Gibbons to deliver stimulus plans

Gov. Jim Gibbons will conduct a press conference today to spell out his plans for handling the stimulus package money.

The announcement promises he "will take extraordinary action to accelerate the acquisition and distribution of stimulus package funds to assist working families in Nevada, create and retain jobs and assist others impacted by the current economic crisis."

The event will be at 9 a.m. in the new state Agriculture Department center in Sparks.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contains up to

$2.2 billion for Nevada but, in order

to get the money, there are extensive reporting requirements.

Gibbons proposed spending more than $200,000 to hire people to handle those tasks but was angered last week when the legislative Interim Finance Committee rejected his request. Instead, they put the two positions and other funding under the controller's office.

Since then, Gibbons has ordered his department heads and agency administrators not to participate in ARRA reporting meetings with the controller's office.

The news conference announcement gives no clear indication what Gibbons will say but he is expected to reassign one of his current positions to handle ARRA reporting requirements.