OUR RESEARCH

This policy report updates the Guinn Center’s 2015 K-12 Finance Policy Brief and identifies several issues the Nevada State Legislature should consider in the 2019 Legislative Session as they seek to revise the current funding structure.

ACS Ventures (in partnership with UNLV and MYS Project Management) recently completed a multi-year external evaluation of several state education programs, including Zoom and Victory programs. Shortly thereafter, CCSD released its own internal analysis of Zoom and Victory programs. While the findings were similar, there are distinct and important differences regarding the program reviews.

This policy brief explains Nevada’s budget process—such as the role of the Economic Forum—and provides both a broad-based overview of budgetary sources and spending and a detailed account of revenues and proposed expenditures. It closes with a discussion of some of the uncertainties confronting the State Legislature as they make budgetary decisions, particularly the status of the Medicaid expansion and that of marijuana legalization. (2019)

Property tax is one of the most significant sources of K-12 education financing within states. With resource adequacy a question before Nevada lawmakers in the 80th (2019) Legislative Session, this policy brief evaluates the relationship between property taxes and K-12 financing in the State. (February 2019)

The Great Recession of 2008 hit communities across the United States, but nowhere were the effects more acute than in Nevada. While Nevada’s economy still has not recovered to 2006 pre-recession levels, it is trending upward. Nevada is among the highest-ranked states in job and personal income growth, coupled with steadily increasing output.

This report examines Nevada’s uninsured population. Its objective is to furnish a composite of Nevada’s uninsured population so that stakeholders have the requisite data to develop a set of policy prescriptions and enhance administrative capacity in service of health insurance coverage expansion, given the consequences of uninsurance. These consequences include: limited access to health care, adverse health outcomes, medical debt, economic losses, and burdens on governmental financial resources.

The objective of this policy brief is to determine how much federal housing assistance (loans, grants, and direct payments) Nevada receives. The data on loans and grants is available from USAspending.gov, the official source for spending data for the U.S. government. (2019)

This policy brief provides an overview of the performance of district-sponsored charter schools in the state’s two largest urban school districts, the Clark County School District (CCSD) and Washoe County School District.

The subject of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative—namely the proposed restructuring of Nevada’s electricity markets—is complex. Supporters and opponents of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative are providing data and arguments that appear to conflict with each other. This policy report summarizes and evaluates the primary arguments for and against passage of Question 3.

The subject of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative—namely the proposed restructuring of Nevada’s electricity markets—is complex. Supporters and opponents of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative are providing data and arguments that appear to conflict with each other. This voter information guide addresses some of the questions voters may have about this ballot measure. (July 2018)

This week, southern Nevada residents are bracing for another excessive heat wave. Around the Silver State, air conditioning companies and their heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) technicians are in high demand during the hot summer months.

The Guinn Center compared enrollment, demographics, and performance metrics across traditional—i.e., non-virtual—state-sponsored public charter schools, district-sponsored public charter schools, and district public schools, as well as virtual state-sponsored public charter schools and virtual district public schools.

Three northern Nevada law enforcement agencies – the Reno Police Department, Sparks Police, and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office – commissioned the Guinn Center to review best practices as outlined in the Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing (2015); identify gaps in current policies and procedures within and across the three law enforcement agencies against the Task Force’s itemized best practices; and propose actions for implementation that address the gaps. Amo

Nevada’s 2017-2019 biennium budget amounts to approximately $26.2 billion. Federal funds account for more than one-third (34.3 percent) of all revenues in the biennium budget. Federal revenues also flow into Nevada’s non-profits and local and county governments. This policy brief summarizes federal revenue streams in Nevada in recent years.

Medicaid is a health coverage program for eligible low-income individuals that is administered by the states under federal requirements and jointly funded by the federal government and states. Nevada’s Medicaid Program provides medical assistance to more than half a million low-income adults and children in the state. This policy brief presents some selected characteristics of Nevada’s Medicaid beneficiaries.

Question 1: Marsy’s Law, which will be considered by voters on November 6, 2018., seeks to amend the Nevada Constitution to remove current provisions for victims’ rights and replace them with a new “victims’ bill of rights.” This voter information guide seeks to answer some of the questions voters may have about this ballot measure.

Question 2: The Amendment to the Sales and Use Tax Act of 1955 is a statewide statutory ballot initiative that proposes to exempt certain feminine hygiene products, defined specifically as sanitary napkins or tampons, from sales and use taxes in Nevada, the Local School Support Tax (LSST), and other analogous taxes, such as those that provide revenue to local governments.

This fact sheet provides information on the Medical Patient Tax Relief Act, a ballot question for the November 2018 election in Nevada. The measure seeks to provide a sales and use tax exemption for durable medical, oxygen delivery and mobility enhancing equipment. The fact sheet discusses the effects the initiative could have on state tax revenue, who in the state might benefit from the exemption, and how Nevada’s tax policy for these types of medical equipment compares with other states.

Question 5: The Automatic Voter Registration Initiative is a statewide statutory ballot initiative that proposes to amend State law from an “opt-in” voter registration system to an “opt-out” system. When completing a transaction through the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), such as an application for a new driver’s license or a Nevada Identification Card, individuals would be registered to vote automatically unless they affirmatively decline in writing their intent to opt out of voter r

Question 6: The Renewable Energy Promotion Initiative is a statewide constitutional ballot initiative that will be placed before Nevada’s registered voters at the November 6, 2018, General Election. Question 6 proposes to double the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) from 25 percent by 2025 to 50 percent by 2030. This voter information guide seeks to answer some of the questions voters may have about this ballot measure. (2018)

Question WC-1: Truckee River Flood Management Authority Funding Question is a Washoe County ballot question that proposes to impose an additional property tax rate in the amount of $0.0248 per $100 of assessed value for the purpose of funding a Truckee River flood prevention project and to allow the Truckee River Flood Management Authority to issue up to $89 million of general obligation bonds to finance this project.