OPEN FORUM: FAQs On Future of Local CSN Center

What was the Governor’s budget recommendation for CSN?

The executive budget recommendation for CSN includes 1) a 36% budget cut, 2) a 6% salary reduction for all employees, 3) benefit reductions and larger co-pays for health coverage, 4) no capital funding, 5) no funding for utility increases, 6) a budgeted enrollment of 23,000 by the second year of the biennium with funding that only supports 12,000; and 7) a funding per FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) level that drops from the current $7,061 to $4,826.

Needless to say the recommendation decimates CSN (College of Southern Nevada) and NSHE (Nevada System of Higher Education).

How will the Governor’s budget recommendations affect CSN & Nevada Residents?

Let’s review how the cause affects our state by each point above. 1) if CSN is given a 36% budget reduction, CSN will not be able to sustain operations in any learning center rural or urban. Furthermore, one of the three main campuses will have to close; 2) a 6% salary reduction for all employees will mean employees will be earning the same wages that they earned two years ago, even though inflation is on the rise; 3) benefit reductions and larger co-pays for health coverage will contribute to even more Nevadans unable to afford proper health care; 4) no capital funding will mean CSN students will be left behind with new technology; 5) no funding for utility increases will force CSN into a larger negative deficit; 6) a budgeted enrollment of 23,000 by the second year of the biennium with funding that only supports 12,000, as of the 2009 Spring semester CSN has a total enrollment of approximately 44,000 students. This will effect instructional time, fewer classes, fewer instructors, fewer students, less education for Nevadans; and 7) a funding FTE level that drops from the current $7,061 to $4,826. This will affect the quality of education for our students, larger classroom sizes, less instruction.

Contrary to how it has been promoted, this proposed budget includes a new tax. This is a new, targeted, regressive tax on all state workers, especially our educators who teach pre-school to graduate school. The new, targeted, regressive tax is in the form of: pay cuts, health benefit cuts, retirement benefit cuts, and institutional budget cuts. This new, targeted, regressive tax hurts our past, our present, and our future faculty and students. It hurts Nevada’s future.

How can I help keep the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) Moapa Valley Center open next year?

You can write a letter or e-mail your Senator or Assembly person. Tell them how you feel about the Governor’s proposals, about the need to fund education, about how important CSN Moapa Valley Center is to our rural community or anything else that’s on your mind. The Legislative session begins on February 2, 2009 and over the period of 120 days, our legislators will need more than just one contact.

What recommendations/solutions should I give to Nevada Legislators.

1. Eliminate tax exemptions (industries such as mining enjoy tax exemptions making their taxes less than a households overall gross federal, state, and local tax) 2. Increase existing taxes to be in line with other states and countries in which the business is conducted. Nevada’s gaming is taxed at 6.75%. New Jersey, South Dakota, and Mississippi gaming is taxed at 8%. Colorado gaming is taxed at 20%. Illinois gaming is taxed at 50%. and Macau in China is taxed at least at 50% and ownership reverts to the Chinese government after 8 years.

3. Reducing or eliminating benefits such as housing allowances, phone allowances, car allowances for upper echelon state employees and elected officials. Interestingly enough, most teachers are at risk of losing their phones, cars, and homes with the proposed budget cut because they have to pay for their own, whereas individuals such as the governor do not.

Where can I find the contact information for my Legislators?

You may access your Senators via the Internet at:http://www.leg.state.nv.us/75th2009/Legislators/Senators/ and your Assemblyman athttp://www.leg.state.nv.us/75th2009/Legislators/Assembly/ .

The CSN Moapa Valley Center located at 2400 N. St. Joseph Street, in the parking lot of MVHS has a computer lab available as well as a contact list of our Nevada Legislators. CSN Moapa Valley Center’s helpful staff will be happy to assist all Moapa Valley residents who would like to contact our Legislators. the convenience of Moapa residents, Moapa Town Library has a contact list of Nevada Legislators as well as computers available to the public.

What if I am unsure who, where, or what to write the Legislators?

If you are interested in contacting the Legislators but are unsure who, where, or what to write, contact the CSN Moapa Valley Center at (702) 398-7545 or stop by our office. We will have all the information available for you such as current budget issues, contact information, templates, & facts.

April Krell is the local administrator of the Logandale center of the College of Southern Nevada.