Deregulate Or Re-Regulate, That Is The Question

Nevada voters will go to the polls November 8 with more than the choice of the country's next president on their ballot.  A ballot measure supported by the Las Vegas casinos would amend the state constitution to direct the Nevada legislature to create rules enabling the end of monopoly electric utility service.  A second vote would be required to finalize the constitutional amendment and open the Nevada electricity market to competition.

The ballot measure is opposed by the Nevada branch of the AFL-CIO which has 200,000 workers in the state.  The union's concern is that the proposed deregulation of the Nevada electricity market would lead to higher utility bills and potential job cuts.  The state's largest utility, NV Energy, has remained neutral on the proposal while informing Nevada state legislators that potential price increases with attendant job losses are a possibility if the measure passes.