The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce monitors several areas of policy on local, state and federal levels to preserve and protect Nevada's pro-business environment. Below are some of the priority issues that the Chamber is currently monitoring:
New Water Rate Adopted by SNWA Board with Business Concessions
The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) Board of Directors held a public hearing to consider options for a water rate increase to cover infrastructure costs at Lake Mead. The board met to consider three options presented by SNWA staff.
The board was originally scheduled to consider and adopt one of these rate increases at its meeting on January 19, without a public hearing or consideration of potential impacts to residents and businesses. At that meeting, the Chamber asked for a postponement so that both residents and the business community could have time to review the options, understand the impacts of each of the different options and provide comments to the SNWA.
After the postponement was granted, the Chamber actively engaged in the issue, talking with the SNWA about the disparate impacts of the proposed increases, bringing other business organizations together to study how each of the three options will affect different types of businesses, educating members as well as the general public about the impacts of the rate increase, particularly on job creation, and presenting an alternative plan to mitigate the direct hit on employers.
Brian McAnallen, vice president of Government Affairs, testified on behalf of the Chamber’s more than 6,000 members at the hearing. As a leading advocate for business, McAnallen reiterated the Chamber's position of supporting a modification to “Option 2.” He explained that employers are being asked to bear a significant share of the revenue needed, when compared to that being proposed for residential customers. McAnallen stated that an approach needed to be adopted that would somewhat lessen the impact on businesses.
After hearing testimony provided by the Chamber and from other members of the business community, Commissioner Steve Sisolak recommended an amendment to Option 2 that would give a five percent reduction on the rates on fire meters, somewhat lessening the burden on businesses. The board unanimously approved this amended version of Option 2, which is a three-year infrastructure surcharge (fixed rate, based on meter capacity).
The board, under the suggestion of Commissioner Mary Beth Scow and Commissioner Sisolak, directed SNWA staff to form a stakeholder group that will discuss policy issues affecting water rates for both residents and businesses. Las Vegas City Councilman Bob Coffin emphasized the importance of the money being generated by the rate increase to be used for infrastructure and not operating expenses.
Your voice helped the Chamber make sure that the SNWA board understood the disproportionate effects and consequences that these rate increases will likely have on the employers and job creators of this community. Many of you sent in letters, emails and testified at the hearing to make a personal statement. Nothing is more powerful than letting your voice be heard. Thank you for your engagement and support.
The Chamber has been at the forefront of standing up for businesses, seeking more information and transparency on this issue, and engaging the broader business community on this issue. As a result, we were able to obtain some valuable concessions including the amendment reducing fire meter rates on our employers, as well as a directive from the board for the SNWA staff to work closely with the business community going forward in establishing the region's water rate policy.
Fiscal Responsibility
Fiscal responsibility at every level of government is important to our economic health. It is important to address it now as the longer we wait, the more severe the solution will be in terms of taxes.
The long-range impact of fiscal responsibility is of vital importance to business. The Chamber is currently studying the potential benefits of expenditure reform and is proud to be driving this issue.
The Chamber believes that Nevada's public employee retirement program is in dire need of restructuring. With almost 40 percent of Nevada state employees eligible for retirement in the next 10 years, the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and Public Employees' Benefits Program (PEBP) have a combined unfunded liability of more than $10 billion. As a defined benefit program and by subsidizing health care, PERS and PEBP both offer public employees generous plans generally unheard of in the private sector.
While the Chamber believes that public employees are a vital part of Nevada, we also believe taxpayers cannot afford to continue funding an overly generous system. The Chamber believes that reforming the system would greatly relieve the further liability that is sure to incur and better fund programs in critical need.
Get More Information:
Click here to view the State-to-State Comparison of Public Employee Compensation Levels - 2009 (FISCAL Analysis Brief Volume 3, Issue 1).
Click here to view the State-to-State Comparison of Public Employee Compensation Levels - 2008 (FISCAL Analysis Brief, Volume 2, Issue 1).
Click here to view an Overview of State Budget Practices: Caps, Reserves, and Interim Administration (FISCAL Analysis Brief, Volume 1, Issue 6).
Click here to view the Relative Stability of Nevada's State Tax System (FISCAL Analysis Brief, Volume 1, Issue 5).
Click here to view an Overview and Comparative Analysis of Nevada's State Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy (FISCAL Analysis Brief, Volume 1, Issue 4).
Click here to view an Overview and Comparative Analysis of Nevada Public Employees' Retirement System (FISCAL Analysis Brief, Volume 1, Issue 3).
Click here to view a State-to-State Comparison of Public Employee Compensation Levels - Revised (FISCAL Analysis Brief, Volume 1, Issue 2).
Click here to view a Comparative Analysis of Public and Private Employee Compensation Levels (FISCAL Analysis Brief, Volume 1, Issue 1).
Transportation
While the transportation needs of Nevada are important to all residents, road improvements and highway funding are especially critical to commerce and the economy. Good roads are vital to the transportation of goods and services, getting employees to and from their jobs, helping customers access businesses, and bringing tourists into our state. The Chamber works on behalf of the business community to make sure that every effort is made to secure the valuable transportation funds needed by our community.
Get More Information:
Click here to read The Missing Link: Interstate 11.
Education
Business has a vital interest in ensuring that our schools provide students with a quality education that will prepare them to be a productive member of our workforce. The Chamber believes that improving the performance of the state's K-12 educational system is necessary to provide a strong foundation for Nevada's competitive business climate. As one of the largest customers of the education system, Nevada's business community understands firsthand the need for a strong educational system.
Get More Information:
Click here to read K-12 Students Achievement Testing (Volume 1, Issue 1).
Click here to read Factors Correlated with Educational Attainment (Volume 1, Issue 2).
Click here to read Factors Correlated with Educational Attainment Appendix (Volume 1, Issue 2).
Click here to read Education Funding in Nevada (Volume 2, Issue 3).
Energy
A reliable energy supply is critical to strengthening, enhancing and protecting business while building a strong local economy. Increasing renewable energy development would create high-wage jobs in our community. In addition, increasing the use of energy efficiency and conservation measures in businesses could mean savings to the bottom line. Combined, they have the potential to stimulate our local economy and help ensure a stable future.
The Chamber supports the extension of renewable energy tax incentives. Nevada leads the nation in geothermal and solar power production per capita, and we believe extending federal tax incentives will help further our local efforts to maintain that status. Moreover, the economic vitality of our community depends on reliable, cost-effective energy. Extending tax incentives for renewable energy projects has the potential to increase the level of investment in Nevada's abundant natural resources.
The Chamber encourages diversifying the sources of energy available to the community and does not rule out any specific approach, including coal-fired plants.
Health Care
The Chamber knows that providing health insurance to your employees is one of the most expensive outlays for your business, yet it's also a benefit that most employers try to offer their valued employees. The increasingly high cost of health insurance makes providing coverage a struggle, particularly for the self-employed and small business. As a result, many of Nevada's workers remain uninsured. The Chamber believes that reforming the system to ensure increased access without sacrificing quality is a health care priority for Nevada.
The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce:
- Supports reform measures such as tort, insurance and malpractice reform resulting in balanced medical malpractice law
- Supports streamlining and standardizing administrative forms and procedures
- Supports tax equity for self-employed and small employers; 100 percent deductibility for the self-employed
- Supports incentives to involve consumers, such as Health Savings Accounts and wellness initiatives
Land Use
Eminent Domain powers can be harmful if left unchecked and the Chamber is dedicated to protecting the rights of your business to ensure that government interference is kept to a minimum. If the government chooses to invoke its eminent domain powers to take land from a private property owner, it must be for public use (i.e. roads, water, sewer etc.). The Chamber advocates for protecting property owners from onerous legislation that negatively affects the community. Business should not be at the mercy of government action.
Yucca Mountain
The Chamber is vehemently OPPOSED to the Yucca Mountain Repository.
Allowing such a facility in Nevada would seriously mar the attractive qualities of our community with regard to tourism and business.
