Kenny Guinn
Kenny Guinn | |
---|---|
Jim Gibbons | |
Acting President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas | |
In office 1994–1995 | |
Preceded by | Robert Maxson |
Succeeded by | Carol Harter |
Personal details | |
Born | Kenneth Carroll Guinn August 24, 1936 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
Resting place | Exeter District Cemetery Exeter, California, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Other political affiliations | Democratic |
Spouse |
Dema Guinn (m. 1956) |
Education | California State University, Fresno (BA, MA) Utah State University (EdD) |
Signature | |
Kenneth Carroll Guinn (August 24, 1936 – July 22, 2010), was an American businessman, academic administrator, and politician who served as the 27th Governor of Nevada from 1999 to 2007. He previously served as interim president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from 1994 until 1995. Originally a Democrat, he joined the Republican Party before running for governor.
Early life and career
Guinn was born in
Governor of Nevada
Guinn was first elected governor in
As Governor of Nevada, Guinn developed a reputation as a moderate Republican who was not motivated by partisan ideology. During his first term as governor, Guinn used the national tobacco settlement money, and pushed for the creation of the Millennium Scholarship program to provide all Nevada High School graduates with a 3.25 GPA, a scholarship to attend a Nevada university. He also championed a state run prescription drug benefit program for Nevada senior citizens called Senior RX. Guinn, who prided himself on his detailed knowledge of the state budget, believed Nevada's tax structure was inherently flawed with its dependence on growth and tourism—Nevada has no income tax and relies heavily on gaming and sales tax.[citation needed]
Guinn proposed a tax restructuring during the 2003 legislative session that was met with opposition from anti-tax business groups and many anti-tax Republicans. After a divisive session that divided the Republicans and ended in a Nevada Supreme Court decision upholding the passage of the bill very little of Guinn's original proposal was enacted. As Guinn had predicted the state was plunged into a serious budget deficit as soon as the 2008 recession hit the gaming and construction industry causing sales and gaming tax revenues to plummet. In percentage terms, Guinn's 2003 tax hike was the largest tax increase ever by one of the 50 states, but it was praised as "a controversial but realistic step to shore up the overstretched budget of the nation's fastest-growing state."[1]
In 2006, Guinn declined to endorse
Guinn served as a board member of MGM Resorts International (formerly MGM Mirage) from May 22, 2007, until his untimely death on July 22, 2010, under chairman and CEO Terrence Lanni (1995–2008) and James Murren (2008–present).[2]
Death
After leaving the governorship, Guinn became a board member of MGM Resorts International (formerly MGM Mirage) on May 22, 2007, serving under chairman and CEO Terrence Lanni (1995–2008) and James Murren (2008–present).[3] Guinn died on July 22, 2010, at the age of 73, of complications from injuries sustained after falling from the roof of his Las Vegas home and possibly following a heart attack. He was pronounced dead at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas.[4]
Guinn is interred at the Exeter District Cemetery in Exeter, California.
References
- ^ a b Ripley, Amanda; Tumulty, Karen (November 13, 2005). "America's 5 Best Governors". TIME Magazine. Archived from the original on November 24, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
- ^ "Kenny C. Guinn Elected to MGM MIRAGE Board of Directors".
- ^ "Kenny C. Guinn Elected to MGM MIRAGE Board of Directors".
- ^ Kanigher, Steve (July 22, 2010). "Former Gov. Kenny Guinn dead at 73". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
External links
- Kenny Guinn at Find a Grave
- State biographies (October 2006, via archive.org)
- As governor at the Wayback Machine (archived October 24, 2006)
- Personal at the Wayback Machine (archived October 24, 2006)
- A list of quotes by Guinn
- On the Issues
- The Anointed One, huntingtonpress.com
- Appearances on C-SPAN