Money committee Democrats voted Thursday for a plan that, in gambling parlance, would be described as betting on the come.
They voted to authorize agencies to use federal American Recovery Act dollars to fill 307 vacant positions set for elimination in Gov. Steve Sisolak’s recommended budget. The problem is, they won’t know if the federal government will allow states to use stimulus cash for that until they receive guidance from the federal government which could come as late as September.
To make that work, they voted to “authorize” agencies to use stimulus money to fill those posts effective Oct. 1. But as Ways and Means Chair Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, pointed out, they did not appropriate money to pay for those positions because the state can’t appropriate money it doesn’t have.
“I think this is premature,” said Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno. “I’d prefer we actually walk through some of these budgets and make decisions about what we want to prioritize.”
Assembly Minority Leader Robin Titus, R-Wellington, described it as, “very premature to allocate potential funding that we do not have.
“It’s not fiscally responsible to do at this time.”
Sen. Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka, questioned why the committee should take that action. Senate Fiscal Analyst Wayne Thorley said taking one action for all those positions would make it unnecessary for the committees to take each post individually during budget closings. Staff also advised that, if the positions are all allowed to go away, each would have to be restored in the 2024 Legislature as an enhancement.
Senate Finance Chair Chris Brooks, D-Las Vegas, said Thursday’s action doesn’t in any way prevent lawmakers from revisiting the issue and changing their minds.
Restoring the 307 positions would cost $25.2 million in 2022 and $6.4 million in 2023.
And Assembly Majority Leader Teresa Benitez Thompson, D-Reno, argued that, after lawmakers make a decision, it sometimes takes six months before something happens.
“Does it make sense to let someone go July 1 then try to rehire them in September?” she asked.
If the federal government says stimulus money can’t be used for those positions, Assembly Fiscal Analyst Sarah Coffman said the authorization authority could be reduced or eliminated.
The plan was approved on a party line vote.
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