Las Vegas Sun

November 14, 2009

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Letter: Don’t pile tax on top of tax

Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003 | 8:50 a.m.

A few years ago when Nevada was poised to reap a bushel of money from tobacco industry fines, Gov. Kenny Guinn created the Millennium Scholarship program to help Nevada high school students attend Nevada colleges.

Prior to the windfall, thousands of our high school graduates attended our colleges.

Today, thanks in part to the Millennium Scholarship program, many more students attend our colleges.

My son will take advantage of the tobacco industry's gift next fall. Members of our Assembly Ways and Means Committee are trying to determine when the windfall will cease to exist.

They have hinted that taxpayers pick up the tab when it runs out, which is estimated at $25 million to $30 million a year. Say what?

They want taxpayers to replace funds from tobacco companies that are used to fund scholarships at tax-supported schools?

In other words, the committee wants to pile another tax on top of the tax we already pay to support the state colleges and universities.

Our current taxes already support those institutions.

Any elected official who believes new taxes should be levied to make up for the lost gift is not acting in the best interest of the state, the taxpayers or the students.

MIKE MILLER

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