SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
CARSON CITY, Nev. — Gov. Jim Gibbons today accepted the final report from the Nevada Spending and Government Efficiency Commission (SAGE Commission). Gov. Gibbons established the SAGE Commission in 2008 as a non-partisan group of professionals who have volunteered their time to seek ways for Nevada government to save money, work more effectively, and perform more efficiently.
“I am delighted with the work of the SAGE Commission, and I am anxious to examine its newest recommendations and work to implement them,” Gov. Gibbons said, “All Nevadans owe a debt of gratitude to the SAGE Commission members, they all volunteered for this job, they found private funding to perform their work, and citizens owe a special thanks to SAGE Commission Chairman Bruce James.”
The SAGE Commission has produced six reports with more than 40 recommendations. Some of the most recent recommendations include reducing costs to the state by reducing the use of outside contractors for work that could be done by state employees, updating the budget process leading to zero base budgeting and creating a Nevada State Grants Coordinator position to enable to state to identify and apply for federal grants that are not currently being sought.
Gov. Gibbons has supported the vast majority of the SAGE Commission’s recommendations over the last year-and-a-half. However, the Nevada legislature has been reluctant to implement most of the money-saving higher-efficiency ideas. Chairman of the Sage Commission, Bruce James, candidly asks within the report: “Sage Commissioners have spent their time and money to provide our political leaders real, practical recommendations for reducing the costs of government. Just as SAGE commissioners did in their work, we hope our elected public officials can now set aside their partisan differences to put the public’s interest first. If not now, when?”
“I will not give up the fight to make Nevada more efficient and give our citizens more effective services while trying to save money,” Gov. Gibbons said. “I will continue to pursue implementation of the SAGE Commission recommendations.” Gov. Gibbons continued, “This legislature simply must realize that they cannot continue to crush working families by raising taxes and increasing spending.”
A link to the 52-page SAGE final report can be found on governor’s Web site at www.nv.gov.
