A Campaign of Ideas – Taxes and How They Will Be Decided
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
In an earlier posts we identified a plan for outlining ideas for dealing with the issues related to taxation matters for the 2011 Nevada Legislative session. That plan involved this framework for consideration (with each aspect to be covered in greater depth over future blog posts…)
While we haven’t gotten to the second consideration regarding “How Much” this news account in the Las Vegas Sun appeared today (August 27, 2009) prompting the idea that perhaps a timely post on the process for deciding taxes would be more appropriate.
As related in the Las Vegas Sun article, legislative leadership is convinced that not only do taxes need to be increased during the 2011 Legislative session, groundwork needs to be established now to form the pillars for how the super-structure of a more far reaching taxation system can be adopted. Senate Majority leader Steven Horsford is making no secret of the agenda he believes is needed. It is a continued theme from that which played itself out in the 2009 Nevada Legislature, where the state budget’s spending authority was increased and taxes were increased by a billion dollars.
The thinking of those who believe they are in charge of Nevada’s future is that Nevada government cannot be constrained in its revenue desires. Legislators cannot be expected to increase state spending levels with nearly automatic provisions for double-digit rates of increase. As is pointed out in this Las Vegas Review Journal editorial for August 27th, state bureaucrats and other government employees are also part of the philosophy of entitlement further stimulating the non-quenchable quest for more.
The original thoughts of discussion on the “How Should Taxes Be Decided” were oriented to advocating for an open process involving policy actions from appropriate legislative committees – as opposed to the system used in the 2009 Nevada Legislature…
Now it appears the concept is to hire a consultant who will come up with the predetermined package of vision and funding mechanics to present for a formal “slam-dunk” during the 2011 Legislative process.
The People Of Nevada Need To Weigh In:
The 2010 election is continuing to shape up to be a critical decision point where the future of our state and country will be determined. If those who wish to further expand the system of an unlimited government (state and national) are empowered by enough legislative horsepower to carry out this mission of no-limits expansion – the individual and the private sector will be further trampled into subservience.
Standing up to this onslaught requires voters to cast their 2010 ballots with a conviction of purpose that those who wish to represent us cannot be of the attitude that further increased spending and taxes is acceptable. Responsible limits for government’s reach need to be clearly established. Spending allocations must be in line with identified, defined priorities, recognizing that not everything on which legislators would like to spend taxpayer money is “essential”.
Creating a tax structure which knows no limits and is unconstrained by economic hard-times is unrealistic as well as inappropriate. Nevada government cannot be allowed to consider itself an end to itself with no connection to economic reality or limitations of the authority to extract from the taxpaying public all that it wishes to have.
We need to hold representatives who have spent and taxed in such a fashion already accountable, throwing them out of office. Those entering the 2011 Nevada Legislature (and also going to Washington D.C. in 2011) must recognize that the “change” we are interested in is government living within its boundaries and within our means.
In an earlier posts we identified a plan for outlining ideas for dealing with the issues related to taxation matters for the 2011 Nevada Legislative session. That plan involved this framework for consideration (with each aspect to be covered in greater depth over future blog posts…)
- What type of taxes?
- How Much?
- What will the process be for deciding?
While we haven’t gotten to the second consideration regarding “How Much” this news account in the Las Vegas Sun appeared today (August 27, 2009) prompting the idea that perhaps a timely post on the process for deciding taxes would be more appropriate.
As related in the Las Vegas Sun article, legislative leadership is convinced that not only do taxes need to be increased during the 2011 Legislative session, groundwork needs to be established now to form the pillars for how the super-structure of a more far reaching taxation system can be adopted. Senate Majority leader Steven Horsford is making no secret of the agenda he believes is needed. It is a continued theme from that which played itself out in the 2009 Nevada Legislature, where the state budget’s spending authority was increased and taxes were increased by a billion dollars.
The thinking of those who believe they are in charge of Nevada’s future is that Nevada government cannot be constrained in its revenue desires. Legislators cannot be expected to increase state spending levels with nearly automatic provisions for double-digit rates of increase. As is pointed out in this Las Vegas Review Journal editorial for August 27th, state bureaucrats and other government employees are also part of the philosophy of entitlement further stimulating the non-quenchable quest for more.
The original thoughts of discussion on the “How Should Taxes Be Decided” were oriented to advocating for an open process involving policy actions from appropriate legislative committees – as opposed to the system used in the 2009 Nevada Legislature…
- a select few legislators meeting behind closed doors;
- determining the outcome of what would be the amount and methods of taxation; and,
- holding sham “hearings” either in combined committee sessions with no specific legislation to address or “committee’s of the whole” which provide almost no opportunity for public participation
Now it appears the concept is to hire a consultant who will come up with the predetermined package of vision and funding mechanics to present for a formal “slam-dunk” during the 2011 Legislative process.
The People Of Nevada Need To Weigh In:
The 2010 election is continuing to shape up to be a critical decision point where the future of our state and country will be determined. If those who wish to further expand the system of an unlimited government (state and national) are empowered by enough legislative horsepower to carry out this mission of no-limits expansion – the individual and the private sector will be further trampled into subservience.
Standing up to this onslaught requires voters to cast their 2010 ballots with a conviction of purpose that those who wish to represent us cannot be of the attitude that further increased spending and taxes is acceptable. Responsible limits for government’s reach need to be clearly established. Spending allocations must be in line with identified, defined priorities, recognizing that not everything on which legislators would like to spend taxpayer money is “essential”.
Creating a tax structure which knows no limits and is unconstrained by economic hard-times is unrealistic as well as inappropriate. Nevada government cannot be allowed to consider itself an end to itself with no connection to economic reality or limitations of the authority to extract from the taxpaying public all that it wishes to have.
We need to hold representatives who have spent and taxed in such a fashion already accountable, throwing them out of office. Those entering the 2011 Nevada Legislature (and also going to Washington D.C. in 2011) must recognize that the “change” we are interested in is government living within its boundaries and within our means.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 8/27/2009 9:03 AM 
Categories: 2010 Elections
Tags: Nevada Taxes State Budget
Categories: 2010 Elections
Tags: Nevada Taxes State Budget
Comments