Lawmakers preparing for governor’s speech

By J. Patrick Coolican

Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009 | 5:42 p.m.

CARSON CITY -- In the Assembly chambers, which is beginning to fill in preparation for the governor's state-of-the-state address at 6.

Some updates, via Sun columnist Jon Ralston:

Clark County Commission Chair Rory Reid sent out a statement responding to Gibbons' raid on county dollars:

"We find the Governor’s proposal to be shortsighted and irresponsible. Clark County is a partner with the state in providing services to the citizens most in need, whether they are jobless, homeless, or abused and neglected. The Governor is simply avoiding making the tough decisions. Instead, he is trying to pass these difficult choices on to local governments. The Governor has often said that state government needs to live within its means, just like Nevada’s families do. We wish the governor would take his own advice instead of forcing county taxpayers to offset the shortfalls in his budget."

Reid is likely running for governor. This is as insidery as it gets, but Reid's shot at Gibbons likely irks Speaker Barabara Buckley, who will make a televised response to Gibbons after his speech, but Reid got off the first shot.

This is all very dismaying to Republican elected officials, one of whom told me: "I hope they don't attack him. Because that means we have to defend him. And we don't want to do that."

Also, JR got the letter Gibbons sent to state employees and teachers thanking them for their service and telling them they're getting a 6 percent pay cut, meaning at least some of them found out about the pay cut -- from Ralston. Ouch.