Group: State leaders are loyal to special interests, but not to social causes

Thursday, May 3, 2001 | 11:28 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A group that advocates social causes is complaining that children, senior citizens, the poor and the mentally ill will be hurt by a lack of leadership from Gov. Kenny Guinn and the Legislature.

The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada said today that state leaders are reluctant to discuss an increase in taxes to make up for a $121.5 million shortfall in the state budget. Instead the governor and legislators are looking for ways to slice programs in order to balance the budget.

Bob Fulkerson, state director of the alliance, said the loyalties of the lawmakers and Guinn "are to special interests: gaming construction, mining and business. All of these groups objected to tax increases even though the state desperately needs additional income."

Fulkerson said there should be discussion on such things as a sales tax on services, a luxury tax, a water tax on mining, a business profits tax on big corporations such as Wal-Mart or Bank of America.

"No one except Sen. Joe Neal will talk about the gaming tax and absolutely no one will talk about changing our Constitution to implement a progressive income tax," complained Fulkerson.

The alliance said Nevada spends $1,000 per pupil below the national average and ranks 37th in the nation in per student spending.

Nevada is 47th in the nation in the number of children without health insurance.