Today Nevada’s Legislature begins anew, facing a projected budget shortfall of $2.2 billion and a proposal by Governor Sandoval to slash the education budget. K-12 schools would receive a 9 percent cut in its budget and higher education would receive a budget cut of 17.66 percent.

Deep budget cuts are also expect for Nevada’s Medicaid program that provides health care for the poor as well as slashes in other Health and Human Services. Sandoval also has proposed an 8 percent budget cut for most of Nevada’s State agencies.

The Legislature, both the Assembly and Senate are controlled by Democrats who will need to work with their Republican counter parts since the Democrats no longer have enough votes to override a veto by Sandoval unless some Republicans are willing to cross the aisle, which is certainly possible.

Sandoval’s pledge of “no new taxes or fees” will make it nearly impossible to avoid major cuts anywhere. But in recent polls, a majority of Nevadan’s would be willing to pay more taxes to avoid many of Sandoval’s axe and slash proposals, which could give cover to both Democrats and Republicans if they chose to go against Sandoval’s pledge of “no new taxes or fees.”

Secretary of State Ross Miller has just gaveled in the start of the Assembly a few minutes ago. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and this years legislative session will be contentious at the very least. The Democrats and Governor Brian Sandoval will be racing towards each other in a game of chicken, and the first to waver will be the loser.

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