In case you missed it…
Minimum wage:
The founder of a small fashion-design house and clothing manufacturer in San Fernando is getting ready to pack up and move to Las Vegas. Houman Salem explained that he loves his current location in the heart of California’s fashion district — but simply cannot tolerate the looming increase in the state’s minimum wage. “We need more stable, blue-collar jobs in places like the San Fernando Valley — the kind I thought I was helping create,” he writes. “California, however, has put up a giant ‘Go Away’ sign.” (Read more)
Health care:
Senate Republicans passed a budget resolution this week repealing portions of Obamacare. The resolution was passed using the reconciliation process, in hopes that repeal can be fast-tracked to President-elect Donald Trump’s desk once he is sworn in. The budget resolution would require $1 billion in deficit reduction over the next decade and sets aside funds for an Obamacare replacement reform. (Read more)
Federal lands:
Last week, widespread attention was given to the more than 1 million acres of western land — covering portions of Nevada and Utah — that the Obama administration unilaterally declared a national monument. Comparatively unnoticed, however, is that the administration is about to restrict a staggering 10 million acres of western land from future mining operations, claiming such steps are necessary to protect the Greater Sage-Grouse population. (Read more)
Job creation:
The most recent jobs numbers show a disturbing trend: the number of Americans not in the labor force has grown 18 percent in the last eight years — reaching a record setting number of 95 million Americans out of work in 2016. But there was another disturbing trend exposed in the most recent data: While many blue-collar industries — such as manufacturing — have been on the decline, government jobs continue to increase. State, local and federal government jobs currently outnumber manufacturing jobs by nearly 10 million. (Read more)
Nevada PERS:
Unsurprisingly, Nevada’s Public Employee Retirement System experienced another shortfall in 2016. Indeed, at nearly $13.5 billion, the shortfall was the largest ever set by PERS — adding dramatically to the system’s overall unfunded liability. Disturbingly, this massive shortfall occurred despite a record high number of contributions in the last year. As a result of these record-high costs, and ballooning debt, both taxpayers and PERS members will be net losers unless substantial changes are made to the overall system. (Read more)