Phone calls run against sales tax

Larry Henry

Friday, May 16, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

IF recent phone calls to the legislative message center are an indication, a plan to raise sales taxes is stirring some resentment.

On Wednesday and Thursday, 55 callers phoned to weigh in on Assembly Bill 291, allowing county commissions statewide to impose a quarter-cent sales tax increase for growth-related problems.

Of the those who called, only one supported the sales tax increase, said phone operator Melinda Redeker. The other 54 were opposed.

The heavy volume of anti-tax calls may be the result of action in the Assembly Wednesday that killed a provision to put the tax increase to a public vote.

More calls may come if the Assembly votes today as expected to approve AB 291.

Seal of approval

More than a few legislators are justifying their support of the quarter-cent tax increase by saying that the director of the Nevada Taxpayers Association served on a citizens committee that recommended the tax. The association has a reputation for being rigid in its opposition to taxes.

Assemblyman Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, was the latest to invoke the association's name as one more reason to vote for a tax hike.

"A 24-person citizens committee that included seniors, business people, the Nevada Taxpayers Association, labor, environmental representatives and many others studied this issue for two years and determined this revenue source to be best for this project," Perkins said Wednesday.

That kind of remark is beginning to irk the association's executive director, Carole Vilardo.

Vilardo says she made it clear that her involvement with the committee was as a private citizen, not as head of the taxpayers association.

Hot tempers

Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, read the riot act to members of the Education Committee Thursday, telling them to show up for meetings or get off the committee.

Williams said he's tired of members "playing jumping jack," running from his panel to a meeting of the Judiciary Committee. Five Education Committee members also serve on Judiciary.

Judiciary meetings are scheduled for 8 a.m. every morning. Williams' committee meets at 3:45 p.m. three days a week.

But Williams is upset that Judiciary Committee Chairman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, has also begun scheduling meetings in the afternoon.

"He's infringing on our time" and forcing members to choose, Williams said.

Anderson says his committee is reviewing the massive welfare reform bill and needs the extra time.

"I'm not trying to make this into a tough place," he said.

Work fair

Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, introduced a bill Thursday to impose a misdemeanor penalty on stores selling sneakers, soccer balls and other goods made in sweatshops that employ children.

The measure is being dubbed the Kathie Lee Gifford bill, after the TV host whose crusades against unfair working conditions gained notoriety when reporters learned that items in her line of women's apparel may have been manufactured in sweatshops.

James says the bill could protect children from being exploited and also will help union workers maintain access to decent-paying jobs.

On the same day James' bill was introduced, a different measure that he sponsored passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee requiring inmates to work in prison jobs.

AFL-CIO lobbyist Danny Thompson said unions support the anti-sweatshop bill but are keeping an eye on the other measure to be sure it doesn't give prisoners jobs that otherwise would go to union workers.