LAS VEGAS -- The dollar doesn't seem to stretch far these days, and high gas prices and budgets cuts have put Clark County School District in a bind.

To rake in some revenue, officials are looking into putting advertisements on school buses.

With fuel costs through the roof and funding on the slim side, district advisors are looking at all their options.

They're a common sight on the Strip, on cabs and buses -- advertisements for anything and everything.

The idea has sparked some interest in Clark County.

"We're looking at budget cuts next year, $75 to $120 million. If we could offset some, or all of the cost of our fuel increase with something like this, that's hard not to look at," said chief of finance Jeff Weiler.

Experts said ads on school buses and other district vehicles could pull in an extra $1 to $2 million a year.

It's a serious possibility -- they said, when the district burns through several hundred dollars filling just one tank of gas.

Ads would be for things such as brushing teeth, drinking milk or checking out crayons. A committee would check the ads to make sure they are appropriate for the district.

The banners would cover only the lower portion of the bus and would not affect children's safety because drivers would still be able to tell the buses are school buses.

District officials said they are also checking out cleaner and cheaper alternative fuels to the biodiesel that's used now.

"We're going to look at obvious alternatives -- natural gas, propane, anything else that might come along. Hybrid is something we may see here very soon," said chief of transportation Frank Giordano.

Several districts across the country have already taken the plunge, with few complaints and more money in their budgets. . Critics say children are not billboards, and they're already bombarded by enough ads and commercials.

Supporters of the idea are sticking with their proposal.

The district is exploring partnerships with several ad firms.

The final details will be presented to the board.