Rory Reid unveiled his long promised budget plan Thursday, promising to close a projected shortfall of $3 billion dollars without raising taxes.

The document entitled "Moving Nevada Forward" contains a number of deep cuts in government while holding education harmless.

That huge shortfall approaching 50 percent of the state's projected revenue over the next biennium has been the elephant in the room in the governor's race, something both candidates have been insisting they can bridge without raising taxes.

Reid has been saying he would eventually release his plan for accomplishing that feat and today he delivered on that promise.

He proposes consolidating a number of state agencies some suggestions taken directly from a report from the Spending and Government Efficiency Commission named by outgoing Governor Jim Gibbons.

The number of agencies would be cut from 26 to 16 by moves such as eliminating the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state Taxi Cab Authority and moving their functions into the Department of Transportation.

Other proposals include instituting a four-day week, continuing state employees furloughs, cutting the staffs of elected officials, expanding alternate courts such as drug courts and privatizing prison health care.

Reid's plan calls for no further cuts to the state's schools, but he arges his previously released education plan would streamline school administrations and eventually save $220 million annually.

All of this would be done without raising taxes, something many skeptics doubt can be accomplished given the size of the shortfall.

"We can't tax our way out of our problems and we can't cut our way out of them either," the candidate says. "We have to grow our way out."

Still the document will leave some veteran political observers skeptical.
While giving a nod to Reid for adding some substance to the debate, Fred Lokken, a political scientist at Truckee Meadows Community College says the plan still falls short.

"He still has about a $600 million dollar hole in his budget that he somehow hopes to fill with an economic recovery no one seems to see. So, no real surprises and not the kind of visionary document we might have expected and hoped for."

"True leadership from any candidate would recognize the desperate need to redefine the way we've done business in Nevada and the way we've organized our government in Nevada. There's nothing new in this document."

There's been no response from Republican Brian Sandoval who has kept a low profile since the primary protecting a double digit lead.

"The best strategy for him is to stay low and hope for November to get here quickly," says Lokken. "This, coupled with the debate this Sunday could be the triggers that actually start this campaign which has been a non-campaign so far."