Nevada
28 percent of Nevada’s budget at risk with federal cuts
Nevada’s largest share of funding comes from the federal government, and with efforts to curb spending in Washington, D.C., those pending cuts could affect programs in the Silver State.
A Nevada nonpartisan policy research center released a report last week detailing how much federal funding the Silver State receives and the programs it covers, raising questions about programs’ sustainability.
The Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities found that 27.7 percent of Nevada’s 2023-2025 funding came from federal sources, or roughly $14.8 billion out of the $53.4 billion state budget.
Most of those federal dollars support programs within the Department of Health and Human Services. About 65 percent of the department’s budget goes to the state and federally funded Medicaid program, which provides coverage to nearly 822,000 Nevadans, according to the report.
Federal funding also supports at least 40 percent of the budgets for other state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture and Veterans Services. Federally-funded programs include the children’s health insurance program Nevada Check Up and the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, which provides food to approximately 310,000 children during summer months.
The report’s authors conclude that changes at the federal level to funding received by state and local agencies present a challenge to Nevada policymakers over the continuation of the programs that rely on federal funding.
President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans have prioritized cutting federal spending to curb the nation’s $1.8 trillion deficit and make room for extending Trump’s tax cuts and enacting his other policy proposals.
Already Nevada has seen some impacts, including cuts to funds for food banks, the announced closure of a health service office for rural Native Americans, and the planned move of a Social Security Administration office into a federal space.
A Medicaid expansion program in Nevada could also be on the chopping block.
A House Republican budget plan directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee — which oversees Medicaid — to find ways to cut the federal deficit by at least $880 billion over the next decade. Though Republicans said they have no intention of cutting Medicaid, Democrats claim it would be impossible to meet that $880 billion goal without cutting the service that provides free health care to low-income people.
Other budget proposals from Congressional Republicans call for between $1 billion and $2 trillion in cuts.
What could happen to Nevada programs if federal funds wane?
Legislators recently passed the halfway point of Nevada’s 120-day legislative session, where they’ve been hearing bills that may require additional funds that the state may not have the ability to spend if federal cuts go through.
Nevada lawmakers could meet again for a special session if Republicans in Congress successfully implement the cuts, according to Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro.
“The hard reality is that if these cuts happen, the Governor will be calling the Legislature into special session later this year to present his plan to kick people off their health care and cut services for working families, seniors, students, and people who need food assistance,” Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas, said in a statement.
She urged Nevada Republicans to speak out against the administration’s plans and stop the cuts before they’re enacted.
Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus, R-Wellington, thinks a special session can be avoided.
The state has known these cuts could be coming, since Trump campaigned on them, she said. Titus and other legislators have spent the session looking at additional funding requests and which ones are the most necessary while making sure agencies spend all the money appropriated to them through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Nevada will see an impact with federal cuts, but it is prepared to cover programs affected that are necessary through the state’s Rainy Day Fund, Titus said.
“We don’t want kids to go hungry; we don’t want people to go without health care, and the people that are truly in need of these services, we’re going to figure out how we can take care of these folks,” she said.
Nevada’s Rainy Day Fund, which is projected to reach $1.6 billion by the end of the 2025 to 2027 biennium, would cover three months of operating expenditures if Nevada’s revenues were a net-zero. The financial reserve can be tapped into during revenue shortfalls, unexpected deficits or if the Nevada Legislature deems appropriate. Funding in the account can’t exceed 26 percent of operating appropriations, and any allocation would be one-time appropriation.
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.
A report from the Guinn Center found nearly 28 percent of Nevada’s budget comes from federal funds and provides support for health and human services programs. With looming cuts, legislators may have to meet to deal with a smaller budget.
The Las Vegas Raiders have orchestrated many groundbreaking moves this offseason, but none as important as the impact they made at a fundraising event.
Over the weekend, the Raiders hosted the Silver & Black Gala, raising $2.5 million for mental health in Nevada. Sunday marked the third time the organization had hosted the event, which has produced a tremendous turnout.
Several individuals spoke during the event, including Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis and president Sandra Douglass Morgan, who each highlighted the importance of acknowledging mental health.
Davis’ Thoughts
- “We’re here to raise money for mental health, which is one of the most important things we can all deal with,” Davis said. “Every one of us is impacted by mental health and our families, friends, or anywhere else, we are all directly affected. That’s why it’s so critical to raise money for our community. We’re grateful for you all, and appreciate you being here.”
Morgan’s Thoughts
“Mental health remains one of the most urgent issues across Nevada,” Morgan said. “Through the Silver & Black Gala, the Raiders Foundation is helping expand access to trusted, community-based resources that meet people where they are. This year’s recipients reflect the depth and complexity of that work, supporting our community in schools, clubhouses, homes, shelters, and family systems statewide.”
The Raiders also honored former player Carl Nassib and NFL broadcaster Jay Glazer on Sunday night as the winners of the Commitment to Excellence award. Here is what each of them had to say.
Glazer’s Thoughts
- “First, this is incredible what the Raiders are doing,” Glazer said. “God blessed me with the ability to communicate, so I’m going to use that to try and help other people. When we’re willing to share our scars, we turn them into strength—into something that connects us as teammates with nothing to hide. That’s what builds a true team, a championship team. I’m proud to stand with you and be part of this team tonight.”
Nassib’s Thoughts
- “It is truly a privilege to be up here,” Nassib said. “We’re creating space for people to be vulnerable—and that work is truly lifesaving. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about showing up and reminding people they’re not alone.”
Overall Thoughts
This has been a tremendous event over the last few years, and the Raiders’ organization has done a great job of raising awareness for mental health. This will be an event that the team will continue to host in the future.
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Nevada
Nevada workers fear homelessness as housing, jobs vanish before July deadline | Fox News Video
The final casino resort in Primm, Nevada, will close this summer after years of declining tourism, ending gaming operations in the once-busy border town and putting hundreds of employees out of work.
Primm Valley Casino Resorts is shutting down its remaining hotel and casino operations in July as experts point to increased competition, changing travel habits and post-pandemic losses behind the decline.
RENO, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R) is in a strong position heading into the thick of his 2026 reelection bid — a huge war chest, almost universal name recognition and strong favorability numbers among the electorate.
Though Lombardo is likely focusing on the general election already, he faces 6 longshot candidates in the GOP primary seeking to upset him in June.
Nevada Governor GOP primary: 6 longshot candidates taking on incumbent Joe Lombardo
The challengers face a ‘Herculean’ task, said Mike Noble, CEO and founder of Noble Predictive Insights, an Arizona-based nonpartisan pollster focusing on the Southwest region.
“I see it as a Herculean task for anyone. If someone was coming in with like, I don’t know $10 million or something to spend, sure I can see that might be competitive, but I don’t see any of them coming anywhere near close to that. And so again, I just think I think it’s a non-factor at this point,” Noble said.
RELATED | Ballot Battleground: Nevada podcast: Early Noble poll shows dead heat in governor’s race
Despite the long odds, News 4-Fox 11 reached out to all candidates requesting an interview as part of our commitment to 2026 election coverage and our Know Your Candidates series. Three of the 7 running interviewed with us — Irina Hansen, Kameron Hawkins, Lombardo and Jose Zelaya did not respond to multiple emails requesting an interview.
We asked them similar questions about Gov. Lombardo’s leadership as governor, how they would pass a balanced budget and whether they support taxpayer subsidies for sports teams or major projects.
Click the candidate’s name to watch their full interview. Quotes below have been edited for space and clarity.
Donald J. Beaudry Jr. is an entrepreneur who founded BlkEdgeAi, a financial technology firm specializing in AI-driven trading systems and market strategy, according to his campaign website.
He told News 4-Fox 11 that Nevada has been drifting the last four years with ‘no captain, no vision.’ He believes his Wall Street-like trading market called NGEX (Nevada Global Exchange) would generate enough revenue to eliminate sales taxes, property taxes, business taxes and vehicle registration fees.
“I completely blueprinted it out and calculated that this model could generate enough revenue in this state that we could eliminate all the state taxes and fees that are currently in place and use that as the revenue source for the state and make everybody, every man, woman and child throughout Nevada, a shareholder in the dividends of that exchange … it would be a kind of Wall Street type of stock market, but far broader, more advanced, and exponentially more profitable.”
Matthew Rian Winterhawk is the founder of SmartSlaps foundation, a nonprofit that works to help schools and students with civic engagement and community responsibility.
If elected, he described going through a DOGE-like review of the state budget to determine which areas can be cut or kept depending on their ‘dollar to impact’ ratio.
“What I would like to do is go through every department, I’m talking top to bottom, from here from the primary to the beginning. We will cut every piece of administrative bloat across the system … I need more money for my teachers. Teachers never see it, students never see it, the impact never reaches the classroom. It’s 100% administrative bloat.”
The son of immigrants, Barak Zilberberg is now an entrepreneur and real estate investor based in Las Vegas. He ran for governor in 2022, earning 0.2% of the vote in the GOP primary. He told News 4-Fox 11 he’s also running for President in 2028.
He said he’s running for governor to improve the educational system, bring jobs to Nevada and open up federal land to build more affordable housing.
“We’ve got get high-speed railing systems in here where we can transit very easily, efficiently, and basically moving around between economies of both cities. Not only that, I’d like to bring Disneyland here and the Olympics, sponsor the Olympics here. I just want to make this a well-known place of entertainment, a hub.”
To help voters make informed decisions this election year, News 4-Fox 11 is publishing and broadcasting dozens of interviews with candidates who will appear on the June primary ballot.
In fairness to all candidates, they were asked a series of similar questions. We are posting the full interviews online so voters can watch their responses in their entirety.
Visit our Know Your Candidates 2026 page to view other race previews and meet other candidates.
Email reporter Ben Margiott at bjmargiott@sbgtv.com. Follow @BenMargiott on X and Ben Margiott KRNV on Facebook.
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