Friday, Jan. 17, 2003 | 5:49 a.m.
No one remembers what the governor said after the next day's news coverage. Legislators react immediately after the address somewhere between effervescence and courtesy, depending on party affiliation. But in the heat of the session, the governor's words evaporate as the Gang of 63 pursues three score and three agendas -- some of them even their own and not those of always-ravenous special interests.
This year must be different.
When Gov. Kenny Guinn leaves the podium Monday night, his words must not just echo through the Assembly chamber, they must resonate through every day of Session '03, they must frame The Great Tax Debate in stark terms, they must be regurgitated from Day One to Day 120 by lawmakers and lobbyists as admonitions and guideposts.
This is the governor's moment, his chance to make history, his opportunity to establish a meaningful legacy. And to do so, he must step out of the persona that has served him so well for his three decades-plus in pseudo-public and now actual public life.
Guinn, who will never be confused with The Great Communicator, must summon up an eloquence and vision that reverberates through the Legislative Building and beyond. Guinn, who has reveled for years in his consensus-building skills, must tell lawmakers to either come along or get left behind. And Guinn, who was anointed nearly seven years ago by the power structure he consorted with in private life, must now harness the power of grass-roots -- teachers, parents, activists -- to pound the Gang of 63 into submission by session's end.
It's not that Guinn doesn't know what to say -- it's time to change the tax structure, business must pay more, we need a shade under a billion dollars now (a gross receipts tax and tripling the Business License Tax until the GRT is up and running) and more in Session '05 (taxing professional services, shifting property tax revenue from the locals per Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio and splitting the property tax rolls to get more from businesses).
Or it isn't that he hasn't said most of it before. Listen to what he promised in his first State of the State in 1999:
"Anyone can balance a budget -- you make the cuts, reduce the wish list and just say no ... We must ask ourselves: What is the proper role of government? What services must be provided? What's the most efficient way to provide those services? And what's the best way to pay for them? ... What hangs in the balance is the future success of state government and its commitment to our citizens ... We must meet today's needs today and plan for tomorrow's needs not tomorrow, but today. We must focus on planning, not on responding. We must evaluate not only where we are, but where we want to be."
Alas, the promise of those words has gone unfulfilled for four years. Economic and political considerations have handcuffed Guinn. But now the fetters are off, he will not face voters again and he should be free to be himself.
Talk is cheap, though, as Guinn proved four years ago. Yes, this time he has a 10-figure plan. But the governor needs to show how expensive inaction will be and force those who don't want to cough up to pay a price, whether it's businesses who want to continue their free ride or legislators who only care about a re-election ride.
Oh, yes, the Legislature. Like the governor, I almost forgot about them.
When lawmakers join The Great Tax Debate, after allowing an appointed tax panel to cover their posteriors and equivocating throughout their campaigns, let's hope the re-election imperative doesn't trump thoughtful deliberation (I know, I know, I must be insane).
The Republicans will be fascinating to watch. Raggio appears to be on board, but can he control that caucus of crazies, mavericks and egos? And in the Assembly, Republicans will be torn between Bob Beers' list of possible cuts and their desire not to have the governor kill them in Campaign '04.
At least Beers has some ideas. The Democrats have become the party of mutes who throw stones. Where is their plan? Guinn will leave them ample opportunity to enhance his tax increase and they should take him up on it if they are true to themselves (I know, I know, I'm insane).
Perhaps, though, the Democrats will do what they have done for Guinn's entire tenure: Lie prostrate and hope no one notices them. That has worked well -- they lost a seat in the Senate and hemorrhaged in the Assembly. The Democrats in the Legislature now -- like the party in this state -- stand for nothing because they refuse to stand for anything.
There is some good news. Beyond the partisan posturing and the special interest battle royale (gaming vs. business, big business vs. small business, local governments vs. state government), and beyond the already hackneyed question about what Nevada should look like in five or 10 years, what's heartening is that we are finally after all these years at least talking about The Great Tax Debate.
Now it's up to the governor to lead the conversation. Guinn is a lame duck. But after Monday, something tells me he will look like a man not limping into retirement but striding into history.
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