Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, has proposed creation of a fund that would provide economic development grants in rural areas and "blighted areas" of large counties in Nevada.
SB158 contains a $10 million appropriation to start the fund but adds language allowing the lieutenant governor's office to accept grants and donations to increase the fund.
Titus said the purpose is just what the title of the bill says: To help rural areas with economic development. Money from the Nevada Economic Development Fund could be granted to public agencies or private entities. And Titus said the money could go for economically blighted areas in more urban parts of the state as well - possibly even such things as attracting a grocery store to a poorer or rundown neighborhood. The only prohibition in the bill is that no money could be granted for economic development projects related to the location of a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain.
The bill was referred to the Finance Committee because it contains a $10 million appropriation which is not part of the governor's proposed budget.
Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.
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