Exactly what's in state's budget, anyway?

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Nevada's Legislative Counsel Bureau has issued its biennial Appropriations Report - the document which spells out exactly what's in the two-year budget approved by lawmakers and the governor.

The report details total general fund appropriations over the next two years of $6.47 billion.

The lion's share of that is the $5.798 billion operating budget - which is $85.9 million more than the spending plan Gov. Kenny Guinn recommended.

In addition, there are $39.1 million in supplemental appropriations - mostly to cover shortfalls from the last budget cycle - and $599 million worth of one time expenses. That includes money for capital improvement projects. There is also $71 million to rebuild the Rainy Day Fund. That fund should total $194 million by the end of this budget cycle.

In addition, lawmakers approved authority for agencies to spend $7.98 billion in other funding - primarily federal money. That brings the total state spending plan for this two-year budget cycle to $13.78 billion.

More than half the total state budget goes to education - K-12 and the university system.

The budget authorizes a total of 1,404 additional positions over the biennium for state government for a total of 18,181 government jobs. When the number of positions approved for the Nevada System of Higher Education is added in, the total number of jobs funded for operation of state government will exceed 25,000 for the first time. The exact count won't be available until the university system prepares its operating budgets for the year.

The report is available from the Legislative Counsel Bureau

n Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.

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