Ensign: Cigarette tax could backfire

Tuesday, May 12, 1998 | 9:49 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Nevada Rep. John Ensign, a Republican running for Democrat Harry Reid's Senate seat, says he won't vote to increase the tax on cigarettes because it may spark a drive to raise taxes on the Nevada gaming industry.

The 40-year-old, two-term representative filed Monday to take on Reid in what is expected to be one of this election's best contests.

"Being from Nevada, you better be careful about supporting a cigarette tax because as soon as you support a cigarette tax, the tobacco states come back and say, 'Let's go for a gaming tax.'

"This could decimate our state," said Ensign who added efforts should be made to curb teen smoking "but that does not include raising cigarette taxes because that could backlash and cost us tens of thousands of jobs in the state."

The backlash now against the gambling industry is normal -- it comes every time gaming spreads, Ensign said.

"I think it's healthier for Nevada casinos if there is a backlash against the spread of it. We just don't want federal regulation or taxation," he said.

Ensign also gave his views on environmental issues calling the Sierra Club an "extremist" organization for such ideas as wanting to drain Lake Powell.

Critics claim he is an extremist against environmental issues, but Ensign said he stands with the hikers, the ranchers, the fishermen and "those who want to use and take care of our public lands."

He said he considered himself "an environmentalist of the traditional order but I do not stand for the people who make statements like 'We want to drain Lake Powell,' and 'We want to destroy the mining industry by eliminating mining' and 'We want to destroy the ranching industry here in Nevada by eliminating ranching on the public lands.'"

Ensign said the land bill he co-sponsored with Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., for the state has support of local environmentalists but not those in Washington, D.C.

"It's very good for the environment," he said.

Ensign estimates he has raised $1.6 million of an estimated $3.5 million budget for his campaign.

Meanwhile Clark County Commissioner Lorraine Hunt filed for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor saying she wants to make the office the "hub" for tourism and industrial development programs.

With the gaming industry spreading across the nation, Hunt, who operates a restaurant in Las Vegas, said the state must look toward other industries, such as motion pictures. Lake Tahoe, the ghost towns and Great Basin National Park have "not been touched" as areas in which to shoot films. She added the state's universities also should expand their film studies program.

Hunt said she has raised $350,000 of a budgeted $500,000 for the campaign. A complaint filed against her with the state Ethics Commission was dismissed earlier this year.

Hunt, 58, a graduate of Las Vegas High School, once sang professionally in the Nevada casinos under the name "Lauri Perri" and now owns the Bootlegger Ristorante in Las Vegas and is managing partner in the Village East Plaza Shopping Center in Clark County.

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