Tourism and Cultural Affairs requests reclassifications, proposes lodging-tax transfer changes
February 18, 2025 | 2025 Legislature NV, Nevada
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The Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs asked the Joint Subcommittee on General Government to approve several personnel reclassifications and to eliminate longstanding external transfers of lodging‑tax revenue so lodging tax would be used exclusively within the department.
Director Brenda Scolari told the subcommittee the department reorganized last session and created an administrative staff and budget. She said one classification in the submitted budget was in error: “This classification was meant to be an ASO 4 and oversee the fiscal team within the divisions, so I would respectfully request if this can't be amended to an ASO 4, that we withdraw the request.”
Scolari outlined three personnel changes in the administrative account (15‑20): reclassifying the finance and operations manager to an ASO‑4 (instead of ASO‑2), classifying an IT position as an information/technology manager to improve recruitment and retention, and declassifying a public information officer to a development specialist to allow marketing and evening/weekend event work the department says is difficult in classified service.
On lodging tax transfers, Scolari said the department wants to end “long standing external transfers, to State Parks and the Nevada Film Office.” She told the panel staff could not find records explaining why the transfers began and said the department proposes offsetting the elimination of external transfers by reducing general‑fund appropriations and concentrating lodging tax transfers inside the department’s budget accounts.
Assemblymember Torres Fawcett asked how the room‑tax split (cited in questions as 81% room tax/19% general fund) would be affected; Scolari replied the budget division and the Legislature would assess external budget needs going forward and that, if the transfers were eliminated, those needs would be considered “like any other” by the budget division. Assemblyman Watts pressed on how fluctuating transfers would be managed in future biennia; Scolari said the Legislature’s budget process would reassess needs in those accounts.
No formal motion or vote on these requests was recorded during the hearing; the department’s presentations concluded and the committee moved on to other budget accounts.
Director Brenda Scolari told the subcommittee the department reorganized last session and created an administrative staff and budget. She said one classification in the submitted budget was in error: “This classification was meant to be an ASO 4 and oversee the fiscal team within the divisions, so I would respectfully request if this can't be amended to an ASO 4, that we withdraw the request.”
Scolari outlined three personnel changes in the administrative account (15‑20): reclassifying the finance and operations manager to an ASO‑4 (instead of ASO‑2), classifying an IT position as an information/technology manager to improve recruitment and retention, and declassifying a public information officer to a development specialist to allow marketing and evening/weekend event work the department says is difficult in classified service.
On lodging tax transfers, Scolari said the department wants to end “long standing external transfers, to State Parks and the Nevada Film Office.” She told the panel staff could not find records explaining why the transfers began and said the department proposes offsetting the elimination of external transfers by reducing general‑fund appropriations and concentrating lodging tax transfers inside the department’s budget accounts.
Assemblymember Torres Fawcett asked how the room‑tax split (cited in questions as 81% room tax/19% general fund) would be affected; Scolari replied the budget division and the Legislature would assess external budget needs going forward and that, if the transfers were eliminated, those needs would be considered “like any other” by the budget division. Assemblyman Watts pressed on how fluctuating transfers would be managed in future biennia; Scolari said the Legislature’s budget process would reassess needs in those accounts.
No formal motion or vote on these requests was recorded during the hearing; the department’s presentations concluded and the committee moved on to other budget accounts.
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