Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno) and Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley (D-Las Vegas). Photo by AP/Brad Horn, Nevada Appeal
The Nevada legislature is still trying to get the state’s income up enough to meet the outgo. The Review-Journal says they’re still of by $1 million. It appears they will have to and are going to raise some taxes. Governor Jim “no new taxes” Gibbons will veto it and I expect the legislature will override the veto.
The legislature passed a tax hike on businesses and took some property tax revenues from Clark and Washoe counties. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
Now they’re taking a look at increases in sales and payroll taxes. The plan is to try and get it all done by Thursday so the legislature will still have time to override the Gibbons’ veto. The legislature is supposed to have it all wound up by June 1.
Ah yes, checks and balances. The bill passed by a vote of 33-9, with five Republicans joining the 28 Democrats in the majority.
We should, perhaps, pause, remove our hat and stand silently in a moment of some admiration for those 5 Republicans who joined those 28 Democrats in raising the taxes. Governor Gibbons and the Republican Party must think those 5 have committed treasonous mutiny.
The reality is, of course, that there are no free lunches. Governments, if you need them, cost money. Has always been so. Maybe the Republican Party would prefer no government at all. We can return to the stone ages and live in caves. Each in our own little cave. We make it on our own else don’t survive. Survival of the strong.
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