Gardnerville lawmaker responds to Governor's address

Douglas County's representative in the state assembly said reducing government expenditures is the fastest and best way to balance the budget.

"I agree with the governor that we must eliminate any duplication from our government and that these changes, while difficult, will result in a more efficient and effective government," Settelmeyer said in a statement issued Friday morning. "We can no longer allow the inefficient and costly concepts that have helped to create the train wreck we now face to continue. And until the government is efficient we shouldn't ask the people to give more money in the form of taxes."

Settelmeyer said Nevadans should not rely on the federal government to rescue them from the crisis.

"The federal government is not the solution, it is the problem," he said. "We can't rely on it to fix our state. If not for all the feds unfunded mandates, we not be in the situation we are in now."

He said new taxes wouldn't be able to raise revenue quickly enough to counter the budget crisis. He said raising taxes would hurt people who are already stuggling.

"If increased taxes are implemented at a time when so many of our state's residents and businesses are struggling, it will further slow our economic recovery," he said. "Due to the economy, families are having to do without. Businesses are having to reduce jobs, wages and expenses. The government must do the same. Otherwise we will push families and businesses past the breaking point."

Among the solutions Settelmeyer highlighted were elimination or suspension of the prevailing wage law, and suggestions from the Guinn Commission in 2001 and the SAGE Commission.

"There are many solutions to the current economic crises that have not been implemented and must be considered first. Solutions have been proposed for years in the form of Bill Drafts such as the elimination or suspension of the prevailing wage law. Many other suggestions have been put forward by the Guinn Commission in 2001 and the current sage SAGE Commission. New taxes won't produce revenue quickly enough. If the legislature passed a tax against the Governor's veto it wouldn't able to collect sufficient revenue quickly enough to offset the shortfall that is currently upon the state of Nevada."

Settelmeyer said the Legislature needs to do what's best for Nevada.

"There will be parts of the Governor's proposal that we will disagree on but hopefully we can leave special interest groups behind and do what is best for all Nevadans," he said.