Letter: Anti-tax crowd hard to convince

Saturday, July 5, 2003 | 2:58 a.m.

I agree totally with Brian Greenspun's July 1 column, "Cleaning up the mess." It must be frustrating to have put in the effort he and other members of the Governor's Task Force on Tax Policy did, only to have it essentially ignored by elements of the Legislature. It would be wonderful if the Nevada Supreme Court would direct adoption of its recommendations based on intent, although it is probably too much to suppose it's going to happen that way.

I have used the phrase "pandering to paranoia" to describe the negative efforts of the other newspaper, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and self-serving legislators. A great many citizens don't begin to understand the critical issues affecting our state's future, and our abysmal record on funding many state and human services.

Thus, they respond in the classic me-me-me way to calls for "smaller taxes." God forbid their kid would develop mental illness, their sister be mugged in a public place because of lack of police presence, or their slightly unstable aunt lose her retirement in a bad investment and end up homeless on the street. They would be the first to yowl for state aid or narrowed focus on these problems because it is suddenly their ox who is being gored.

I was involved in management of one of the local chambers for nearly 10 years, and I was always apprehensive that while the more conservative members were by and large wonderful individuals, it was apparent that many resented having to pay anything toward welfare, aid to the indigent, and state regulation of the ethics and methods of their business.

Until this mentality is broken by reality, I fear that the "anti-tax no matter what" crowd is going to be hard to convince of their more subtle social obligation. I can only hope that gaming and responsible businesses decide to put considerable energy into identifying enlightened candidates to run against the recalcitrant crowd in next year's primaries and oust them.

Meanwhile, thanks to Brian Greenspun and key Sun columnists for trying to provide accurate prospective.

RICHARD CONNER