Economic package: Democrats should be specific on taxes

Voters want specifics from their elected officials. But campaigning politicians are too often reluctant to provide them. Incumbents and challengers alike frequently dodge important issues to avoid responses that might subject them to attacks from the other side and damage their election chances.

Thus it was disappointing that the economic proposals put forth on Monday by legislative Democrats were yet another exercise in play-it-safe politics and question ducking. Here are some of the specifics from Assembly Democrats:

– Expanding the cost-boosting, protectionist Nevada Jobs First program, which gives public works contractors a bidding preference if they hire at least 50 percent of their employees from Nevada, use Nevada materials and drive vehicles registered in Nevada. This sounds great, but might not be so wonderful in practice if it gives high bidders the opportunity to win contracts over low bidders, while inviting neighboring states to impose similar barriers on Nevada companies.

– Providing tax incentives to businesses that make contributions to public colleges.

– Helping businesses obtain demographic and marketing data that are already available if companies want them.

– Undercutting the already-devastated commercial real estate market by offering unused public land and buildings at substantially discounted prices.

– Streamlining and better consolidating the business license application process.

"People are looking for solutions," said Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas. "We can’t create the jobs, but we can get things out of the way or streamline the process."

Fine. But if that’s the case, Democrats should also offer a promise to keep the state’s tax climate as business-friendly as possible, or at least provide a concrete plan for the big tax increases they’ve sought, session after session.

GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval and most of the Legislature’s minority Republicans have said they’ll support extending temporary tax increases, first imposed in 2009, an additional two years through summer 2015. Democrats have made it clear they want more tax dollars to spend. That sounds like an idea worthy of inclusion in an economic agenda. So what taxes will Democrats try to create and increase, and how much money will they remove from the private economy?

"From a revenue standpoint, everything needs to be on the table," likely incoming Assembly Speaker Marcus Conklin, D-Las Vegas, said during the event.

That’s the same, stock answer legislative Democrats have offered the past two elections. And each legislative session, they work behind closed doors for months before making cobbled-together tax plans public near adjournment, limiting public hearings and debate.

Some legislators admit they have to "wait for them to come back from the printers to find out what we passed." Yet we’re surprised when some levies have unintended consequences?

This practice was old 10 years ago.

Enough. Tax plans should get a full public airing in the light of day. If Assembly Democrats want voters to think they’re being upfront about their plans, they need to provide specifics on their tax agenda.

Give us a call. We’ll print ’em.