Teachers willing to bargain on tax plan

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000 | 11:27 a.m.

RENO -- The Nevada teachers union has filed its 4 percent business profits tax plan with more than 85,000 signatures -- enough to qualify the initiative petition.

But union president Elaine Lancaster said the union would be willing to talk about other proposals if the state would agree to pour an additional $250 million into the public schools for higher teacher salaries, more technology, reduction of class sizes and expanded programs for handicapped students and those with limited English language skills.

"We've got a good plan and a way to pay for it," Lancaster told a news conference in Reno Wednesday.

An advertising campaign by Nevada chambers of commerce to get citizens to withdraw their names from the petition has had little, if any impact, Lancaster said.

Kami Dempsey, executive director of the Nevada Pro Education Alliance that opposes the petition, however, said there has been a sizeable impact. The ad campaign drew a lot of attention to the "back-door income tax," she said, adding that a number of people sent in cards to county clerks to strike their names from the teachers' petition.

Lancaster said the Nevada State Education Association, which has 22,000 members, has budgeted $1.3 million for its support of the tax initiative. Dempsey said her alliance, composed of the chambers, Nevada Taxpayers Association and retail associations, has $3.5 million committed to fight the tax over the next three years.

Voter registrars in Clark and Washoe counties and the county clerks in the rest of Nevada will start counting and report the final tally to the secretary of state's office within four days excluding weekends and holidays. Secretary of State Dean Heller will then direct the counties to verify signatures and this must be done in nine days, excluding weekends and holidays.

The education association needed 44,009 signatures of voters and 10 percent of the voters in 13 of the 17 counties. In Clark County, 55,000 signatures were submitted, more than double the required 25,000.

Lancaster said the petition qualified in every county. If it is verified, as it appears, it will be presented to the 2001 Legislature that must act within 40 days. If it doesn't approve the plan, it will go on the 2002 election ballot.

Dempsey said a good share of her budget will be used to oppose the petition during the 2002 election campaign.

Lancaster told reporters the association might be willing to accept alternate proposals. "As we have said from the beginning, if somebody comes to the table during the legislative session with a plan that can be put into law that will generate the same kind of money, then we are more than happy to sit down and talk," Lancaster said.

A similar scenario was played out in the early 1990s. The union gained the necessary signatures on an initiative petition for a corporate income tax. But after talks with then-Gov. Bob Miller and legislators, the association backed off the petition in return for a guarantee more money would be pumped into public education.

There are several legislators, she said, talking about proposals now to increase money for education. "We have had those discussions in the past but they have never come to fruition," she said.

The problems are growing in education, Lancaster said. "There are 45-50 kids in a math class in Clark County. And they don't have desks or chairs. The public is starting to realize the crisis we're in."

The tax collections from the business profits tax would be distributed on the same state formula that supplies money to the public schools. And that would make more money available for teachers to bargain for salary increases.

Lancaster said Nevada was 22nd or 23rd in the nation in teacher's compensation. "For us to be 23 out of a system that is lousy to begin with, is not something we're happy with."

Starting salary for a teacher in Nevada averages $26,000 compared to $32,000 in California. A teacher in California receives a 15 percent raise upon gaining national board certification. In Nevada there's a 5 percent bonus.

Lancaster said she called Gov. Kenny Guinn Tuesday to inform him the petition was being filed. She said Guinn was "gracious" but she noted he is opposed to the initiative petition. But Lancaster said Guinn is still committed to education.

Guinn has said he doesn't like earmarking tax receipts for specific programs. He said there may be more pressing needs that must be addressed. And he doesn't like the initiative petition to start a program of taxation.

Polling by the union, Lancaster said, shows public backing for the tax plan.

While Guinn and some legislators oppose earmarking the money for special purposes, Lancaster said the public "wants to know where the money is going and it is not going into a bottomless pit."