Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

jon ralston:

News flash: Sandoval isn’t budging; Democrats need to act

I’m not sure why he had to say it again. But he did.

“I will not trade taxes for anything,” Gov. Brian Sandoval told the conservative Keystone Corp. annual meeting at the Silverton on Tuesday, drawing a reflexive ovation from the attendees. Sandoval said he was tamping down speculation that he might trade his no-tax pledge for education reform, but what he was doing is what he does better than almost anyone: staying on message.

You could sooner turn water to wine, iron to gold, Oscar Goodman into Abstinence Society president than transmute Brian Sandoval into a tax-considering governor. He is immutable.

Sandoval, who talked Tuesday of meeting with Democrats, students and others, may be the best listener in the recent history of the Nevada governor’s office, maybe ever. Yes, Bob Miller was a regular guy who didn’t speak like a politician, and Kenny Guinn was the fellow you’d like to hoist one with.

But Sandoval is, as I’ve said, the Frasier Crane of Nevada politics, with one little exception: When he says, “I’m listening,” he neglects to tell supplicants, whomever they may be, that his no-tax earplugs have been surgically implanted.

And as the (regular) session reaches its halfway point, I say again to those who think his budget is a gimmick-infested, cut-rich catastrophe: Forget Brian Sandoval.

Whether the governor believes the mantra or is just chanting it — and I believe the former — is of no consequence. He is not budging, will not budge, cannot budge.

And he is winning. Why?

Because Democrats, despite their good intentions, have been Keystone Kops in the Legislative Building, falling all over themselves and unable to make any progress toward solving the case. They appear much more dedicated to mindlessly hectoring the governor, telling Nevadans the sky is falling and, most recently, of arguing publicly among themselves about who loves guns more.

Just shoot me.

“We could use a little more of your common-sense approach in Carson City,” Sandoval told the group, a not-so oblique broadside at the Gang of 63. “For eight weeks, they have criticized my plan, and nothing has been presented.”

I watched Sandoval on Tuesday as he first gave interviews to the media and then delivered his speech, extemporaneously, to the Keystoners. He was effortless in both situations. He parried questions from the media about his budget, his veto of Ways and Means Chairwoman Debbie Smith’s schools bill and other issues with the aplomb of a political Zorro. He delivered his message to the appreciative crowd by rote, but not robotically, pausing for effect and selling his talking points on taxes, education reform and economic development.

Unlike Jim Gibbons and even Guinn, Sandoval understands politics is about discipline and that staying on message is half the battle. His approval ratings are not overwhelming — recent polling indicates only about a third of the public thinks he is doing an excellent or good job.

But, folks, he is doing a job. And he is being honest. And people get that.

Democrats have asked for patience, have promised they will have a plan. And, yet, here we are at Day 60 and all we have are wisps of ideas. Bless her heart, Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce has her “tax the world” bills and her head bleeding from banging it against many walls. Sen. Sheila Leslie has her “make the miners pay” ideas.

But these are not solutions that have any chance. And I am starting to believe that the opportunity for real compromise was lost right after the November election when Democratic leaders should have begun reaching out to needed Republicans.

Instead, you have hardened GOP caucuses and instead of wooing, the Democrats are threatening. Threatening rural lawmakers to decimate their communities. Threatening residents that their schools and universities will turn into hellholes. Threatening that they will not let the governor’s budget pass — even though they have no alternative.

Sandoval told reporters covering the speech Tuesday that there “should be a very mature conversation. I don’t think scare tactics should be used.”

Well, I do. So here goes:

The scariest aspect of all of this is not Sandoval’s tax pledges or Democrats’ coy canards. It is the lack of engagement by a public that either gradually or immediately will be struck by a fiscal train wreck that will derail the state’s ability to provide a reasonable education system, robust social safety net and viable physical infrastructure. (I can be on message, too, Governor.)

I don’t hold out much hope that Sandoval will have his ear plugs removed or the Democrats will be honest. But I am even less sanguine that those most affected by what will happen in the next 60 days will make their voices heard.

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