Controller: Dependence on federal dollar in Nevada has doubled

Nevada Controller Kim Wallin says Nevada's dependence of federal dollars has more than doubled over the past decade.

She issued a four-page report detailing not only the state's reliance on federal money but that of Nevada residents as well.

The Intergovernmental Financial Dependency Report shows a 130 percent increase in federal grant dollars to Nevada over the past decade. In 2008, $2.4 billion in federal funding - a third of all state revenues - came from the federal government.

The state distributed $475 million of that to local governments and school districts.

Wallin said the point of the report is to emphasize that Nevada's fiscal health is tied to that of the federal government.

"There is an urgent need to enlighten the public about the federal government being in good fiscal health because the federal government's fiscal health impacts the state's fiscal health as well as each individual," she said.

She pointed out that individual Nevadans received $8.75 billion in benefits from the federal government. Of that, 51 percent is Social Security and 20 percent Medicare. More than 16 percent is federal retirement, disability and veterans benefits.

Beyond the grants and entitlement funding the state receives, she said Nevada has 58 military facilities that employ 15,333 military and civilian personnel.

Wallin said Nevadans need to become better informed about key issues, register to vote and demand their politicians address those issues.

The report makes a number of suggestions as to what individuals can do to get involved in their government. It also contains a list of policies people can impose on themselves - including increasing the percentage of their income they save for the future.

The report is available on line at www.controller.nv.gov.