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Published Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 | noon
Updated Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 | 12:03 p.m.
As first reported by my colleague, Sun columnist Jon Ralston, the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce is sending out a letter today acknowledging that more revenue will be needed for the state if the crisis continues.
But Gov. Jim Gibbons said at his press conference today that he will try to reduce spending by 34 percent for his next budget. He also said he would veto any tax increase legislators put on his desk.
Gibbons has made that promise before. But it's the first time he's made that promise since the full effect of the state's economic depression has been felt.
A bipartisan consensus has emerged that the state cannot cut 34 percent of the spending compared to the last legislatively approved budget, as would be required without new taxes under revenue projections made Dec. 1 by the Economic Forum.
At a briefing with reporters, when he signed the proclamation to deal with the current budget year's crisis, I asked him if the state would need more revenue for 2010 and 2011.
"I am not in a tax increasing mood," he said. "I would rather decrease spending."
Another reporter asked what he would do if the legislature said a tax increase was the only way, and brought a bill to his desk.
"I would veto it," Gibbons said.
The LuvGuv still thinks it's a spending problem (one which he created in his proposed budget last Session) that got us in this mess? What planet does he live on?
If he really thinks its a spending problem, he should put his check book in a safe and stop spending. First thing he should do is lead by example and cut his staff, his pay, and all of his "perks" of office. Also, we don't need to pay the Highway Patrol, marshals, prison officials, regulators, teachers, or provide health care to the indigent. In the true republican mold, everyone should have to fend for themselves.
Yeah, let's cut some more. That'll solve the problems.
If by "problems" you mean the state actually having anything resembling a functioning infrastructure.
The Democratic dominated legislature can still pass all the taxes that they want. It it the same of amounts of votes to pass the taxes (2/3) vs. overriding a veto (2/3).
Other than a mining tax increase ($30 million at the max) and purhaps a hotel room tax increase ($185 million at the max), I do not see the Democrats trying to raise that much in taxes.
Jfnance32 fails a fact check again.
Democrats have a supermajority in the Assembly.
They do NOT have a supermajority in the Senate.
They can vote to pass taxes, but they cannot override a gubernatorial veto in the Senate without Republican assistance.
You might think about proofreading your posts, jfnance32. It is really easy to point out lies and incompetence.
You need to learn to read, ksand99.
I have never said that the Democrats have a supermajority in the Senate.
All I said that is they pass a tax then the governor veto is not material because to pass the tax takes the same amount of votes as to override a veto.
34% cut! This guy is approaching Bush-ian levels of adherence to ideology... simply insane.
We need to cut government waste and a tremendous third party spending mentality. I will support all reasonable cuts, and support no increases. There is too much waste in our governments. They only lie and try to emotionally inflame us by threatening to cut education and indigent medical care.
There are plenty of other areas to cut excessive and unneeded expenditures. There are plenty of projects that can be placed on hold until we are seeing more financially appealing times.
Every government agency has unneeded expenditures, none of them want to give them up or expose them, for fear that their future budgets will be cut. This is not responsible government representatives, nor any way to run government efficiently.
Everyone has an idea, to solve the State Budget crisis. So here is mine. There are 2.5 million people in Nevada, 1.87 million over the age of 18. Okay if you need to raise $215 million ($185 + $30) that is $2.21 per week per person over 18 years of age. If these +18 year olds drive an average of 290 miles a week (to work hopefully), then you can add a 9 cent tax per gallon to gas and you have your magic number, $215 million. Sounds dumb doesn't it, but that is what they are doing behind closed doors now. P.S we were paying $4.30 a gallon 4 months ago.