Editorial: Living for the moment

Tuesday, June 5, 2007 | 6:52 a.m.

The gavel on the 2007 Legislature has landed - with a thud.

Taking their cue from Gov. Jim Gibbons, who focuses on the moment rather than the future, legislators finished their business without elevating the state in either of two priority areas, education and transportation.

Gibbons would not direct anyone's attention toward the immediate years ahead as he spent the session railing against any talk of tax and fee increases. He won, as the Legislature capitulated. And for a few weeks he will be able to bask in the attaboys he'll get from fellow anti-tax, anti-everything Republicans, who would rather do what is politically expedient than do what is right.

But weeks have a tendency to slip by rather quickly and soon it will be 2008 and then 2009, with another legislative session upon us. With another two years having gone by with our K-12 schools languishing at the bottom in national per- student spending, and another two years having elapsed with no real plan to solve our road-building crisis, what will Gibbons be saying then?

We suspect he will not have changed. Despite urgent, growth-related needs, it will be the same old canard: "No tax increases! No fee increases!"

Nevadans who care about education and those who dread their daily commutes through staggering traffic, along with voters tired of Nevada trailing the nation in most public services, represent the best chance for this state to progress in the Gibbons years.

Raising taxes and fees requires a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Legislature. Legislators who have the backbone to stand up to Gibbons are desperately needed. Not because we are thrilled about seeing taxes raised, but because we care about the quality of life here and understand that some sacrifice is required.

In this past session, education spending climbed by $63 million when an increase on the order of $300 million was desperately needed. Borrowing $1 billion for road construction was approved, when the requirement was to close a $5 billion deficit in the state highway fund.

We can continue to live for the moment, but one day it will catch up to us - witness the bitter legislative fight in 2003 to raise taxes after going without increases since 1991.

We cannot continue to be buffaloed by Gibbons-style anti-tax crusaders. Reasonable tax increases are needed each session. Pass them, or watch as our schools, roads and other services decline even more.