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The appointment on Rep. Dina Titus' calendar last Saturday didn't appear controversial at first glance. Yet Titus soon realized that she was wading into a political firestorm.

Revises provisions relating to funds to stabilize the operation of local government.

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At first, Nevada expected little revenue from gaming. Here's how that changed over time. When Nevada legalized gaming in 1931, it was almost an afterthought. The modest levies on card games and slots would be the garnish. The main course through tough economic times, state leaders believed, would be looser divorce laws adopted during the same legislative session to lure unhappy spouses to spend time - and money - in Nevada. The gaming bill's author, freshman legislator Phil Tobin, couldn't know that 78 years later the quality of Nevada's schools, public safety and services to the poor would depend on how much tourists drop in the slot machines and bet at the tables.

Yes, it has, but the economic meltdown in much of the country has been a boon to the county and its 5,000 residents, 4,000 of whom live in the Battle Mountain area.\n\nThe reason: They mine gold in Lander County, a mineral-rich area that is a major reason Nevada, nicknamed the Silver State, is also the world's fourth biggest producer of gold.

The Nevada Tax System: The Short-Run Dynamics and Long-Run\nDynamics of Nevada Taxes\nA Framework for Public Policy Analysis\n

CARSON CITY -- The Public Employees Retirement System has lost more than $4 billion on its investments since July, according to system executives who also told Nevada legislators Monday that they cannot legally cut benefits to existing participants.

Most legislative sessions don't start with a dress rehearsal. But last week's special session gave a sneak peek at what may lie ahead when the Nevada Legislature's regular session begins in February.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Jim Gibbons said Friday he has reached an agreement with legislative leaders on a bipartisan plan to handle state government's $341.7 million budget deficit without laying off workers or cutting essential services. "This will have a minimal impact on state services," Gibbons said about their plan designed to balance the budget in the fiscal year that ends June 30.

There might be a silver lining in the economic crisis, at least for students tired of taking tests. State Superintendent Keith Rheault is proposing eliminating a state-mandated exam as a way of cutting $1 million from the state budget.

An agreement spelling out a merger of operations for the Truckee Meadows� two biggest water utilities by next summer and a complete merger within in the next decade is expected to be voted on by

Carson City - Legislators have embarked on an ambitious endeavor - find someone who can figure out how to save Nevada. Lawmakers have issued a request for a consultant who will analyze the state's tax structure, measure the public's willingness to accept a broader tax base and examine the balance between local and state revenue. It's an exercise state leaders repeat every couple of decades and one that has rarely resulted in radical change in how Nevada raises tax revenue. But legislators insist this study will be different because the mission will go beyond the state's finances and include finding ways to improve Nevada's dismal rankings in quality-of-life measures such as health care, education, public safety and job creation.

Rooftops covered in solar panels. Miles of mirrors in the desert. Renewable energy boosters evoke both images while touting the coming green economy. But current market forces appear to favor the latter - large-scale utility plants.