Public agendas
The ‘nichefication’
of news media

Accelerating de-centralization of the news media should begin improving Nevada government

By Steven Miller
Business Nevada

Many Nevada business people, looking out upon the state’s demagogic political scene today, find it thoroughly demoralizing—which is entirely understandable.

They should know, however, that big and encouraging changes are coming down the pike.

Today what Milton Friedman called the “Iron Triangle”—the powerful alliance of special-interest groups, politicians and bureaucrats—continues to drive and dominate state public policy news. As always, what this alliance wants is ever-larger government, plus the strangling in the cradle of any moves for governmental reform.

Public education here in Nevada is where this pattern is most notorious. But similar triangle alliances operate in many government sectors. Just last week, advocates of more socialism in Nevada health care policy snagged big headlines and news coverage around the state for their agenda.

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Inequity
Per capita, Nevada ranks 49th in federal receipts

Thanks to the federal income tax and redistributionist national politicians, Nevada is paying vastly higher federal taxes than it can ever expect to be matched by federal spending sent to the Silver State.

That’s the clear finding of the 2005 Tax Foundation “giving and receiving states” report released last week. While Nevadans, per capita, rank 16th highest in federal tax burden, they rank 49th in total federal expenditures.

The Tax Foundation study shows that the federal government is not only redistributing income from the prosperous to the poor, but from the middle-income residents of high-cost states to the middle-income residents of low-cost states.

[Download 8-page report]

Shortfall
Tobacco-settlement
monies up in smoke?

State coffers could wind up $7 million short, revealing poor planning

By Valerie Miller
LV Business Press

It’s a waiting game for the State of Nevada, which in less than a month, will find out if it’s going to be $7 million short on this year’s scheduled $40 million tobacco-settlement payout.

The shortfall will impact social and health programs for seniors and the disabled if the tobacco companies decide to cut their payments based on declining market shares.

Despite the warnings, the state has yet to formulate a “Plan B” if the funds don’t arrive.

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Schools
Districts subverting NCLB tutoring rule

Industry survey suggests many poor schoolchildren aren’t getting NCLB help

By Lesli A. Maxwell
Education Week

Bureaucratic red tape and inertia in some school districts are keeping thousands of poor children from receiving the tutoring services guaranteed to them under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a coalition of private tutoring providers contends.

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Homes crunch
Liberal activists target
‘workforce’ housing

By Kevin Rademacher
In Business Las Vegas

As every form of automobile raced by and planes and helicopters zipped above, a group of local leaders gathered in front of the legendary “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign to discuss plans for shoring up the valley’s hospitable image.

As the median local home price continued to hover well above $300,000, business executives and political leaders agree that Las Vegas is not as welcoming as it once was.

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Analysis
What will the Dubai
debacle cost us?

Now the deal is done, it’s time for American companies to face the economic consequences of politicians’ public statements.

By Nelson D. Schwartz
Fortune Europe editor

NEW YORK—So the Dubai ports deal is done, a United Arab Emirates-owned company has backed down, and CNN anchor (and deal opponent) Lou Dobbs is going to have to find something else to talk about. But the after-effects are likely to be felt in boardrooms across America as well as on Capitol Hill and in Arab capitals from Riyadh to Bahrain and Cairo.

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