This upcoming legislative session, Nevada is facing close to a 2.5 – 3 billion dollar deficit in the State general fund.  The Nevada Millennium Scholarship may not be available for students after the fall.  The community colleges and universities are asked to cut their budgets by 6.9% for 2010 and 2011.  When February hits they are going to have to cut even more.  When is this madness going to end?

“In a country like this… if there can not be money found to answer the common purposes of education… it is evident that there is something amiss in the ruling political power.”

-George Washington 1^st President of the United States of America

I begin with an unusual title for this article because I ask whoever is reading this to decide.  Down the road we may develop an idea of socialist education (what the GOP claims Rory Reid wants to do): the schools are overloaded, the teachers are paid less than they already are and the schools are in the red (deficits).

Then there is the opposite, elitist education (what the NSDP claims Sandoval and Montandon wants to do and Gibbons is currently doing): very few kids go to school (usually from upper economic families who can afford private school tuition), the unemployment and drop out rates rise and kids are lost from finding what they want to do.

We can achieve the balance if we make an attempt.

Governor Jim Gibbons has made few attempts to help education.  In between 2007-2010 we have seen higher education cut their budgets drastically.  K-12 education is diminishing year after year.  Boards like the CCSD Board of Trustees, NSHE Board of Regents, the Nevada State Board of Education and the Legislative Interim Finance Committee are starting to really worry.

Who is also worrying?  How about the college students, the grade school students who understand the circumstances, the parents and more or less the community of Nevada?

The answer does not fall in socialist or elitist positions, rather education should be a well funded system that is regulated but is left to the schools to run the day to day operations and goal setting.  Teachers need to make the sacrifices for our future.   Administration needs to take the risk to save our future.  Government has to show the students and parents that they care about the futures of their constituents.

Student/parent inspiration is the final piece.   We need students feeling proud about their work and parents taking an active interest in their child’s future.

Recently, the CSN Strategic Planning Committee put together a report for CSN President Dr. Richards that determined the future for CSN and where they see themselves 5 years down the road.  The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents and the Nevada Legislature wanted the colleges to prepare their budgets for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 and 2011.

Dr. Michael Richards, CSN President

The Board of Regents made the following requirement to CSN and other colleges, plan the future of your schools in A.Q.D.  These letters stand for Access, Quality and Diversity; the CSN Strategic Planning Committee group came up with their report and suggestions – Quality being their most emphasized point (the committee consisted of faculty, administration, students and staff).  This was proper for many reasons; CSN has 43,000 students this year and CSN’s enrollment has grown exponentially over the past decade.  The capacity is stretching uncontrollably and services may need to be cut.

With Diversity being the cornerstone of this institution (Diversity in regards to student backgrounds, age backgrounds and fields of study offered), Access was cut back for several reasons including economics and logistics.  This is not the greatest thing that could of happened, but it is not a terrible idea and I hope one could understand why.

Without a rise in tuition (not fees) or a cap in enrollment, there will not be enough classes provided by CSN to the student body at the current levels.  Dr. Richards has been quoted several times saying that they already turn away 5,000 students because of full classes.  Unfortunately for moral and partisan reasons, the NSHE Board of Regents will never support or propose a rise of the price of tuition that I am recommending.  When we raise prices on goods it is called a cost of living increase.  Well this tuition raise could be called a COST OF EXISTING increase.

Economics is my basis but if CSN were to take away the price ceiling on tuition, the quantity demanded for classes will shorten but CSN will be able to increase quantity supplied for things like capital improvements, student services and the amounts of sections available for classes (core and electives).  If CSN finds the economic equilibrium, Quality and Diversity remain intact while Access will redefine itself sooner rather than later.

Another institution, UNLV, is dealing with an even bigger problem.  Their budget is bigger therefore when they cut 6.9% it is more than what CSN expects.  UNLV President Neil Smatresk formed the Presidential Review Committee to help trim different colleges and degree programs at UNLV.  When the committee was finished, many students were irked by what the committee proposed to cut.  In a time like this it is hard to just slash away at programs that have been thriving for years and years.  But on May 10^th, President Smatresk endorsed their recommendations.

UNLV President Neal Smatresk

Now UNLV will have a lower budget for FY 2010 and 2011, but what can people do?  There are comments on many of the newspaper articles online that say education needs to get cut and these departments are funded too much at this time.  There are some student leaders like CSN Capitol Club Vice President Aimee Riley who say that Access needs to be the cornerstone of an educational institution and with cuts to budgets the students are hurt the most.  Then there are people who say that cuts need to happen so other industries can live and that colleges will rebound years from now.  I tend to agree with Ms. Riley.

Make Access and Quality synonymous with each other.  By making Quality so well at CSN, we make Access available to the students that are there.  The graduation rate goes up and more spots are open.  By making an investment now, we do not risk the institution losing more teachers, students and staff down the road.  If the first definition of Access in anyone’s mind is availability to the community, that is something that can be restarted in years where education is funded through new leadership in the Governor’s Mansion.  Our current majority leadership in the State Legislature has the idea, as does a certain candidate for Governor.

President Dr. Smatresk does not want these cuts and neither do we.

In February, 2011 our state legislature will meet to deal with the projected budget shortfall.  Our State Constitution requires the Legislature to fund education and balance our revenues and expenses.  To raise revenues, an option would be to increase taxes or create new taxes.  Some options include raising taxes on Nevada citizens or tourists coming to Nevada.  Fairness is the issue, but deep down Nevada and its citizens know that they need to expand our economic situation and tax it to survive.  People are coming up with new ideas but we do not need to focus directly on those issues.

Governor Jim Gibbons, former North Las Vegas Mayor Mike Montandon and former Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval have either signed a “no new tax” pledge or signaled that they would veto any tax proposals from the people/Legislature.  This is wrong.  There are new industries that will move to or be created in Nevada.  For a state executive to stop money from staying in our state is major red light for his/her constituents.  Any voter who votes for a candidate who will not create taxes for the mining, casino, energy, corporate or any industry is making a mistake.

Many people ask when the state of education is going to get better.  Well, how is education funded?  The educational system is funded through state funds and if the state is going to balance the budget and fund education first, there has to be the funds to do so.  We cannot stare down the barrel of a budget deficit every other year!  If we bring in different markets and tax current industries, we can have the money for a well funded educational system that would be in the top 10 in the nation.

“Let public schools then be established in every county of the United States, at least as many as are necessary for the present population, and let those schools be supported by a general tax.” –Robert Coram, American Author(1761-1796)

The CSN Capitol Club is hosting its first annual dinner, in celebration of a wonderful year, the club’s great history, and her promising future.

We’ll hear from past and present members of the club, including former ASCSN and Capitol Club President, David Waterhouse, who currently works in Harry Reid’s campaign.

We also expect several guests from around the political scene in Clark County, including candidates for office in 2010.

The event is this Saturday, May 15th, 6:30PM, at Memphis Championship BBQ, 2250 East Warm Springs Road.

Minimum contributions are as follows and include a platter and beverages:

$20 for students
$25 for everyone else

If you have any questions, please call Justin McAffee at 374-6009 or email him at justin@csncapitolclub.com

You can RSVP Facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119602174730466&ref=mf or by email.

Meet Scott Kelley.  He first attended a political/ community meeting as a member of the CSN Capitol Club back in 2005.  From there, he has gone far.

In 2008, he was elected to the Washoe County School Board for District E.  To my knowledge (Correct me if I’m wrong) he is the first member of the Capitol Club to obtain an elected office, outside of student government.

He ran for Reno City Council in 2006, losing in a close race.  He has been active in several community organizations since his days in the Capitol Club.

You can read more about him on his Facebook page here, or on the Washoe County School District site here.

He isn’t up for re-election this year, but says he is eager to get back out there and talk to people.  Scott told me, “I love campaigning, it’s such an exciting process and I’m getting better at it.”

The Capitol Club is proud to have one of its own out there serving the public.  Congratulations Scott!  You have set a good example for us.  Keep up the good work!

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Thousands of marchers descended onto the streets of Las Vegas in protest of a recent Arizona law that makes being in this country illegally a crime. Similar protests occurred throughout the country today.

Many citizens of Las Vegas and in the Hispanic community are distraught about the law. Some wonder if the law is practical, ethical, racists or even constitutional. It is expected to be challenged at the federal level.

One provision of the law allows citizens to sue a city or county for not stopping enough illegal immigrants from being here. This places finding illegal immigrants at the top of police priority, taking their focus away from other vital areas of public safety and crime control.

Illegal immigration continues to be a major problem, both for Americans and the foreign nationals here illegally. The problem needs to be addressed. This is the justification that Republicans in Arizona used to pass this bill that essentially gives Arizona police power to enforce federal law.

Ironically, it is Republicans in Washington D.C. who are now blocking the very changes needed to solve the problem. Democrats have unveiled a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

House Republican leader, John A. Boehner, has plainly stated that “There is not a chance that immigration is going to move through the Congress.” So if I’m hearing this right, the Feds not doing enough on immigration is why Arizona Republicans had to pass this infamous law. But now your telling us flat out that you won’t pass a reform?

And the circle of political craziness keeps us spinning and spinning…