First budget bill passes

The Appropriations Act cleared the Nevada Assembly on a 34-7 vote Thursday.

All 28 Democrats stood together to pass the $3.88 billion plan which contains the majority of General Fund spending. They were joined by six Republicans: Minority Leader Heidi Gansert of Reno, Joe Hardy of Boulder City, Pete Goicoechea of Eureka, John Carpenter of Elko, Lynn Stewart and Melissa Woodbury of Las Vegas.

Gansert, R-Reno, said the money committees worked hard and in a bipartisan way to craft what she said is a bare bones budget.

"I don't think we could have done any different," she said of the additions made to the governor's recommended budget.

While she backed the spending plan, she said she still has reservations about the tax package to pay for it.

That brought a sharp response from Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, who vice chairs the Ways and Means committee.

"I don't like what's in there either," she said. "Every one of us would have a different package. That's not how it works. You can't vote for the spending plan if you're not going to vote for the revenue plan."

Assemblyman Ed Goedhart, R-Amargosa Valley, praised the bipartisan efforts of the committees but bemoaned the lack of consideration for GOP suggestions. He said the suggestions, that weren't even heard during a hearing, could have saved millions.

Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, D-Las Vegas, said the governor's budget wasn't balanced when it arrived and contained "draconian cuts that were beyond belief."

Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, said the spending plan is accompanied by significant reforms to public employee benefits and retirement which reign in costs there. She said the money committees did "a tremendous job producing a budget that makes sense."

Goedhart was joined in voting no by fellow Republicans Ed Goedhart of Amargosa Valley, Don Gustavson of Sparks, John Hambrick of Las Vegas, Ty Cobb of Reno, Richard McArthur of Las Vegas of James Settelmeyer of Gardnerville. Yerington Republican Tom Grady was absent Thursday.

The bill was transferred to the Senate.