Cathleen Allison / AP
Gov. Brian Sandoval, right, talks with advisors Dale Erquiaga and Heidi Gansert outside an education budget hearing Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at the Legislature in Carson City. Sandoval delivered a televised address Tuesday evening about his budget proposal and his stance to not raise taxes.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 | 7:18 p.m.
Sandoval budget speech
Gov. Brian Sandoval's speech on the budget via KSNV, May 3, 2011.
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Gov. Brian Sandoval called on the Legislature to pass his budget with additional revenue to soften cuts, saying government needs to sacrifice to protect the “fragile economic recovery.”
Sandoval gave a televised speech from the governor’s mansion Tuesday, a day after the state projected more money to add to the budget. He repeated familiar themes from his State of the State Address about the Nevada family coming together and making tough choices.
But now he could frame it with benevolence — the state’s economy has recovered slightly, demand for state services in some areas are down and now he has $440 million to add back to the budget.
But Democrats argue that the money, which will be added to the state’s estimated $6 billion budget, will not adequately blunt cuts to K-12, higher education and health and human services.
They added about $700 million in spending on Tuesday in party-line committee votes. (Democrats voted for the increased spending; Republicans stuck with Sandoval.)
Sandoval said he struggles every day with the cuts he has proposed.
“We can’t tax our way out; we can’t cut our way out. We can grow our way out,” he said.
Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, went mostly silent Tuesday night. Democratic leadership released a brief statement thanking Sandoval for his remarks.
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