To balance the unbalanced and irresponsible alternative budget Nevada legislators have now approved, Democrat Assembly Majority Leader John Oceguera of Las Vegas said over the weekend, “I guess we also have to raid the counties.”
Johnny O can do that because the counties don’t enjoy “home rule” – the ability to govern themselves independently from the state. And while there are very few times when I agree with the editorial page of the Las Vegas Sun, boy, oh boy, did they nail it on Friday over this issue.
The counties are not independent entities the way the states are (or, at least, are supposed to be) from the federal government. Nevada’s counties are more like state “franchises.” They can only do those things the state of Nevada allows them do. Which is why Johnny O and the Legislators can dip into the piggy banks of the counties and raid them of cash the state “needs” for non-essential government services and personnel.
Read THIS Sun editorial for all the details and be prepared to support a ballot initiative to change this law in 2010.
