Angry Alvey fires away at commission

Chuck Alvey had taken all he was going to take.

Angered by the treatment received by new and expanding companies that appear before the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, Alvey last week said the commission needs to stop hassling company executives.

"I find it increasingly difficult to believe that we are all on the same team,working toward the same goals," said the president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada."It seems ironic that the commission on economic development seems to be one of the least business friendly environments to many companies."

As he continued through a 10-page recital of his objections,Alvey told members of the commission,"If you don't want to help then at least do no further harm."

The immediate impetus for Alvey's strong words was the commission's rejection last month of tax breaks sought by RR Donnelley & Sons, which plans to install a $37 million printing press in Stead and hire 26 additional workers at an average wage of $17.22 an hour.

Alvey said the commission didn't listen to testimony in December, failed to understand the state's incentive programs and insulted members of EDAWN's staff.

The commission last week reversed course and approved the request.

Berlyn Miller, a member of the economic development commission from Las Vegas who led the opposition to Donnelley's request last month, said at the time the tax breaks would have saved the company $4 million about $128,000 for each new job.

That's too much, he said, and as the company's request came back for a new hearing last week,Miller led a losing effort to trim the amount of incentives provided to the company.

Paul Erickson, vice president of manufacturing at the Stead plant, said the investment is necessary to build efficiency at the plant, which sells 97 percent of the products it prints out of state.

"We are asking for what the statute allows," Erickson told the commission.

But Miller noted that the commission needs to approve incentive packages, and he said commissioners need to exercise discretion and voice their opinions.

State Sen.Mark Amodei, speaking in support of Donnelley, told the commission it's far easier to retain an existing company in the state than attract a new one.

Donnelley employs about 385 at Stead.

While the debate over the RR Donnelley application spurred Alvey to speak out, he said other companies have felt beaten up after presentations to the commission.

"Even companies approved for incentives often ask us why the atmosphere at these meetings is so seemingly adversarial," he said.

Miller said he resented Alvey's public airing of a dispute that might have been handled behind closed doors.