By DR. LARRY MOSES

No one asked me but… Our Democratic Legislators have no plan to counter balance the Governor’s budget that cuts taxes by $781 million dollars. These cuts will move the State tax level back to 2009 and will destroy most the social programs and cripple education in the State of Nevada.

The legislature does not have time to introduce a budget in opposition to the Governor’s but they do have time to add burdens to the educational institutions of the State. If passed, Senate Bill 230 will require school districts to approve policies barring Trans fats from foods sold in the schools of Nevada.

Senator Greg Bower, opposing the bill, stated, “We’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

Apparently, in Trans fat free oil.

The schools already no longer sell sodas or candies as fundraisers on campus. This has opened a lucrative black market for enterprising students who now pocket the money that once bolstered student activities.

Senate Bill 276 would set up requirements for anti-bullying programs. It would require education dollars be spent training staff and reporting incidents. The requirement for an anti-bullying coordinator for each school was dropped. However, this would not eliminate all cost for the new program.

When I went to school, we had an anti-bullying program. We just got together and beat up the bully.

Students need to learn to deal with bullying. People are bullied all their lives and if they don’t learn to deal with it when they are young, they will never learn when they are older. We learned early on one must stand up to the bully or suffer. There is no other way to stop a bully.

A law will not stop bullying; however, this program will add cost to an educational budget that is being disseminated by this same legislature.

Assembly Bill 557 would establish a pilot program for performance-based incentive pay for teachers. Let me see, we are asking teachers to take a 10-20 percent cut in pay but we are going to spend $20 million on an incentive pay program? Is that to incentivize the teacher to show up even though they are losing anywhere from $5-7 thousand a year.

Let’s get an acceptable base pay for a teacher then worry about incentive pay. Do you really think that a teacher is going to do a better job for the extra one hundred dollars a year that most of the incentive programs offer?

No one asked me but… The State of Nevada has a revenue source it has been tapping since the legislature made it legal for the State to steal money from its citizens. Since 1981 the State has been collecting forgotten bank accounts, unredeemed rebate checks, contents of safety deposit boxes, final paychecks that are unclaimed by people leaving a job, as well as unused gift certificates. Retailers get to keep 40 percent of unredeemed gift cards and the state keeps 60 percent.

I first became aware of this when the local credit union indicated that the accounts I set up for my grandchildren had not had any activity for a year and therefore were in danger of confiscation by the State. I now have one dollar a month taken from my savings and placed in each account.

The Governor wants $10 million of this money to help recruit business to Nevada. Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford and Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, both Democrats, support the Governor in this effort.

These thefts added $66 million dollars to last year’s budget.

The problem is this is not the State’s money. That is like leaving twenty dollars lying on your desk. Your brother comes by, sees it laying there for two days, and decides you are not using it and therefore he takes it for himself.

The State says it keeps a record and if anyone claims it, the State will return the money or valuables. The point is, it is not theirs in the first place.

The State will say you can go to nevadatreasurer. gov and check to see if the State has any of your money. They also publish the name and address of those who have unclaimed valuables held by the State. If they have the names and addresses, why not just send the items to the people. You could charge them for the postage.

Treasurer Kate Marshall wants to expand the program by requiring all small businesses to report unclaimed property in exchange for waiving interest and fines. She believes it would net the State an addition $12 million a year.

Another idea being toyed with is a recycling charge on all bottled and canned drinks. California brings in $140 million in revenue from unclaimed refunds on canned drinks. I am sure the Governor would veto this new tax.

Why don’t we just knock off the nonsense and not sunset the $781 million in taxes that have been collected over the last two years?

No one asked me but… It is time for blatant, open, and shameful self-promotion. My favorite novelist will be at Books Etc. in Overton on April 30, selling and signing his newest novel, Promises.

For those of you are not in the know, Books Etc. is next door to McDonalds. Sally VanErt, the owner, has invited me to come to the bookstore from 10 AM to 2 PM on Saturday, April 30.

Sally is a small business owner who, like many in our valley, struggles to stay open. Her business is much like my book, more a hobby than a livelihood.

I must admit I have a stake in keeping her in business. Other than Amazon.com and Lulu Publishing, the only place my book is available is at Sally’s. Sally is the only one who saw fit to sell my first novel, and has graciously offered her place of business to distribute my new novel.

Come by on Saturday. I may have convinced my wife to make some cookies.

Thought of the week… “I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name at the top.”

English Professor

(Name Unknown)

Ohio University.