OUR RESEARCH

In our latest policy brief, we note that COVID-19 has forced businesses and nonprofits to lay-off employees. Now, with reduced income – or no income at all – housing may become unaffordable for many Nevadans, placing them at an increased risk of eviction. Many federal, state, and local decision-makers have discussed the implications of COVID-19 on housing stability, resulting in a patchwork response to this problem across the country.

In order to continue educating Nevada’s approximately 500,000 students amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, Nevada’s K-12 public schools have shifted to virtual education.

The Nevada Plan, the Silver State’s mechanism for funding education since 1967, was replaced during the 80th (2019) Legislative Session by Senate Bill (SB) 543 with the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan. It will be implemented beginning with the 2021-2023 biennium.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal program, provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of low-income families and individuals. The Federal government funds the program but shares the costs of operating the program with each state. Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed to change existing federal rules to tighten eligibility requirements for receipt of SNAP benefits, thereby either delaying or discontinuing the ability of low-income Nevad

The Guinn Center analyzes a current legislative proposal that would allow counties to raise revenue locally to address some of the greatest challenges facing the Silver State. (2019)

This policy brief reviews the performance of virtual charter schools in Nevada and compares it to state and district averages.

This policy report updates the Guinn Center’s 2015 K-12 Finance Policy Brief and identifies several issues the Nevada State Legislature should consider in the 2019 Legislative Session as they seek to revise the current funding structure.

Property tax is one of the most significant sources of K-12 education financing within states. With resource adequacy a question before Nevada lawmakers in the 80th (2019) Legislative Session, this policy brief evaluates the relationship between property taxes and K-12 financing in the State. (February 2019)

This policy brief explains Nevada’s budget process—such as the role of the Economic Forum—and provides both a broad-based overview of budgetary sources and spending and a detailed account of revenues and proposed expenditures. It closes with a discussion of some of the uncertainties confronting the State Legislature as they make budgetary decisions, particularly the status of the Medicaid expansion and that of marijuana legalization. (2019)

ACS Ventures (in partnership with UNLV and MYS Project Management) recently completed a multi-year external evaluation of several state education programs, including Zoom and Victory programs. Shortly thereafter, CCSD released its own internal analysis of Zoom and Victory programs. While the findings were similar, there are distinct and important differences regarding the program reviews.

The objective of this policy brief is to determine how much federal housing assistance (loans, grants, and direct payments) Nevada receives. The data on loans and grants is available from USAspending.gov, the official source for spending data for the U.S. government. (2019)

This report examines Nevada’s uninsured population. Its objective is to furnish a composite of Nevada’s uninsured population so that stakeholders have the requisite data to develop a set of policy prescriptions and enhance administrative capacity in service of health insurance coverage expansion, given the consequences of uninsurance. These consequences include: limited access to health care, adverse health outcomes, medical debt, economic losses, and burdens on governmental financial resources.

The Great Recession of 2008 hit communities across the United States, but nowhere were the effects more acute than in Nevada. While Nevada’s economy still has not recovered to 2006 pre-recession levels, it is trending upward. Nevada is among the highest-ranked states in job and personal income growth, coupled with steadily increasing output.

This policy brief provides an overview of the performance of district-sponsored charter schools in the state’s two largest urban school districts, the Clark County School District (CCSD) and Washoe County School District.

This week, southern Nevada residents are bracing for another excessive heat wave. Around the Silver State, air conditioning companies and their heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) technicians are in high demand during the hot summer months.

The subject of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative—namely the proposed restructuring of Nevada’s electricity markets—is complex. Supporters and opponents of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative are providing data and arguments that appear to conflict with each other. This voter information guide addresses some of the questions voters may have about this ballot measure. (July 2018)

The subject of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative—namely the proposed restructuring of Nevada’s electricity markets—is complex. Supporters and opponents of Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative are providing data and arguments that appear to conflict with each other. This policy report summarizes and evaluates the primary arguments for and against passage of Question 3.

The Guinn Center compared enrollment, demographics, and performance metrics across traditional—i.e., non-virtual—state-sponsored public charter schools, district-sponsored public charter schools, and district public schools, as well as virtual state-sponsored public charter schools and virtual district public schools.

Three northern Nevada law enforcement agencies – the Reno Police Department, Sparks Police, and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office – commissioned the Guinn Center to review best practices as outlined in the Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing (2015); identify gaps in current policies and procedures within and across the three law enforcement agencies against the Task Force’s itemized best practices; and propose actions for implementation that address the gaps. Amo

Nevada’s 2017-2019 biennium budget amounts to approximately $26.2 billion. Federal funds account for more than one-third (34.3 percent) of all revenues in the biennium budget. Federal revenues also flow into Nevada’s non-profits and local and county governments. This policy brief summarizes federal revenue streams in Nevada in recent years.

Question WC-1: Truckee River Flood Management Authority Funding Question is a Washoe County ballot question that proposes to impose an additional property tax rate in the amount of $0.0248 per $100 of assessed value for the purpose of funding a Truckee River flood prevention project and to allow the Truckee River Flood Management Authority to issue up to $89 million of general obligation bonds to finance this project.