OUR RESEARCH

In 2017, the U.S. Congress took action to amend the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), or modify certain existing federal income tax provisions as they pertain to individuals and businesses. The bill is known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). This policy brief highlights major provisions in the congressional TCJA proposal as they relate to Nevada and to individual taxpayers only. (December 2017)

In 2017, the U.S. Congress took action to amend the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), or modify certain existing federal income tax provisions as they pertain to individuals and businesses. a The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on November 16, 2017, referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). On December 2, 2017, the U.S. Senate passed its version of the TCJA. As the House and Senate bills are not identical, the two pieces of legislation must be reviewed by a conference committe

Clark County School District (CCSD) has announced that it faces a budget shortfall of $60 million. In a recent memo, CCSD wrote, “Over the past few years, the revenue increases we have received from the state, from county property taxes and from the sales tax have not allowed us to keep up with our rising employee costs and other increasing expenses.” This infographic looks at the budget and per pupil funding over time.

During the 79th Legislative Session, the Nevada Legislature passed a Nevada Promise program (Senate Bill 391), which was implemented in Fall 2017. This policy report presents data on higher education attainment in Nevada, surveys the potential need for a Promise program in Nevada, reviews a selection of Promise programs around the country, summarizes recent legislation to launch a Promise program in Nevada, and describes the impact of said programs around the country.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act (AHCA) of 2017, on May 4, 2017, and the U.S. Senate released a discussion draft for its version of the bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) of 2017, on June 22, 2017; both bills seek to roll back the Medicaid expansion, amongst other provisions.We evaluate Medicaid funding in Nevada from a budgetary standpoint, examining expenditures and revenues for the program. We conclude with an assessment of the fina

We examined data from CCSD’s Turnaround Zone, which suggests that the Turnaround Zone has not significantly changed the academic trajectories of the district’s worst-performing schools. Despite higher graduation rates, the Turnaround Zone treatment effect has not provided graduating students with skills to ensure post-secondary success, evidenced by lower college-going rates and higher remediation rates.

This policy brief begins with a brief overview of the relationship between property taxes and K-12 Education Funding.

This policy brief reviews the ways in which Nevada is looking to expand site-based school autonomy in schools, and summarizes models implemented in several states around the country.

The Guinn Center, in conjunction with researchers from the Department of Economics in the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Business, has published a policy report that provides an overview of property taxes in Nevada. This report addresses a set of questions that highlight the structural dimensions of the Silver State’s property tax system, examine statewide variation, and analyze possibilities for reform. (2017)

Nevada’s property tax revenue per capita of $953 is below the U.S. average of $1,455, and well below the highest-ranked state of all, New Jersey, which had a property tax revenue per capita of $3,065 in 2014.

El ingreso por impuesto a la propiedad per cápita de Nevada de $953 está por debajo del promedio de Estados Unidos del $1,455, y muy por debajo del estado más alto de todos en este indicador, New Jersey, el cual tuvo un ingreso por impuesto a la propiedad per cápita de $3,065 en 2014.

High school graduation rates in Nevada 2011-2016

This policy report describes the current high school graduation landscape in Nevada, including graduation rates, dropout rates, assessment data, and college remediation rates.

In this policy brief, the Guinn Center evaluates the implementation and initial outcomes of the five early education and literacy interventions since 2015.

Data taken from KIDS COUNT, a project of Annie E. Casey Foundation.

This photo essay uses KIDS COUNT data, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

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

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. (2017)

The Guinn Center for Policy Priorities commends the Nevada Department of Education for the inclusive process and emerging product of the ESSA plan.