Action and Advocacy

NEVADA STATE GOVERNMENT

The League of Women Voters of Nevada believes that democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of all citizens and requires that government bodies protect the citizens’ right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible. The League approves the Nevada Legislature’s adoption of strict measures governing disclosure of lobbyist activities and the prohibition of legislator action on matters affecting personal economic interest.The League of Women Voters of Nevada supports the evaluation of the problems in Nevada state government including its Executive, Legislative, Judicial branches; state finance, and the state and local relationships.

NEVADA FISCAL POLICY

The League of Women Voters of Nevada supports action to obtain a balanced tax structure that is fair, adequate, flexible and has a sound economic effect. The tax structure should be graduated, promoting equity. It should adequately cover existing needs and future expansion of general public needs. Tax revenues should be sufficient to effectively further League of Women Voters program goals. Clarity and consistency in tax policy should be enhanced. Flexibility and recognition of changing times, growth and need is important to Nevada’s tax policy. The tax collection system should be restructured as necessary to be the most efficient means of achieving these goals.

The League supports:

• A balanced and diversified revenue system, which relies on broad based taxes and user fees.
• Adequate revenues to address the LWVNV identified goals: environmental protection and pollution control; a basic level of health and human services; quality education for all children, K-12; quality post-secondary education; economic self-sufficiency and safety for all citizens.
• Long-term financial management including budget projections and budget reserves to stabilize state revenues.
• Maximizing the use of available federal funds.
• Allocation of appropriate funds for any State legislation mandating local government action.
• Procedural changes within the revenue collection agencies including allocation of adequate resources that would result in more efficient revenue collection.
• Regular review of special tax exemptions as to their relevance.
• Ongoing internal/external audits within all state agencies to ensure accountability.
• Additional legislative proposals that reflect the above position on tax policy.

LEGISLATIVE REFORMSupport for modernizing measures, which will:

• Maintain open meetings and disclosure of lobbying activities;
• Campaign finance reform (LWVUS Position) (1997 Nevada legislature passed SB 215 which changed the disclosure threshold from $500 to $100); and
• Make effective its internal legislative procedures.

Guidelines include support for some form of automatic apportionment, sub-districting of large population areas and limited annual sessions or the alternative of flexible sessions. Support is also maintained for adequate compensation of legislators, measures to streamline legislative procedures, open meetings and registration of lobbyists.STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIPS

Support for constitutional revisions which will allow greater flexibility to the Legislature in designing local governments according to the needs of the area; with more freedom at the local level for local governments to control their own affairs, while abiding by guidelines established by the State, and give relief to the legislative bodies which must spend large segments of legislative time in setting matters of purely local concern.

COURT SYSTEM

Support for the unified court system created in 1976, that is based on comprehensive and standardized data collection by a state-funded position of Court Administrator from all Nevada’s courts.

Support for selection of all Nevada judges through appointment from a list of nominees and subsequent retention in office by election based on the question, “Should Judge___________ be retained in office?”

A healthy community is dependent on having a healthy environment. We support compliance with federal EPA standards. Because air, water and land pollution abatement involve inter-related problems, there must be a coordinated approach to pollution control.AIR QUALITY

Support the Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards that were set under the authority of the Clean Air Act. Support and encourage the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, NDEP) in enforcement of the regulations, which:

1. protect plant and animal life;
2. protect human health and welfare;
3. protect physical property;
4. protect visibility requirements for safe air and ground transportation;
5. promote economic and social development with emphasis on Nevada’s tourist oriented economy;
6. maintain aesthetic values.

Support for funding of a state air pollution program that emphasizes both abatement and prevention, accepting the philosophy that all are polluters and must bear some share of the cost.

LAKE TAHOE

The League of Women Voters of Nevada regards Lake Tahoe as an area of national significance, therefore we support:

1. Environmental threshold limits based on carrying capacity with cost considerations adopted.
2. Policies giving flexibility and direction to federal agencies to treat Lake Tahoe as a unique area of national significance.
3. Limits on federal grants for expansion of sewage treatment facilities in the Basin area as a means of discouraging increasing development in the Tahoe Basin.
4. Limits on casino construction and expansion are needed. There should be no casino licensing. Control over and licensing of casinos must remain solely the jurisdiction of the State of Nevada. Federal government should not be given the authority to condemn existing casinos. The Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, adopted by the Nevada and California legislatures and Congress in 1980, prohibits the enlargement in cubic volume of any existing or approved gaming space in the Tahoe Basin. The Nevada Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, instead of the bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, has the authority to maintain the inventory of cubic volume of gaming space and to enforce this provision.
5. An emphasis on limiting construction in shoreline areas, stream environment zones, and high hazard areas.
6. A temporary moratorium on construction in the Basin until a solution to management and a proper plan is adopted. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency adopted its goals and policies in 1986 and its code of ordinances and plan area statements in 1987, all of which have since governed construction in the Tahoe Basin.
7. Government acquisition of private lands in the Basin is needed. For this purpose the following methods should be used: a. Sale of federal lands outside the Basin with monies acquired for purchase in the Basin. In making such land sales, a percentage of funds raised should be given to local governments impacted by the sales. Environmental hardships and public service delivery problems must be assessed prior to the sales. Local governments must have the right to negate sales in their area if adverse impacts would result. b. Land exchanges are subject to the same restrictions as stated for sales; and c. Direct appropriations.

LAND USE

The Nevada Division of State Lands, as a state land use authority, should adopt a state policy to insure planning programs at all levels of government, with consideration given to natural resource capabilities and growth capacities. All land use projects should be subject to environmental impact studies, but the degree of study could depend of the size of the project.

LAS VEGAS WASH

Since 1973, the League of Women Voters of Nevada has been actively involved in achieving maximum beneficial uses of the wetlands environment provided by the Las Vegas Wash. (Refer to the League Of Women Voters of the United States position on Water Resources.)

STATE PARKS

Support of a well rounded State Park system of high quality, adequately financed, and coordinated with other land use agencies’ operations in this field.

EDUCATION

Charter Schools:

In order to garner the League’s support, any revisions to the Nevada Revised Statutes regarding the establishment of a charter school must include:

1. Constitutionality: Charter schools should be under the control of publicly elected or appointed school officials. They must be non-religious and non-sectarian in programs, admission policies and employment practices. Charter schools must apply for approval from local school boards. If approval is denied, an appeals process to the State Board of Education must be established.

2. Fiscal: Charter schools may receive public funding only if they meet the constitutional requirements to qualify as a public school. Additionally, charter schools must report to the public monthly on the use of their funds.

3. Equal Access: Charter schools must maintain racial and ethnic balance unless imbalances are justified by a special program. They must not practice discrimination based on disability, race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, need for special education or economic status. There should be not requirements for parental participation or support, which might limit access for minority or disadvantaged students.

4. Transportation: Free transportation must be provided for those students living outside the designated attendance area.

5 Accountability: Charter schools must be accountable in terms of stated learning objectives, methods of assessment and reporting of assessment results. Charter schools must be held accountable to the same standards as public schools.

Vouchers:

The League of Women Voters of Nevada is opposed to any Voucher System which would provide public funds for use in private or parochial schools. The foundation of a pluralistic democratic republic is the free and public education of all of its citizens.

JUVENILE JUSTICE

The League of Women Voters of Nevada supports policies and programs at all levels of the community and government that promote the well being, encourage the full development and ensure the safety of all children. We believe that early intervention and prevention measures are effective in helping children reach their full potential and in diverting them from ever entering the juvenile justice system.

1. PREVENTION

Efforts must be made at the state and local levels to encourage cooperative prevention programs supported by public and private participation. Strategies aimed at achieving these goals should include:

• Structured educational daycare and preschool programs;
• Curriculum teaching responsible behavior, social skills, and cultural diversity;
• Additional counselors on staff in our schools;
• After-school programs that are convenient and affordable;
• Parenting education;
• Gang prevention training for youth and parents; and
• Vocational training and employment opportunities.

2. LIMITED INTRODUCTIONWhile addressing the issues outlined above, it is also imperative to reduce youths’ involvement with the juvenile justice system. Studies show that each additional out-of-home placement diminishes a youth’s successful reintegration into society and research indicates that recidivism rates increase with repeated involvement in the system.

For those youth who are brought to the attention of the juvenile justice system, the League strongly urges limiting the penetration of youth into the system by supporting the development of true alternatives at each stage, that is at initial contact with intake, at pre-adjudication, and post-adjudication.

At intake, the diversion process, which implies diverting as many youth as possible from formal court processing, should be employed in all appropriate cases, using specialized court and community-based services from which youngsters and parents/guardians can benefit. Such services should include intensive counseling by intake officers before making a final disposition, in addition to parenting programs, and neighborhood and mediation programs.

At the pre-adjudication stage, where detention seems indicated until the disposition hearing, alternative measures should be introduced when appropriate so that youth may be placed in a structured supervision program where he/she is able to remain in the home, while his/her activities are closely supervised during the day by a designated agency.

If after the dispositional hearing, it is determined that the juvenile must be sentenced for his/her delinquent behavior, and in those situations in which the youth is not likely to present a danger to the community or to him/herself, alternative dispositions should be utilized. Suspended sentence and intensive probation supervision are two examples. These type of sentences would enable the youths to remain in the community, attend school and engage in community programs, such as work-study and counseling programs, while under close supervision.

The success of these approaches depends upon community participation, professional workers, parent involvement and adequate funding.