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Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010 | 10:18 a.m.
Sun Coverage
Gov. Jim Gibbons attacked a plan being pushed by fellow Republicans Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio and gubernatorial rival Brian Sandoval to have the state lease back its buildings in exchange for an up-front, immediate cash payment from private investors.
“Nevada will end up paying rent and other expenses for the buildings,” Gibbons said in a campaign press release that called it an "impulsive" idea. “Sandoval’s lack of leadership experience is clearly showing.”
Sandoval's campaign responded with its own press release Friday, saying Sandoval's plan to close the gap was preferable to Gibbons' plan.
"I believe the vast majority of Nevadans will think my idea is better than raising more than $100 million in new taxes, laying off thousands of teachers and cutting vital programs for foster children, mental health patients and senior citizens," according to the statement.
Raggio proposed the idea during a legislative meeting Thursday in Carson City, crediting Sandoval.
While Raggio and Gibbons have never had a close relationship -- during the last legislative session, they barely spoke -- Nevada's longest serving senator has, until now, told critics to "respect the office."
It now appears relations are openly hostile.
Gibbons has attacked the Legislature for its 2009 tax increase, which Raggio supported. Raggio on Thursday responded by saying that if Gibbons really thought the higher taxes caused the state's problems, he would propose to repeal them.
Gibbons, in his press release today, referred to ex-judge Sandoval as "Raggio's law partner." Sandoval has taken a job with the influential law firm Jones Vargas, where Raggio is a partner. Gibbons, meanwhile, has found that campaign money has dried up, as the establishment abandonded him after giving him its backing four years ago.
Gibbons includes raising $50 million for the state from reducing the deductions that mining companies can take. The mining tax is split between the state and counties, so $100 million in additional mining taxes would have to be raised for the state to get what Gibbons spelled out.
Conservative tax watchdogs and the mining industry have called it a tax increase. Gibbons has said it is not. Instead, he called it a clarification of the deductions.
Sandoval has proposed his own plan to balance the state's budget, which includes taking $100 million from Clark County construction funds to pay for school operating costs. His plan also includes cuts for state workers, teachers and university employees and some cuts to operations. Sandoval has said that he did not want to raise taxes and did not want to borrow money.
It's unclear how the plan to leverage state buildings to raise money is different from borrowing.
Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid, the only Democrat in the race, has yet to release how he would specifically deal with the shortfall, other than to say he opposed the cuts to education and would not raise taxes.
"lease back its buildings in exchange for an up-front, immediate cash payment"
Why can't they just say the word "Sell"
They want to sell state buildings to make payroll
tbvegas,
Yep.
Sounds like a Patrick R. Gibbons plan, doesn't it?
I must say, I thought Sandoval was going to be a good, sound, centrist candidate. WRONG! Just another pretty-boy Puppet candidate.
He hopped right into bed with Raggio, too. YIKES! I think that alone makes him unelectable... but, this IS Nevada, which elected our current "Education Governor", Gym Gibbons.
And STILL no Rory sightings... still waiting for that neck-transplant to heal, I guess. Couldn't he at least put out a statement made up by a speechwriter? Isn't that what pol's do?
We need SOMEONE SANE to step to the fore and rescue the state from itself.
Any takers?
We've had enough "takers". I've been putting my positions out here since January 13th, when I announced.
The other "candidates" can hide all they want.
Please bother to read my positions. Read them multiple times, if need be.
Awful idea. I never thought I would say it but I prefer Gibbons over Sandoval. Gibbons is a total jerk but at least has better fiscal policies.
Sandoval no bueno for Nevada
Estoy de acuerdo, Nick.
Just raise taxes on people making over $250k, if they don't like it let them go to the Libertarian "less government is better" paradise of Haiti.
Fact: A few weeks after Sandoval granted summary judgment [assigned] 160 acres of my land onto Don Laughlin's BWD corporations, he resigned as federal judge to become governor.
Now, he wants to lease State buildings to his private accomplices, to ballance a budget?
He is more fool than I thought! What State buildings; leased onto which private investors???
Is it month to month; year to year; or, century 21 onto century 22?
Gibbons & others in Congress affirmed to me that 86% of Nevada land is federally owned, managed by the BLM, & Sandoval knows it, yet he blunders off Raggio's peddyness.
After I have Sandoval's summary judgment reversed, I will reveal the secret that every NV politician should know, but cleverly hides.
gmag, this is America, speak english for gods sake.
Mr. Sandavol wants to lease back the State assests rather than call upon mining, gaming a few other Nevada industries to shoulder a share of the revenue shortfall.
When he quit his $175,000 a year Judge job, he went to work for the Jones Vargas law firm of which Senator Raggio is a senior partner. The same law firm represents, through various firm partners, the mining industry, gaming industry, oil and gas industry, and the banking industry. Mr. Sandavol would rather lease back taxpayer assets (kick the can down the road) rather than have his clients pay their fair share of their obligation to educate the State's children. The revenue shortfall was created in large part by Mr. Sandavol's clients through their many years of lobbying through the his law firm and others.
Adopting Mr. Sandavol's and his law firm's proposal is akin to getting the job done for the industries his firm represents in the legislature in one felled swoop.
I know I won't be voting for Sandoval, or Gibbons and the thoughts of another Reid in office, in charge of the well being of our state, just scares me to death, so who's left?