Lawmakers set town hall meetings on state budget

Legislative leaders have scheduled town hall meetings Jan. 29 to receive testimony from the public on the state budget.

Both the Reno and Las Vegas town hall meetings begin at 9 a.m. and run until about 2 p.m.

The Reno meeting will be held in the Washoe County Commission chambers at 1001 E. Ninth St.. The Las Vegas meeting will be held in the Grant Sawyer State Office Building at 555 E. Washington Ave.

Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, will chair the Reno meeting. Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, will chair the Las Vegas meeting. Gov. Brian Sandoval will present his recommended budget to the Legislature Jan. 24 when he gives his first State of the State address.

The Economic Forum has projected a total of $5.344 billion in General Fund revenues for the coming two-year budget cycle. That is just about $3 billion less than state agencies requested and what would be required to maintain current programs and staffing.

The governor and lawmakers are required by law to use the forum's projections in building the budget. If they want to spend more than that, they must include in the budget a plan for raising the extra revenue.