On Wednesday Nevada Lawmakers agreed to a $6.2 billion dollar general fund budget which includes a reduced amount to the originally proposed cuts to the higher education budget in Nevada. While there will still likely be large cuts to both Nevada's and UNLV's athletic departments, the cuts will be easier to weather as a result of a bi-partisan effort put forth by Nevada Legislators.
Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and legislative leaders reached an agreement Wednesday on a $6.2 billion general fund spending plan for Nevada that avoids deep cuts to education and critical human services while implementing collective bargaining and education reforms sought by Republicans.That link as a whole is an interesting read. It details the changes made to the tax code, looks at what reforms will be made to the education system, and includes some interesting quotes from the head senators of the state. While the negotiations sound like they were quite heated, the Legislature should be commended on a bi-partisan effort to pass a budget that doesn't harm the education system as deeply as was proposed.The deal was struck after five days of intense negotiations and with just five days remaining in the 2011 legislative session. Under the state constitution, the session must end by 1 a.m. June 7.
What this means for the athletic departments of Nevada and UNLV is as of yet unclear since it is now up to the Board of Regents to decide on how and where the cuts will be made, but it is positive news for both schools.