Nevada legislators at odds as 2005 session nears

Nevada lawmakers begin their 2005 session next month with the wounds still fresh from some tight election battles, a nasty impeachment trial and last session's prolonged tax fight.

Signs that the healing has begun are few.

Lawmakers say the effect has been a climate tainted with increasingly partisan and personal politics, less compromise and less congeniality.

"We've lost respect for each other," said Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno. "Everything gets personal. A lot of the fun has gone out of the job, I can tell you that."

The days when legislators put aside political differences to "decompress" at the gym or bar are over, said Townsend, who has served in the Legislature since 1983.

Townsend attributed the colder tone to legislators' egos or inexperience, and said that negotiating skills, decorum and consensus-building should be part of lawmakers' training. But Townsend, who as chairman of the Legislative Commission plans new member orientation, said no such training is in the works this year.

"It's really up to the leadership to set a good example," Townsend said.

Legislatures in other some states have taken a more therapeutic approach.

In Minnesota and Oregon, lawmakers voluntarily participated in small-group workshops run by the National Conference of State Legislatures to help foster civility, avoid gridlock and improve communication.

"In an informal setting a lot of barriers come down," said Bruce Feustel, a senior fellow at the National Conference of State Legislatures. "It's easy to blame the media, blame the governor, or special-interest groups. But what really seems to come out (in the workshops) is what each individual could do to lower the rhetoric."

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, said he's been in contact with the group, but wants to give his colleagues a chance to get along before bringing in reinforcements.

"If we get to the point where we think that's necessary, we'll avail ourselves of that," Perkins said. "Right now, I think most of us are focused on bringing Nevada politics back to how Nevada politics used to be."

For his part, Perkins said he's reached out to Senate Republicans and offered to meet with Assemblyman Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, the leader of a group of Republicans that held up the tax bill in 2003 and forced two special sessions.

"I think that's in the past, I think everyone wants to move on," said Hettrick, referring to the 2003 tax fight that went to the state Supreme Court before being resolved.

There are signs, however, that past may be prologue.

A special session called in November for Augustine's impeachment trial was the first.

And in December, Assembly Republicans cried foul when Perkins denied a key committee assignment to one of their members.

Hettrick called it political payback for running a candidate against Perkins.

There's even potential for conflict within parties: Perkins and Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, are both eyeing runs for governor in 2006.

In his work with legislators, Feustel said lawmakers tell him that it's difficult to make the transition from cutthroat campaigning to backslapping legislating.

"Campaigns are tougher," Feustel said. "And that runs into legislating. It can be hard to reach out and be magnanimous."