Editorial: On being childish …

Friday, June 13, 2003 | 5:26 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: June 15, 2003

The best chance for some headway on a tax bill that would have raised $867 million failed Wednesday in the Senate -- the victim of more childish behavior. Without discussing it with his colleagues, Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, inserted an amendment into the bill that would have allowed small casinos that sell rooms on a time-share basis to relocate while keeping their gaming licenses. The amendment was supported by Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, who two years ago sold his interest in such a business to friends of his.

The tax bill had passed in committee with the necessary two-thirds majority but when Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, discovered Schneider's amendment hidden in it -- an amendment that could have led to the proliferation of neighborhood casinos -- the full Senate rejected it. And the tax bill returned to limbo. Once again, a pet personal agenda overshadowed the needs of the state.

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