special session

Legislative Democrats were quick to point out that history appeared to be repeating itself after the Republicans proposed a special session without pay for legislators last week.

In 2004, the Democrats had approved retroactive legislation to waive pay for lawmakers in a special session that dovetailed the regular session. Republicans sued, won, and back pay was awarded.

The circumstances, however, were vastly different.

Maine Republican leaders are calling for a special legislative session in hopes of increasing funding to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Senate Minority Leader Carol Weston, R-Montville, and House Minority Leader Josh Tardy, R-Newport, hope to add $10 million to the fund. The money would have otherwise gone to Maine’s Budget Stabilization Fund which currently has $160 million.

“There is an immediate need for action,” said Senate Minority Leader Carol Weston, R-Montville, in a release.  “We have funds available to ease the energy burden facing our low income neighbors.  Now we are calling on the Governor and the Democratic leadership to work with us to make sure Maine families stay warm this winter.”

Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley (D-Las Vegas).LAS VEGAS - In a bitingly critical response to his televised address Thursday, Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley (D-Las Vegas) portrayed Gov. Jim Gibbons as indecisive and uncooperative and suggested that any solution to the state's budget crisis will be reached by the legislature without the governor's help.

Buckley began her speech by praising Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno) whom she credited for working with her on a plan to meet a budget shortfall she estimated at more than $250 million.

"[Raggio] is an honest and dedicated public servant," said Buckley. "I want to publicly thank him for working in a bipartisan manner to reach a solution to our short-term problem."

"I cannot say the same for our governor," she added.

Gov. Jim Gibbons.LAS VEGAS - In a televised address Thursday, Gov. Jim Gibbons challenged lawmakers to come up with a plan for dealing with a $275 million budget deficit without raising taxes, cutting education or reducing state services.

He would like this plan finished by Sunday.

Gibbons laid out several options for lawmakers to consider when they meet in special session tomorrow and a general blueprint of how to address the shortfall, but broke little new ground in the speech. And despite repeated claims that he was giving the legislature "full latitude to consider all reasonable options" he limited them in several key ways.

Pension reform legislation - passage of which is the reason for this week's special legislative session - quickly zipped through the House's state government commitee today.

Polwatchers reports the bill was debated for just an one and a half hours in committee before it was sent to the House floor, where it will be considered over the course of the next two days. The bill is then expected to hit the state Senate.

Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) called the special session in Frankfort to address shortcomings in the state pension system. House and Senate leadership have already agreed to the draft legislation in question - a pre-condition of Beshear calling the session - making a brief stay in Frankfort likely for legislators.

Beshear will address a joint session of the House and Senate at 7pm tonight with regard to the legislation.

So Sunday evening roles around and I sit down to watch Gov. Jim Gibbons and Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley give their dueling live television addresses regarding the Nevada's budget crisis. Instead of watching the governor bumble for 10 minutes with a retort by Buckley, my screen was filled with promises that I could buy a home for $187.24 with no monthly payments.

CARSON CITY - Gov. Jim Gibbons announced today that a special session of the Nevada legislature, originally scheduled to begin Monday, will instead begin Friday, June 27.

In announcing the delay, Gibbons said that new unemployment numbers and "much more new information" released today reinforces the need for a special session.

"I believe it's prudent to give lawmakers and the staff from the Executive and Legislative branches the time to let this information sink in," said Gibbons. "A brief delay to the Special Session will also give lawmakers the opportunity to work together with me and my office as we seek consensus on a comprehensive solution to our unprecedented budget shortfall."

The Economic Forum, left, meets in Carson City Friday.CARSON CITY - At the request of Gov. Jim Gibbons, the Economic Forum is meeting today to come up with a projection for the state's budget shortfall.  The forum is examining projections on a dozen different revenue sources from the legislative counsel bureau, the budget division and the various governmental agencies that oversee revenue collection.

Since Gibbons' call for a special session of the legislature last week, key legislators and the governor's office have remained far apart on estimates of just how much in spending cuts or increased revenue will be necessary to make the state solvent.  The governor's budget office predicts a shortfall of approximately $240 million, while the LCB expects closer to $100 million.

Key Democratic legislators, including Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and Senate Minority Leader Steven Horsford, have said that a special session of the legislature is unnecessary, that their estimate of the budget shortfall can be addressed through the Interim Finance Committee process.

Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley (D-Las Vegas).LAS VEGAS - On her way into a rush meeting with the Democratic legislative caucus, Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley (D-Las Vegas) predicted Wednesday that Democratic legislators would produce their own plan to meet Nevada's budget shortfall and took issue with Gov. Jim Gibbons' call for a special session to address the problem.

"It's very odd to run a special session this way," said Buckley.  "Usually a governor identifies a problem, identifies a solution, works with legislative leaders on developing a consensus for that solution and then, if legislative action is required, calls a special session.

"To have done none of that?  I've never seen that happen before."

State Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno).LAS VEGAS - State Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno) called Wednesday for Democratic legislators to work with him to come up with a consensus proposal to fix the state's budget shortfall.

"I have asked the Democrats in both the Assembly and the Senate," said Raggio. "I want to work with them-we want to work with them to make this an apolitical session. It should be a short session. It should be dealing with how we deal with whatever the number is and not be a partisan fight."