State's top fiscal analysts retiring

The state will lose 74 years of political and budget history Friday when the two top fiscal analysts at the Legislative Counsel Bureau retire.

Assembly Analyst Mark Stevens leaves with a total of 36 years in state service. Senate Analyst Gary Ghiggeri leaves after 38 years with the state.

"The departure of Mark and Gary at one time is going to be hard to handle," Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, told a crowd of more than 100 who turned out Tuesday for their going-away luncheon.

He said that in the difficult 2009 Legislature, "we would never have been able to balance the budget without them."

Raggio said their constant "nagging" is what pushed lawmakers to finish their work.

With apologies to his wife Dale, Raggio joked that, "these two guys are far better at nagging than anyone."

Senate Finance Chairman Bernice Mathews, D-Sparks, thanked both for what she termed "the on-the-job training" that prepared her to chair Senate Finance this past session.

Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, teased the numerous agency heads who attended the luncheon, saying, "I know you know those questions we ask you came from Mark and Gary."

She said their dedication and knowledge of the state will be missed by future lawmakers.

As the primary Senate and Assembly analysts, it is their job to run the fiscal analysis division, prepare briefing reports on the proposed state budgets and make recommendations on how best to achieve agency and legislative goals in each budget cycle. They guide lawmakers in the two houses through the legislative review of the proposed state budget.

While both men thanked lawmakers for the accolades, they credited their success to their staff.

"Gary and I do our best work when we're not recognized," said Stevens. "Any accomplishments we've been able to attain are mainly due to the analysts in the office."

"Without them, we'd be nothing," said Ghiggeri.

The two analysts recommended as their successors also bring substantial experience to the posts. Tracy Raxter is a 23-year veteran of state service with eight years in LCB Fiscal. He will take Stevens' position once the Legislative Commission confirms the appointment next Monday. Mark Krmpotic, who has 19 years of state service and 10 in LCB, is the nominee for Senate fiscal analyst, replacing Ghiggeri.

Ghiggeri said that, at least for the short term, he is "going home to play with my grandchildren."

Stevens starts the following Monday as a fiscal analyst and consultant to University Chancellor Dan Klaich.