Gibbons to review proposals for fee hikes

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Jim Gibbons, who has threatened to veto fee increases not requested by those who pay them, said Thursday he will review higher fee proposals that have won preliminary endorsements from Nevada lawmakers.

"I'm disinclined to support new fees, but I have said I will review any request for fee increases on a case-by-case basis," Gibbons said.

"Most taxpayers get a little discouraged about seeing taxes and fees in the state being continually raised," he added.

Gibbons commented after the Senate Finance Committee, headed by Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, voted Wednesday to add a fee increase to the state budget so that the Commission on Post-Secondary Education can hire staff to inspect nearly 200 private schools providing professional and technical training programs in Nevada.

Previously, a joint Senate-Assembly budget panel had restored fees in state Health and Human Services Department budgets that had been removed by the governor.

They included fees levied on hospitals and other health-care businesses to pay for inspections required by the federal government.

Also restored were fee hikes in the Radiological Health budget to pay for inspections that ensure X-ray equipment used in hospitals, doctors' offices and other businesses are safe and operating properly.