GOP Assembly leader: A deal can happen, governor won’t block it

Wednesday, May 18, 2011 | 10:38 a.m.

That was the message Assembly Minority Leader Pete Goicoechea delivered this morning as I chatted with him and three of his caucus members – Pat Hickey, Tom Grady and John Hambrick.

Goicoechea said he believes there is a chance a deal can be struck to exchange reform measures for lifting tax sunsets -- $600 million in revenue – between a core group of Democrats and Republicans. Although the Republicans appeared miffed at the “token” first offer from the Democrats, it’s clear that those four would be willing to vote for lifting the sunsets if the right “concessions,” as Goicoechea put it, were offered

I wonder if the GOP will keep moving the goalposts, making a deal impossible. But those Republicans seem open to a deal – and I bet many Democrats in the lower house would be happy to go home for good on June 6 if that deal were reached.

Interestingly enough, Goicoechea said while there have been conversations with Gov. No New Taxes, Brian Sandoval is not interfering in the negotiations or pressuring the lawmakers not to make a deal. Goicoechea said while it would be very tough for the Republicans “to go against the governor,” he doesn’t believe Sandoval would turn the screws to persuade them not to vote to lift the sunsets.

It will be fascinating to watch Sandoval should this scenario emerge, with the loud voices of the right hectoring him to open the doors to his woodshed to prevent the infusion of the $600 million. My guess: He objects, vetoes, but doesn’t publicly -- or privately -- pound the Republican lawmakers.

Goicoechea, frankly, seemed more concerned about the Senate. When I asked if the upper house Republicans were on the same page, the folksy leader said, “We’re in the same book, not necessarily on the same page.”

The minority leader, hearkening to the back and forth between the houses during the 2003 tax increase, said some are worried about passing the sunset-lift and then having the Senate “back up over us.” As one noted, “There would be a lot of asses hanging out there.”

The deal with the Democrats would be that a majority of Republicans – that’s nine – would have to accept the compromise, if one were reached. There is no chance, in talking to Goicoechea & Co., that the Republicans will vote for any elements of the Democratic tax plan.

So there is hope for a transaction on the sunsets, marginal though it may be.