Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Letter: Regretting vote for supermajority

WEEKEND EDITION

July 20, 2003

I owe an apology to the children of Clark County. I am one of the thousands of citizens who voted for Jim Gibbons' initiative that amended the state constitution to require a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Legislature in order for tax increases to be approved.

I am sorry, kids. I had no idea that the bill could be used in the destructive manner that it has been. A handful of right-wing recalcitrants now have a legal right to destroy majority rule in our state government.

If we can get Gibbons' initiative back before the voters again I believe the outcome would be markedly different. Now we know what they will do. There is no give-and-take negotiation any more. Now it's take and take more, probably from the lobbyists for big businesses.

I am ashamed that I bought into this fiasco. I have to face my grandchildren now and tell them this is partly my fault.

LARRY PHILLIPS

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