Official: Nevada needs to focus on attracting high-wage jobs

Economic development officials say the state needs to start promoting businesses that pay higher wages.

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development chief Steve Hill told a Nevada state Senate finance committee Tuesday that the office is poised to fund and support businesses that meet the state’s average wage through a number of proposed bills and budget changes.

Hill said the department has proposed a bill that would limit tax abatements given to companies that pay below Nevada’s average wage of $20.63 an hour.

Hill also said it’s important to make Nevada an attractive place to do business, and asked lawmakers to approve the department’s funding requests for programs like international trade trips and employee training programs.

The department’s proposed budget is around $8.4 million a year.