By DR. LARRY MOSES
No one asked me but… Governor Brian Sandoval is an interesting political character. He is neither a Republican, though he holds to that party, nor is he a Democrat. He is a true Mugwump. His latest State of the State report made this evident. He is willing to tax like a Democrat but he would privatize government agencies like a Republican. He is using the taxing policies of the Democrats to fund his right wing desires for the formation of a new Republican direction for public schools.
A Republican governor proposing to raise taxes by $400 million on businesses is like Pope Frances giving Sainthood to Hugh Hefner. Not only did the governor propose this to the Republican controlled legislature he but also called for making the “sunset taxes” permanent. Republican Assembly woman Michele Fiore’s heart stopped as she and many other Republicans campaigned on the demise of these taxes. The last two Democrat controlled legislatures have not allowed these taxes, originally passed for a limited time, to end. However, the Governor was not done. Taking a page from the most liberal of states, he proposed to raise the tax on cigarettes from 80 cents to $1.20 per pack. How much higher can the tax go before we have our citizens selling “loosies” on the streets of Las Vegas?
It will take a two-thirds majority vote to increase any taxes. The taxing portion of the Governor’s plans will not run into major opposition from the Democrats who never saw a tax they did not like. While the Assembly Minority Leader, Marilyn Kirkpatrick a Democrat representing North Las Vegas, has welcomed Governor Sandoval in to the ranks of the Democrat, the Republicans in both Houses have started organizing to oppose the Governor’s budget.
On the surface, Governor Sandoval sounds like a Democrat with his emphasis on taxing and spending for Education. An increase of $50 million for English Language Learners, a euphemism for the over 30,000 illegals in the Nevada education system. The
Republicans would move to deport rather than educate. He called for an additional $50 million for schools with a high number of students from low-income families is an idea of Democrats, not, Republicans. The Governor proposed an increase of more than 120 percent in career and technology education funding; however, college and career readiness would receive only $8 million new dollars. All of these initiatives would draw the support of the Democrats and the ire of Republican lawmakers. However, about the time you begin to think of Sandoval as a Democrat, he takes a radical turn to the right.
Governor Sandoval would end collective bargaining for teachers or administrators. The Governor proposed a state takeover of failing schools to allow the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to operate them as charter schools. Dale Erquiaga, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, would establish a school district made up of the 70 failing schools across the state. The governor has picked Pedro Martinez, the recently fired Superintendent of Schools of the Washoe School District to assist Mr. Erquiaga. This seems to make sense: a failed leader for failed schools. The Governor wants to appoint school boards rather than allow local people to elect them. He would further allow for the breakup of the State’s largest districts. The breaking up of districts will require a change in present Nevada Revised Statues that designates the school district’s boundary is to be co-terminus with the boundary of the county in which it is located.
The support of the charter schools movement is an obsession of national Republicans. The most logical way this could take place in Nevada is the taking over of the failing school lock, stock, and barrel. The problem with this approach is it would be in violation of NRS 386.505 which states; “The Legislature declares that by authorizing the formation of charter schools it is not authorizing:
1.The conversion of an existing public school, homeschool or other program of home study to a charter school.” As well as a violation of NRS 386.506 …The provisions of NRS 386.490 to 386.649, inclusive, do not authorize an existing public school, homeschool or other program of home study to convert to a charter school.” Unless these laws are changed, the state could not use the buildings presently housing the failing students. They would have do as all other charter schools do, build, rent, or otherwise find housing for those students. There are 49 Clark County schools designated by the State as failing. Assuming all those students went to the new charter schools, the District would have 49 empty buildings to fill. That would a be great start in resolving the need for new school buildings in the district.
If the Governor gets the law changed allowing for the conversion of present buildings into Charter Schools, that is still a win for the Clark County School District. The graduation rate for the district would shoot up, as would the average of the test scores throughout the district. The additional expenses incurred in educating the English Language Learners and the socially deprived would no longer be a District problem. A large portion of discipline problems are found among this portion of the student population. This disruptive factor would now belong to the State charter schools. All of these problems would now fall in the lap of a Certified Public Account, Pedro Martinez, and a past manager of a humane society, Dale Erquiaga. These two paragons of education, who have never worked a day in a public school classroom, would be running the charter school district for a governor who has never spent a day of his life in a public school. Lots of luck guys.
All that being said; Governor Sandoval is a political genius. Democrats will find it hard to oppose his taxes and the Republicans will find it hard to oppose his attempt to privatize education.
He may be the last of the true Mugwumps.
No one asked me but…My good neighbor Albert has converted our neighborhood Christmas tree into a Valentine’s Day tree. The red lights of the tree shall shine for nearly a month. Each year Albert cuts a Christmas tree and puts it in my side yard at the corner of Berkley and Janet Circle. The neighbors all come and decorate it. The Christmas decorations are gone but this year the tree remains. I want to invite everyone to stop by and hang a valentine if you so desire. Albert’s efforts are well worth a look-see.
Thought of the week….Mugwump: a term meaning one who sits on a fence, i.e. his mug is on one side of the fence and his wump in on the other.
