A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that consumer spending in Nevada was deeply affected by the Great Recession. While this measure has improved in recent years, per capita consumer spending is still below pre-recession levels. Consumer spending is measured through an indicator called personal consumption expenditures (PCE). This data provides… Read more
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Nevada Earns Praise for State Revenue Forecasting Practices
Forecasting revenue is the first step to crafting a new state budget. Nevada recently earned praise for its revenue forecasting practices in a new report by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). This report argues that transparent and inclusive revenue forecasting processes can lead to a more democratic debate and greater fiscal discipline…. Read more
Douglas County Implements Innovative Priority Based Budgeting
In March 2014, Douglas County, Nevada won the Cashman Good Government Award for developing innovative budget solutions through priority based budgeting. As with many local governments in Nevada, Douglas County faced a significant structural deficit after the Great Recession. To address this deficit, Douglas County embarked on a priority-driven budget development process that included public… Read more
Nevada Tops States in Delinquent Debt
While economic data show promising signs of recovery from the Great Recession throughout the country and in Nevada, a new research brief from the Urban Institute and Consumer Credit Research Institute provides another indicator of why the Silver State continues to lag in its efforts to rebound from those difficult times. The Numbers The brief,… Read more
Kids Count report on children’s well-being reveals burden of poverty and need for education reforms
Following the release of Annie E. Casey’s Foundation’s 2014 Kids Count Data Book, much attention has been directed to the fact that Nevada ranked 50th in education for the third year in a row. Given the data cited, we cannot be surprised by the fact that Nevada ranks dead last in education. First, Nevada has… Read more
NSHE Remediation Report Shows New Strategies Needed for College Student Success
Across the country, placement tests are often used to determine which students must take remedial math and English classes. In many cases, students who performed well in high school are shocked to find that they are unprepared for college and must take remedial classes before taking college-level classes. A national study by Complete College America… Read more
Nevada Lags Behind in Access to Preschool
Access to high quality preschool can have significant academic, economic, and even health benefits as documented in the Perry Preschool Study. In recent years, several states have either substantially increased state preschool funding or have begun to offer universal preschool programs to help increase children’s chances for long-term success. Nevada, however, lags significantly behind other… Read more
Nevada’s Higher Education Cuts Have Created Roadblocks to Economic Growth
Across the nation, state funding for higher education fell during the Great Recession. A new report by the nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found that states are still funding higher education below pre-recession levels. This public disinvestment has made college less accessible to students and has major long-term economic impacts. The Silver… Read more
Nevada Children Face Unequal Opportunities
A recent report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation focuses on racial disparities in indicators that determine a child’s chance for future success. The report creates a new Race for Results Index, which includes 12 measures that are most closely connected to the likelihood of a young person becoming middle class by middle age. These… Read more
The Cost of an Uneducated Workforce
The Guinn Center appeared yesterday on Ralston Reports to address, among other topics, Ralston’s question of the day: “Is a flawed business tax to fund education better than no tax at all?” Essentially, Ralston asked the Guinn Center and his viewers to weigh how the tax functions against what the tax is meant to do… Read more