Democrats Identify “Key” Republicans Who Might Vote For Taxes
CARSON CITY – The Nevada State Democratic Party today called for Nevadans to press nine GOP “key legislators” to vote for new taxes.
Democrats are urging Nevadans to email these nine Republican legislators, saying that “grassroots action will turn the tide, but it will only happen if you participate.”
The list included four Senators and five Assemblymen. To override a veto from Gov. Brian Sandoval, who has said numerous times he will veto any new tax, three Republican Senators and two Republican Assembly members would have to join all Democratic legislators in voting for a tax.
“We think it’s important that these folks hear from their constituents, not just fellow legislators and lobbyists,” said Speaker John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas.
Many Republicans on the list have already been identified by advocacy groups and political commentators.
Representatives from the governor’s office were quick to condemn the letter.
“This letter is nothing more than a letter of desperation,” said Dale Erquiaga, senior adviser to Sandoval. “It’s clear the Democratic majority do not have the votes to pass a tax increase.”
Republicans in the Assembly earlier released a list of reforms that they hope Democrats will pass. Only after the reforms pass will they consider voting for extending $626 million in taxes passed during 2009 that are due to expire June 30. Those sunsetting taxes are part of a $1.2 billion Democratic tax plan that includes a new tax on services and a new business “margin” tax.
In the message today, Democrats say theirs is a “balanced approach” that restores harmful budget cuts to education and social services while also giving the state a more stable tax base.
For Republicans, the approach is more about reforms they can convince Democrats to pass.
“My attitude from the get go was: they give us substantial reforms, we give them sunsets,” said Assemblyman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks. “They’re not new taxes … That’s our negotiating point.”
Lobbyists in the legislative building also called the Democrats’ move “desperate,” speculating that if Democrats had the votes they needed, they would keep mum about who those legislators were.
Democrats, however, say budget negotiations about government reforms and taxes are proceeding.
“Conversations with legislative Republicans are productive and ongoing,” Oceguera said.
But Hansen and other Republicans have said the reforms proposed so far are not enough.
“I don’t think there’s any chance they’ll [the reforms] meet anyone’s price,” said Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, who earlier said on the political television program “Face To Face” that all lawmakers have a price for voting for raising taxes.
Both Hansen and Kieckhefer are on the Democrats’ list.
That did not surprise Kieckhefer.
“People have considered me a swing vote on taxes since the day I announced my candidacy for office,” Kieckhefer said.
Another Republican on the list, Sen. Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, said he is already receiving emails about taxes and the budget.
“I don’t mind hearing from people,” he said. “That doesn’t bother me.”
The full list and letter are here.
- Brian Sandoval
- Carson City
- Advocacy
- Assembly
- Business
- carson
- City
- Dale Erquiaga
- day
- Democratic
- democrats
- giving
- GOP
- Government
- Hearing
- hope
- ira
- Ira Hansen
- JOIN
- Members
- Mind
- Nevada
- new
- new business
- News
- party
- Political
- program
- Program:
- Republican
- Republicans
- senators
- senior
- Services
- social services
- state
- Swing
- tax
- Taxes
- television
- vote
- Voting
- Education
- lawmakers