’s politician-speak for “trust us.” But conservatives have heard these promises before. How often do separate bills mysteriously disappear once the main budget passes? Lombardo is smart to demand everything in one package.
What’s Next
The governor holds the trump card here. He can veto the budget, forcing lawmakers back to the drawing board. With Republicans holding firm behind him, Democrats face a choice: cave on charter school funding or shut down the education system.
Lombardo’s also pushing for more accountability and parental choice measures. He wants oversight of underperforming schools and more options for families. These align perfectly with conservative principles of competition and local control.
These are just the emails I’ve personally received since noon thanking Governor @JosephMLombardo for supporting charter school teachers…Nevadans stand with Governor Lombardo! pic.twitter.com/BDqd2pWLjO
— Elizabeth Ray (@elizabethrray) May 9, 2025
What Conservatives Can Do
Contact your legislators and tell them to support equal pay for all public teachers. Don’t let them pit charter schools against traditional schools in a race to the bottom.
Support Governor Lombardo’s stance on accountability. When schools fail, parents should have options. When teachers perform well, they should be rewarded regardless of which public school they teach at.
This fight isn’t just about teacher pay. It’s about whether we’ll have a fair, competitive education system that puts kids first, or one that protects union jobs and bureaucratic power. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
