‘Vision’ committee targeting quality of life in Nevada

By Cy Ryan

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 | 2:44 p.m.

CARSON CITY – The 2009 Legislature authorized a so-called “vision” committee to chart a course to improve Nevada’s quality of life in such areas as health, education, commerce and public safety in the next 20 years.

But one state senator says the committee must develop a plan the state can afford. Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, said the plan for the future can’t be a “Disneyland” or a “pipe dream” but something that the citizens will be willing to pay for.

A legislative subcommittee, holding its first meeting, decided that the Nevada Vision Stakeholder Group should be limited to 19 members. And already 75 people have been nominated to represent the various categories.

Assemblyman Marcus Conklin, D-Las Vegas, the chairman of the subcommittee, said he received inquiries about serving on the stakeholder group as late as 9:30 p.m. Monday night. So the subcommittee will continue to accept nominations.

This vision group will be working with a consultant to forge the plan by July 1 next year. And the consultant will also be working with legislators on examining Nevada’s tax structure to see what changes and what increases might be recommended to the 2011 Legislature.

It will be a labor of love for members of the group. There’s no money set aside for these members for either salary or expenses, such as travel and meals. And Conklin said they will be expected to put in at least 20 hours a month developing the quality of life issues.

Another legislative subcommittee will meet Oct. 28 to choose a consultant to help with the tax study. A preliminary vote showed the eight members favored Moody’s Analytics of West Chester, Pa., which submitted a bid of $253,000.

The resolution passed by the 2009 Legislature says the vision committee will “develop strategies to advance Nevada’s national standing in critical qualify of life areas.” This vision group will develop goals for five, 10 and 20 years for improving the quality of life in such things as “business, education, health care, human services, economic development, transit and energy…”

Conklin proposed and his subcommittee agreed to create study groups for commerce and industry, education, infrastructure, health and human services and public safety. It agreed to put two members on public safety, three members each on education, infrastructure and health and human services and six on commerce and industry. There will be two people appointed as roving members.

There was also some initial disagreement on whether elected officials should be named to this vision committee. Townsend said, “We want to keep this as apolitical as we can” and don’t want members using it as a form for election.

But Assemblyman Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka, said that prohibition “takes some quality names off the list” especially in rural Nevada.

There was no agreement on this issue.