The Trump Administration’s widespread spending cuts are affecting Nevada. DOGE, the Elon Musk-led department slashing the budget, even has a Nevada office now. Should we be worried? Here’s what’s at risk:
💊 Medicaid and Healthcare
Federal funding makes up nearly 28% of Nevada’s budget. More than $4.7 billion of that goes toward Medicaid in our state, covering at least 811,000 people.
Nevada’s Department of Health and Human Services relies on federal funds for about half its budget, which covers a variety of programs for new mothers, those in foster care, the under-employed, and many more.
Immunization and mental health services in Nevada were recently cut, thanks to the termination of pandemic-era grants. Nearly 50 people lost jobs across a variety of state agencies.
“Nearly 474,000 Nevadans experience mental health conditions, yet the state continues to rank among the worst in the nation for access to care,” according to Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who wrote to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in protesting the cuts.
Even the UNLV School of Public Health was affected, losing workers and a research grant to study Alzheimer's in the LGBTQ+ community. Veterans Affairs services are also at risk with newer employees (some veterans themselves) more susceptible to cuts.
🍅Food Banks and Pantries
The USDA cut two pandemic-era relief programs in Nevada, costing Three Square food bank about a million pounds of food it was expecting this spring.
“In Las Vegas, there’s a lot of attention on the unhoused population,” Three Square CEO Beth Martino told City Cast Las Vegas. “But actually, a lot of people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from are the working poor.”
🎨 Art and Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities terminated the general operating support grant for humanities councils nationwide, effective immediately on April 3. It’s a devastating blow to Nevada Humanities, a community fixture since 1971. Supporters are encouraged to donate and take action.
“Nevada Humanities is fighting for its survival,” Executive Director Christina Barr says. “The loss of funding from the NEH will not only severely hinder our work, it will also reduce the tremendous amount of economic activity that arts and culture programming brings to the state of Nevada.”
📚 Libraries
An executive order attempted to cut federal funding to libraries across the country last month. The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has revised its internal DEI policies — not public programs or library materials — in compliance to avoid staff cuts.
🏜️ Public Lands and Park Services
Jobs have been cut at national parks and other public lands like Red Rock Canyon and Lake Mead, which are funded and operated at the federal level. Less publicized — the seasonal contractors who help keep these beautiful destinations in order during the busy summer months are seeing work dry up.
“ We may not have access to (those lands) or we may have access and they may be dirty,” Bertha Gutierrez of the Conservation Lands Foundation told City Cast Las Vegas. “Trash may be accumulating, the bathrooms may not be available because they're too stinky. Campgrounds may not be available.”
