Letter: Take time to examine state tax initiatives

Friday, Feb. 17, 2006 | 12:30 p.m.

The voters of Nevada have begun their nonpartisan battle over control of runaway taxes. The people's weapons are bundled together in the three initiatives presently in circulation for signatures. The developers' tools include campaign donations and attempts to divide the voters by tying the initiatives to political parties.

Sharron Angle, Republican state assemblywoman and candidate for U.S. Congress, proposed the "Property Tax Restraint Petition"; Bob Beers, Republican state senator and candidate for governor, proposed the tax and spend control petition (TASC); while fallout from a U.S. Supreme Court's decision prompted the eminent domain petition.

The opponents are largely defined as those who rely on bloated government budgets for funding and include the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and public employee unions in addition to many elected and appointed bureaucrats. The public should carefully analyze the many "news releases" and advertisements emanating from these groups and ask who actually made the proffered decisions. The members' opportunity to agree or disagree with the group decision should not hinder their courage to vote their convictions.

The objectives of these three initiatives is to continue government taxes and spending at established rates, with essential adjustments for inflation and population changes, and to protect property from usurious actions.

Richard E. Law, Las Vegas