Even failed initiatives do something

The conservative businessman surprised many people when he filed a pair of ballot initiatives this year, one that sought to raise the top tier of the gross gambling tax to 9 percent, the other giving the Legislature the power to raise the net proceeds of minerals tax to 9 percent, as well.

Miller didn’t mince words about his motivation: He wasn’t pleased that the gambling and mining industries were resisting taxes that singled out their enterprises while at the same time advocating for a broad-based tax that would hit all Nevada businesses.

He said as much recently, telling the Las Vegas Sun that he’d consider dropping his initiatives if the gambling and mining industries agreed not to support the broad-based business tax the AFL-CIO may push.

And now, Miller says, his work here is done.

“In the past two months it has become apparent that the Nevada AFL-CIO has failed to attract broad-based support for a ballot initiative to create a business margins or income tax,” Miller said in a statement. “While it is uncertain whether the Nevada AFL-CIO will move forward with a business margins or income tax, I am now confident that if they do move forward they will not have the broad-based support they need to win voter approval.”

In other words, message sent — don’t step out of line, casinos or mining, lest you get your own taxes raised!

It probably didn’t hurt that the casino industry had succeeded in getting Miller’s gambling tax initiative stricken in court and that he’d have had to start over from the beginning. Nor was he likely discouraged by word that the Nevada State Education Association had decided not to back the AFL-CIO’s tax initiative, even though the money would be earmarked for education.

Miller, in his statement, cited Gov. Brian Sandoval’s concession that he’d like to extend through the next biennium temporary taxes scheduled to sunset as proof that more taxes weren’t needed. But AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Treasurer Danny Thompson has said putting off the sunsets would only buttress the status quo.

Thompson insists that his union will qualify its petition, even without the support of the teacher union, the gambling industry or mining.

Miller also cited the “leadership” of state Sen. Michael Roberson, who issued a statement Tuesday denouncing ballot initiatives that seek to raise taxes. “If we are going to stop Nevada from becoming another California, the Nevada Legislature must be willing to openly discuss the tough issues of taxation and spending. I am committed to leading that discussion in the Nevada Legislature. Rather that relying on ballot initiatives to replace the hard, but necessary work of legislating, I call on my fellow legislators to join me in discussing and debating tax and spending policy now and throughout the next legislative session.”

Oh, P.S. He’s totally against “any form of a job-killing income tax on Nevada businesses.” OK, ready for that great debate now?

Of course not. The reason Thompson is contemplating an initiative is because the Legislature has consistently failed to have an honest debate on taxes (or spending, for that matter). Every two years, lawmakers arrive with bold speeches. Four months later, they end up cobbling together a status-quo budget that falls short of even the most modest expectations. Using taxation as a threat, Miller has silenced two industries that had been willing to support a broad-based tax.

Spoiler alert: Unless Thompson’s initiative qualifies, expect another status quo session in 2013.

And for Monte Miller, that’s mission accomplished.

 

Steve Sebelius is a Review-Journal political columnist and author of the blog SlashPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter (@SteveSebelius) or reach him at 387-5276 or SSebelius@reviewjournal.com.