Nevada Policy Research Institute

Nevada Policy Research Institute
Focus Nevada public policy
President Sharon Rossie
Chairman Ranson Webster
Budget Revenue: $826,467
Expenses: $901,213
(FYE December 2013)[1]
Coordinates 36°03′36″N 115°09′30″W / 36.0599°N 115.1584°W / 36.0599; -115.1584Coordinates: 36°03′36″N 115°09′30″W / 36.0599°N 115.1584°W / 36.0599; -115.1584
Address 7130 Placid St.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
and
1225 Westfield Ave. S-7
Reno, NV 89509
Website npri.org

The Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI) is a private non-profit, free-market and limited-government policy research organization based in Las Vegas, Nevada. NPRI seeks to promote private, rather than government solutions to issues facing Nevada and the western region of the United States.

Public policy research

NPRI researches education, tax and fiscal policy, and labor issues related to Nevada public policy.

Education

NPRI opposes efforts to halt the opening of new charter schools and favors expanding charter school options, tuition tax credits, school voucher programs, and merit pay for teachers.[2][3]

NPRI has been critical of the Nevada System of Higher Education, specifically the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno for low graduation rates, despite spending above average per full-time student on education and education related higher education expenditures.[4][5][6]

Tax and fiscal policy

NPRI supports a balanced budget with controlled growth in government spending, such as a TABOR's or TASC amendment. NPRI claims Nevada's 2008-2009 budget deficit was the result of excessive growth in government spending.[7]

NPRI has also argued that Nevada's history as a low-tax state has been slowly eroded by a growing number of fees on Nevada's residents.[8]

NPRI opposes tax hikes on individual taxpayers and corporations within Nevada, including a tax hike on the gaming industry.[9]

Labor issues

NPRI supports protecting secret ballot boxes and paycheck protection and opposes defined benefit plans for union and government workers.[10]

LVCVA

On November 30, 2008 the Las Vegas Review Journal published an article regarding some investigative journalism conducted by the Nevada Policy Research Institute on the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. According to NPRI's investigation it appears the LVCVA has an inappropriate relationship with a private marketing firm, R&R, that has overbilled the LVCVA but the LVCVA has never attempted to recoup these losses.[11]

Through public records request NPRI found that the LVCVA not only knew about these irregularities but literally gave R&R the rubber stamp to approve expenditures above $5,000 without any oversight from the LVCVA.[12]

According to NPRI, the LVCVA is funded by the room tax ($220 million in revenue), taking in more money than the Clark County School District, and is also a state agency subject to state laws regarding employees, benefits, and travel expenses.

The contract with R&R Partners is worth $87 million.

According to NPRI vice president, "In the days following the release of this project, multiple private investigators visited the institute's offices requesting our financial statements and claiming to be working for "the other side." Some of our board members have been approached with broad hints about retaliation if the institute's look into convention authority financing proceeds."[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Quickview data". GuideStar. See also "Charity Rating". Charity Navigator.
  2. ↑ "Airing of charter tensions set" by Emily Richmond, Las Vegas Sun
  3. ↑ "Quality and Quantity" by Dr. Matthew Ladner, Nevada Policy Research Institute
  4. ↑ http://npri.org/blog/a-majority-dont-graduate-unlv-or-unr-within-6-years
  5. ↑ http://npri.org/publications/underperformingnot-underfunded
  6. ↑ http://npri.org/blog/nshe-needs-to-focus-on-graduating-its-students
  7. ↑ "It's the spending, stupid" by Patrick R. Gibbons, Nevada Policy Research Institute
  8. ↑ "Study shows how tax burden has increased" by Sean Whaley, Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  9. ↑ "Nevada Tax Fight" by Chuck Muth, Wall Street Journal
  10. ↑ "New approach needed on public pensions" by Doug French, Nevada Policy Research Institute
  11. ↑ "LVCVA, ad agency defend deal" by AD Hopkins, Las Vegas Review-Journal
  12. ↑ "NPRI's transparency project"
  13. ↑ "Authority trying to change subject" by Steven Miller, Las Vegas Review-Journal

External links

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