Committee named to examine public education spending

By Cy Ryan

Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015 | 4:36 p.m.

CARSON CITY — Gov. Brian Sandoval has named 12 members to a committee to find ways government spending can be reduced in public schools.

The Spending and Government Efficiency Committee was created by the Legislature to make recommendations on where education spending can be cut, where efficiencies can be achieved and where there are ways to improve the public education system.

The commission must meet at least every 90 days and make its recommendations to the governor. Its final report to the Legislature is due in February 2017.

The first meeting is set for Dec. 1 in Las Vegas.

Sandoval named his chief strategy officer, Dale Erquiaga, as chairman. Erquiaga is former state Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The governor picked six members on his own and selected another six members from recommendations made by Republican and Democratic leaders in the state Senate and Assembly.

Other members are Assemblyman Pat Hickey; Glenn Christenson, chairman of Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance; Beverly Mathis, vice president of Early Learning, Literacy and Family Engagement with the Public Education Foundation; Maria Gatti, executive director of corporate philanthropy and community engagement at MGM Resorts International; and John Guedry, chief executive officer of Bank of Nevada.

The other members are Marta Poling-Goldenne of Nevadans for Common Good; Matt McCarty, general manager of TownePlace Suites by Marriott; retired Clark County School District employees Kathy Harney and Sylvia Villaiva; Samantha Morris, small business owner and treasurer of B&B Fence Co.; and Bill Noonan, senior vice president of administration at Boyd Gaming.