Does it look to you like the politicians over in Sacramento are playing games with taxes and access to public services as they gear up for another budget fight?

Do you think it should be easy for Gov. Arnold and the California legislature toupdated_nextten_banner.gif balance their states’ budget? Fine. Go ahead and try it yourself.

Go to NextTen.com and test your skills with “The California Budget Challenge” – a remarkable new online, interactive tool that allows those who visit the site to create their own state budget, setting spending and revenue-generating priorities for the next 10 years.

It is fun, demanding and educational all at the same time. The challenge is simplified to make it workable. However, it’s still complex enough to give the user a sense of the extent of the problems and the choices Californians face.

Think of it as “state budgeting for dummies.” The program is straightforward. It explains the issues facing the state’s finances clearly and outlines the pros and cons of controversial choices.

Next Ten was founded by Menlo Park venture capitalist and philanthropist Noel Perry, saying he is “concerned about California today and the California our children will inherit.”

“Next Ten is an independent, nonpartisan organization that educates, engages and empowers Californians so that, together, we can improve our future economy and quality of life. We call ourselves Next Ten because we aren’t here for the quick fix. We have our sights set on joining with others to improve the state over the next ten years, and the ten years after that. Next Ten believes that together, we can create the brighter future we all want for ourselves and our children.”

Now, will someone adapt this program to Nevada and give us the opportunity “to deepen our understanding of how today’s political decisions will shape our lives over the next 10 years?” Would we want “a tool that educates, engages and empowers Nevadans so that, together, we could improve our future economy and quality of life?”

In its first few weeks, more than 10,000 Californians have ‘taken the Challenge’ .

Would Nevadans participate?  Maybe yes. Maybe no. Isn’t it just a whole lot easier leaving it up to the lobbyists, bureaucrats and casinos to make the decisions?