Yet another costly veto

Friday, June 12, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.

Of all the complex problems that face state government, nothing is more pressing than the need to overhaul Nevada’s antiquated tax structure.

Essential government services, from education to public safety to social services, cannot function properly without a reliable stream of revenue. Yet the Nevada Legislature repeatedly has shown a lack of guts to engineer an overhaul and Gov. Jim Gibbons, with his “no new taxes” mantra, wants to return the state to the Stone Age.

The Legislature this year did manage to pass a resolution to study possible broad-based taxes in time for consideration during the 2011 legislative session, but Gibbons on Tuesday vetoed a separate bill that would have appropriated $500,000 toward the study.

In his veto message for Senate Bill 143, Gibbons said: “We don’t need an expensive study to justify maintaining unsustainable levels of spending by increasing taxes while our citizens struggle to get by. What we do need is responsible government that puts the needs of its citizens above its own wants.”

What the governor conveniently failed to mention — as he has intentionally done repeatedly — is that there are individuals and businesses in Nevada that do not pay their fair share of taxes. Yet these individuals and businesses take advantage of the schools, roads and police services paid for by everyone else.

Where is the “responsible government” in that equation?

We know that broader-based taxes are justified and would go a long way toward maintaining more sustainable levels of funding for state programs. A broader-based revenue stream would be a fairer way to incorporate everyone who lives in Nevada or does business in this state. A study would have helped with the details.

By vetoing SB143 and negating the money for the study, Gibbons demonstrated that he does not believe in fair play when it comes to taxation. Instead, he leaves the impression that he is protecting certain special interests whose leaders do not believe they should pay their fair share of taxes.