Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Sandoval seeks greater autonomy on workforce investment funding

Gov. Brian Sandoval has issued an executive order to give the state more authority to monitor how federal money is spent to help eligible unemployed Nevadans get jobs.

"This executive order will increase oversight and bring workforce development efforts and spending in line with our state's economic development efforts," he said

Sandoval said Tuesday the federal Department of Labor rejected a state plan to eliminate two local boards and have the Governor's Workforce Investment Board deal directly with program contractors who provide worker training and other services.

An audit revealed the two local boards were spending too much money on administration. Sandoval said the Southern Nevada board had eight employees each making $100,000 a year.

Administrative costs in the south were 21 percent compared with 11 percent in Northern Nevada.

Under the executive order, the state Department of Employment and Rehabilitation will monitor the local boards and report to the governor on spending.

The state and its two boards received $29.5 million in fiscal 2011.

Frank Woodbeck, director of the employment department, earlier this year asked the federal agency to eliminate the local boards and let the state take over the program, a proposal that was rejected.

The state's administrative costs were slightly less than 10 percent.

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