July '08 Nevada Government—Governor Jim Gibbons Column

Governor Jim Gibbons Issued the Following Statement Regarding the Release of the State’s Unemployment Figures

The continued climb in the number of Nevadans without a job is troubling, both for the struggles those individuals and families are going through, and as a symbol of the turmoil our economy is going through. We have not seen an unemployment rate as high as 6.4 percent since 1994. As a state, we must continue working to encourage businesses to retain their workers and expand and hire new ones. To do so we cannot put an additional tax burden on businesses that are already struggling and coping with the economic downturn through layoffs. As we struggle to keep our budge balanced, I remain committed to doing so without raising taxes.”

Governor Adds Member to Renewable Energy

Transmission Access Advisory Committee

Governor Jim Gibbons announced he’s added Thomas Husted, chief executive officer of the Valley Electric Association, to his Renewable Energy Transmission Access Advisory Committee to represent rural electrical providers.

Husted will join the panel tomorrow for the second meeting of its second phase, which is charged with reviewing the economic and environmental feasibility of constructing the critical electrical transmission corridors the RETAAC identified during its first phase.

“Tom Husted has a tremendous background in utilities, and as someone with a strong knowledge of the role coops play in providing power to Nevadans, I’m sure he will be of tremendous service to the committee,” the Governor said.

In serving on the committee, Husted will represent 11 rural Nevada electric cooperatives and four municipal electric service utilities.

“I’m honored the Governor has appointed me to this important committee,” Husted said. “I will do my best to represent the cooperatives and utilities that serve the rural communities of Nevada as this committee moves forward with more recommendations for the Governor.”

The RETAAC Phase II is conducting its second meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 17 via videoconference between the State Capitol in Carson City and the Governor’s Office in Las Vegas.

The meeting agenda, the full report from RETAAC Phase I and other information can be found here: http://gov.state.nv.us/Energy2/index.htm.