It’s halfway point and no new taxes yet

Friday, April 4, 2003 | 9:46 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Legislature reached its halfway point Thursday, having made little progress on its primary issue: taxes.

Legislative leaders, however, seem confident they can finish their business without having to call a special session.

"Relatively, we're right on schedule," Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, said Thursday. "But we have a lot to do. We have aired out the issues. It's time to make decisions."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said it is time to "shift into high gear" to find solutions to the state's budget and revenue problems. He said he did not expect an early agreement on taxes, but had hoped the lawmakers would have approved a "bridge" tax program to get the state through the final three months of this fiscal year.

Traditionally, legislative sessions start slow and the key decisions are made in the final weeks. The Legislature ends June 2.

Perkins pointed out that two major deadlines are approaching. The committees in each house must have their bills approved by April 11 or they die. And then the Assembly and the Senate must pass their bills by April 22 so they get to the other house.

"This will set the table for the rest of the session," Perkins said. "We're pretty much on track."

Some bills are exempt from the deadlines, including budget bills.

The lawmakers are nowhere near an agreement on a tax plan to cover an estimated $700 million shortfall over the next two years. Gov. Kenny Guinn presented his tax plan; Sens. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City and Terry Care, D-Las Vegas, joined to introduce a tax bill; and Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Minden has put forth another proposal.

Assembly Democrats have not unveiled any proposals, but Perkins said there are "a number of options on the table" for the lawmakers to craft a tax plan.

He said his house will not likely approve any bridge proposal that would increase taxes for the next three months.

And for the next two months, the state's lawmakers will be working for free.

The 60th day of the 120-day session signals the end of the $130-a-day pay for lawmakers. They receive $85 a day for expenses for the full 120 days. Those who live more than 50 miles from Carson City get an extra $506 a month housing allowance.

For some, the cutoff of pay is a hardship.

Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, said he won't be able to send any money home to meet mortgage and car payments.

When the Legislature ends, Nolan said, he plays a "lot of catchup" to make up for the loss of a paycheck. He has a real estate license and is a part-time coroner in Clark County.

Nolan sponsored a bill that would pay lawmakers up to $2,000 a month for the final two months of the session to make up for the loss of their income.

Assemblyman Kelvin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas, a management analyst for Clark County, said he used up all his vacation time to serve in the Legislature.

"Not getting any salary for the next two months is going to hurt big time," Atkinson said.

He said while lawmakers often joke about the salary cutoff date, citizens need to understand the sacrifices the lawmakers make.

"Some will say that we knew the sacrifice before we took it. We did, but it doesn't mean this legislative body should not make some attempt to fix it," Atkinson said. "It's wrong and everybody recognizes that."

A freshman lawmaker, Atkinson said the legislative process is "better than he expected." It started slow but the pace has speeded up, he said.

"The days are long but I'm so busy I don't even think about it," he said. "The hours go by so fast."