Quotes on the Nevada Supreme Court’s refusal to scrap its tax decision

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003 | 8:56 a.m.

What Gov. Kenny Guinn and others are saying about the state Supreme Court's ruling Wednesday upholding its earlier decision to lift the Legislature's two-thirds' majority voting requirement on taxes:

"Ultimately, the tax package passed with the required two-thirds' majority. I respect the Supreme Court and the sitting justices. I believe today's action should be bring closure to this matter." - Gov. Guinn.

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"I'm disappointed in the fact that the court didn't vacate its first decision. I just don't see how we can have conditional constitutional requirements. The (Nevada) constitution is the constitution. I just think the decision is wrong. My understanding is that it says the first decision is not precedent-setting, that the two-thirds' requirement still applies. But I just don't buy that." - Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville.

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"The decision is what I expected. It clarified the earlier ruling to a great extent, and reemphasized that it would be limited to special circumstances, and that as a result of the Legislature's action is now moot. Notwithstanding the earlier opinion, the Legislature acted in accord with the supermajority requirement. ... I fully support the two-thirds' majority requirement." - Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno.

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"The application of this decision to future Legislatures is extremely unlikely. In order for this decision to be relevant, it would require an identical set of facts and circumstances to that which existed in 2003. For now, we remain appreciative that the Legislature fulfilled their Constitutional obligation, and that they did this by a two-thirds majority." - Attorney General Brian Sandoval.

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"I continue to support the constitutional mandate, twice approved by over 70 percent of Nevada's voters, requiring a two-thirds' vote to raise taxes on Nevada's hardworking families. It is unfortunate that Nevada's Supreme Court does not." - U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev.

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"From my travels in the past couple of weeks, voters are paying attention and are angry that the court has ordered the constitution to be violated. They consider it a dangerous form of lawlessness." - Assemblyman Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas.