THE GOVERNOR:

Session’s savior in his own eyes

Gibbons wants credit for stamping tax hike down, but fellow Republicans refuse to go along

Sam Morris / FILE

By J. Patrick Coolican (contact), David McGrath Schwartz (contact)

Friday, June 5, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Reader poll

Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas

Archive of Sun politics stories

Leaving door cracked for state tax overhaul (6-2-09)
Tax hike, vetoes and economic woes define session (6-2-09)
State falls $550 million short in funding governor's budget (5-1-2009)
To be clear, Gibbons is against tax increase (5-1-2009)
In Henderson, Gibbons reiterates his anti-tax stance (5-1-2009)
Gibbons to propose more salary cuts, says he'll veto tax hikes (4-30-2009)
Lawmakers eye county dough (4-30-2009)
Team Gibbons unveils new motto (4-17-2009)

Gov. Jim Gibbons was roundly dismissed Thursday by fellow Republicans who say he played no role in their effort to limit the tax increase approved over his veto.

Lawmakers say Gibbons was not an active participant in the Legislature, which adjourned this week.

In an interview Thursday with the Las Vegas Sun, Gibbons referred to the Democratic-led tax increase as “a job-killing, economy-crushing insult to working families,” a phrase he has used repeatedly in recent days following the close of the legislative session Monday.

At the same time, he took credit for limiting the size of the tax increase to $781 million over two years.

“Had there not been an obstacle to their penchant to spend on everything they wanted, that tax would be much higher,” Gibbons said.

Senate Republicans, a majority of whom supported the tax hike, say they disagree with Gibbons’ version of events.

Asked about Gibbons’ statement, state Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas, sounded baffled: “I don’t quite understand that statement. I don’t understand what he means by that,” Hardy said.

“We made it clear, absolutely clear, we weren’t going to go over a certain level of taxes, and that it would sunset,” he said. “That victory resides with Senate Republicans.”

Republicans say they drove a hard bargain with Democrats, but had the leverage to do so because the Nevada Constitution requires tax increases to pass with a two-thirds supermajority. Gibbons’ veto threat was therefore empty because the two-thirds needed to override was the same number required to pass any tax hike. Two Republican senators had to join the 12 Democrats to reach the two-thirds threshold in the 21-member Senate.

Open disagreement with a sitting governor of one’s own party is unusual, but it has become routine with Gibbons, who is one of the most isolated and least popular governors in Nevada history, according to legislators, lobbyists and public polling.

Job Well Done?

Poisoning the Process?

Gibbons’ record number of vetoes were overridden at a record pace, too, because he could not persuade Republicans to stick with him.

When told Senate Republicans disagreed with his version of his role in the tax debate, Gibbons dismissed the assertion.

“They would have found a way to increase taxes, selling off some other concession to get a vote,” he said. “They would have negotiated someone’s vote for a tax increase, a special-interest bill or pork bill that someone wanted,” he said.

Gibbons, however, did not explain how his veto threat forced the outcome when a two-thirds vote was needed to pass the tax hike.

As it is, he said, legislators “sold their votes for special-interest legislation.” He did not provide specific examples.

Gibbons also took credit for changes to the public employee benefit and retirement systems, which will reduce the state’s long-term fiscal liabilities.

“We’re the ones who initiated PEBP and PERS reform,” he said, referring to the state’s benefit and pension programs. “It was the SAGE (Spending and Government Efficiency) Commission that initiated that. How do you get that Sen. Raggio was the father of that?” he said, referring to Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno.

Gibbons had made recommendations for curtailing PERS and PEBP, but they were dismissed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike as too draconian. Nor were calls for changes to the systems new or novel — conservatives have been calling for reform for years.

Record-Breaking Session

Gibbons lashed out at his old allies in the business community. When he was asked about the support for the tax increase by the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, gaming and mining, Gibbons asked why they supported it.

Business interests said the Legislature had cut as much from the budget as it could and said further cuts would damage important programs.

Gibbons: “That’s not what they told me. They joined only because they were afraid if they didn’t, their taxes would be a lot higher.”

He said of the Chamber: “I’m telling you, when they see these new taxes come down to their members — and I talk to their members — their members are going to be dramatically impacted and very upset that the Chamber, who’s supposed to represent them, sold them down the river.”

Republican operatives say they have a mission and are pursuing it aggressively: Dump Gibbons.

Raggio, who has been in the upper chamber for more than three decades, declined to be directly critical of Gibbons.

“I’m a big believer if you don’t care who gets the credit, you get a lot done.”

He did say, however, that Senate Republicans — two of whom were needed for a tax increase — set the ceiling on taxes and required that they sunset. Senate Republicans won concessions on public employee and retiree health and pension benefits, while changing the collective bargaining process for local public employees to give local government more leverage, he said.

“We put back into the governor’s budget what was essential,” Raggio said.

Chuck Muth, a conservative activist, said Gibbons “did a terrible job.”

For most of the session, Gibbons did not reach out to Republican Party leadership, conservative activists or the public to sell his budget.

“There’s no excuse, policywise, not to communicate better with the Legislature and citizens at-large,” Muth said of Gibbons’ performance. “He rarely did that except for late last month, when he went on the road,” Muth said, referring to a series of town-hall-style sessions, mostly in rural Nevada.

As for Gibbons’ claim that he kept the tax increase low, Muth said, “That’s pure (bunk). The only reason the tax hike wasn’t larger was because Senate Republican leadership put an artificial cap on it.”

Still, Muth said, Gibbons’ flurry of vetoes over the spending and tax package at the end could redeem him. “Now he’s competitive again, at least in a Republican primary,” he said.

Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, dismissed Gibbons. “We chose to govern responsibly,” she said. “Common sense prevailed.”

Discussion: 20 comments so far…

By Fccfirstclass

6/5/09 at 4:38 a.m.

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Zero, a legend in his own mind.

He should give back his total salary since 2006.
By scherf_com

6/5/09 at 6:29 a.m.

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GIBBONS STOOD UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT:
Not like jelly-fish hidden-internal Democrat Nolan, Gibbons stood up for what is right. Gibbons vetoes over the past few weeks were all the correct moves.

In the end, Nevada needs to come to its senses and the next Governor needs to be one who is a true leader and who has international experience/background and who makes new alliances with "sister cities" to bring more visitors to Las Vegas and Nevada in general. Then the new Governor needs to take firm stands on social issues so that things don't go even more down the toilet as they currently do.
The new Governor will need to be someone who can promote our State effectively and "harvest" new businesses to come to Nevada like as a recent premier example Jim Jannard and his Red project and companies. The new Governor does not need to be afraid of catering to California companies and business folks who pay outrageous taxes there and receive hardly any benefits. Nevada is a great place to visit, to live in and to conduct business here with so many benefits.
A new Governor will need to get the State back on the map again and bring changes so that we have again a true business-friendly environment and that Nevada remains the State of unlimited opportunity.

But Gibbons did the right thing with all the vetoes over the past few weeks. Too bad that these didn't hold up, but this shows you how much renewal and a breath of fresh air this State needs. A lot of change is needed to make Nevada #1 in the world and to keep it that way.
By DMCVegas

6/5/09 at 7:26 a.m.

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Even fellow Republicans are disagreeing with Gibbons. Face it, he's done nothing proactive at all. Rather than work with both Republicans and Democrats alike to try and come up with a viable solution for the state, he instead skipped work, and only came back to stamp "VETO" on all the paperwork handed to him. That's not leadership, or working towards a solution.

Maybe if Jim Gibbons spent more time studying politics rather than chasing tail, he would have done a better job.
By lassen122

6/5/09 at 7:28 a.m.

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Gibbons is a idiot, he blames the dems on the tax increase, while in his own original budget, he had over $200 million in increases. Then he forgets that the majority of republicans joined with the dems to not only override his irrelevant leadership, but to do what was right. It was pure bi-partisianship, not just dems....he is a moron.
By 2zero

6/5/09 at 7:46 a.m.

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Is it just me or does Gibbons remind anyone else of Frank Burns from the TV show MASH?
By ksand99

6/5/09 at 8:18 a.m.

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The only "obstacle" in the way of a larger tax increase was Barbara Buckley's gubernatorial ambition. Gibbons has finally revealed himself as truly delusional... a legend in his own mind.

More like a book with no pages...

He surrendered his real power when he failed to engage the Legislature toward a real solution. Had he engaged them, the results could have been drastically different. As it stands, his incompetence and self-imposed irrelevence were the best thing to happen to the Legislature in years. They got everything passed, had plenty of time to override Gibbons' vetoes, and even adjourned early... can't remember the last time that happened.

The Legislature succeeded in spite of Gibbons and his poor leadership.
By Teaser

6/5/09 at 8:19 a.m.

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Why are people so quick to pat Gibbons on the back for holding the line on taxes? I can coach a 4-year-old to say "no taxes, cut budgets!" If we put the 4-year-old in office, maybe we'd actually see some progress.
By mywallet700

6/5/09 at 8:29 a.m.

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Any Republican who claims victory because giant liberal tax hikes have "sunsets" is an idiot. Have you ever seen a tax actually "sunset"? No. Why? Because once taxes are in place they never go away, someone always finds a way to keep them around. Sen. Hardy and the other RINOs need to stop lying to themselves and the people.
By fred

6/5/09 at 8:51 a.m.

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"The only "obstacle" in the way of a larger tax increase was Barbara Buckley's gubernatorial ambition."

Couldn't agree more. Buckley act more like a Republican than the Democratic leader that we elected her to be. Nevada needs a comprehensive tax reform, not another round of band aid measures that push off the real weaknesses of our state's tax structure for another two two years. This was a missed opportunity to fix the many problems that plague this state, and the Democrats just kicked the can further down the road. As a registered Democrat I cannot vote for Buckley in the coming Gubernatorial primaries due to the fact that she shows no signs of actually being a Democrat.

Let's hope we can survive the next two years.
By OpenRange

6/5/09 at 10:18 a.m.

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"Putting on the Ritz!" (Young Frankenstein - 1974)
By Pug_nation

6/5/09 at 11:01 a.m.

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Jim Gibbons is a complete idiot..Its seems to me this dimwit is very close to following the trail of a certain Illinois Governor.
By didactic

6/5/09 at 11:45 a.m.

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The Governor is a "legend in his own mind."

Could anyone have been less engaged in the legislative process than Gibbons? The Republicans and the Democrats in the Legislature were forced to provide the leadership that Gibbons abdicated.

Now the Governor's office has failed to send a state representaive to the High Speed Train conference in DC, the only state not represented.

How incompetent is his administration?

The Gibbons will never be elected to public office again no matter what revisionist history he claims. Gibbons should enjoy his forced retirement, more time for his too public social life.
By Bertsos

6/5/09 at 3 p.m.

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Gibbons can only appeal to the libertarian portion of the republican party.

Running on one stance: "NO NEW TAXES"......well, hell, the GOP could have run a pet rock and said the pet rock won't raise taxes either, neither would a 2X4 or a duck or a big horn sheep......not a one would raise taxes......and the pet rock, the 2X4, the duck or the big horn don't have any more ideas for Nevada than Gibbons has.

Gibbons is done in 2012 and off to retirement with his cronies in Elko County.
By ShannonK

6/5/09 at 3:34 p.m.

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Oh, yes, 2zero, definitely Frank Burns. What a weasel.
By Harley

6/5/09 at 5:04 p.m.

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Our 'savior' will be the one that criminalizes taxation.
By mred

6/5/09 at 10:28 p.m.

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He went on the "Hukkleberry" show on Fox TV Sunday, where Huckabee stroked GOV Zero, These kooks feed on each other, Hannity interviews Limpbow, O'Really interviews Gingrich, someone interviews Dick Morris, etc. and former Gov. Huckleberry interviews Gov 0.
Two local talk radio kooks, one in Reno in the afternoon and the shouter in Vegas during morning drive, are big Gov 0 kiss-ups, and the Gov. feeds on that attention while remaining isolated from rational thinking people.
By darkhorse

6/6/09 at 6:06 a.m.

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I think Gibbons is ready for the funny farm. He gives his staff raises and expects all other State employees to take cuts. That is all you need to know about this mans character.
By art_bell

6/6/09 at 6:06 a.m.

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Just how much more can we take of this innept, corrupt, womanizing, homophobic moron?? as a long time Nevada resident, this clown is a DEEP DEEP dissapointment! Only the extreme righties love this man!
By gmag39

6/6/09 at 3:52 p.m.

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I can imagine Gym Gibbins' visage might be frightening to children.
And, to women after dark.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons

6/6/09 at 4:02 p.m.

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Technically the threat of a veto would have given a little more power to the Republicans since they would have to vote twice on the matter.

The second time Raggio could have used the opportunity to extract extra concessions from the Democrats - he did not, allowing the veto to be overridden just 5 hours later.

Harley, my two favorite government ideas right now are 1) Have politicians pay the taxes and 2) create a government body whose job is to repeal laws by a mere 1/3rd vote.