Wednesday, May 21, 2008 | 3:33 p.m.
So what if the solution arrived at by the state's ex-facto lawmakers (the gaming industry, or in this case, part of it) and Nevada's ex-facto leader (Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley) is merely a band-aid? Doesn't a band-aid beat amputating the state's budget?
A broad-based business tax, as MGM Mirage chief Terry Lanni maintains, appears to be the long-term solution. But unless the evolutionary process has endowed lawmakers with a spine since 2003, chances for thoughtful tax policy remain slim.
Sure, with touism in trouble, room rates already buckling and an uncertain timetable for all those new rooms in the pipeline, now is no time for long-term reliance on the room tax. And governance by vote of the people is hardly representative of representative democracy. But as Buckley says on tonight's program, the governor remains bereft of alternatives to cutting.
Harrah's executive Jan Jones said (with a straight face) that the prospect of a 44 percent increase in the gross gaming tax never entered the gamers' minds when they jumped at the chance to pass the tax on to their customers. They just care. And the gaming tax hike was flawed policy, she says.
Lanni. who some believe may be too blinded by his dislike for the teachers' union to get on board the deal, declined our invitation to appear, as did Boyd Gaming, the other major gaming company opposed.
Consider the latest reason for Las Vegas to secede from the rest of the state - most of Northern Nevada is already at or near the 13 percent proposed room tax rate cap, meaning the south will once again subsidize the north. Reno, you can thank us later.
Tomorrow -
Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury talks about his plans if his eligibility for re-election is challenged by Secretary of State Ross Miller. Miller and Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto have a different spin than their predecessors on the effective date of term limits approved by voters in the 1990s.
Are Miller and Cortez-Masto having trouble substantiating their actions? Both are suspiciously unavailable again tomorrow for even a phone interview.
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy