Grab Your Wallet, The Tax Man Cometh!

(Annie Black) – In his State of the State Address last week, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak proposed increasing, not decreasing, the current state budget even as the economic ravages of his shutdown orders continue.

Indeed, it was reported today that gaming revenue for 2020 was down 25 percent!

Still, the governor declared that his budget proposal “does not contain any new taxes.”

But note the careful parsing of that statement.  He said there weren’t any “new” taxes.  He decidedly didn’t say anything about raising EXISTING taxes.  And that’s a loophole the left plans to drive right through.

For example, the DMV is seeking a four-year extension of the “temporary” $1 per transaction “technology fee” currently in place, even after blowing a $75 million contract to upgrade its computer system in 2018 with the existing money.

There is nothing so permanent as a “temporary” tax hike.

In addition, as reporter Riley Snyder pointed out…

“(Gov. Sisolak’s) budget actually does call for a tax increase, in the form of requiring a sales and use permit – now a one-time $15 fee – to now be annual, still at $15. Expected to raise $487K per fiscal year if my tired eyes are reading this chart correctly.”

And in case there’s any doubt, I’ll be voting “no” on these.

In any event, the governor doesn’t have the final say.  The Legislature does.  And the tax-and-spend crowd is already preparing to siphon more dough from your pockets.

In fact, Michelle White, the governor’s chief-of-staff, declared the day after the address…

“The governor is going to be working with the Legislature to see if there’s any augmentation or refinements that need to be made as we go forward.”

“Augmentation or refinements”?  Why can’t these people just be honest with Nevadans and call them what they are?

TAX HIKES.

And the Big Government crowd is just getting warmed up.  From a January 20 report by April Corbin Girnus of the Nevada Current…

“Raising revenue is an absolute necessity if Nevada is going to be able to recover and build a state that retains and attracts businesses and new residents,” (Battle Born Progress Executive Director Annette) Magnus said in a statement. “The old days of scraping by on fumes need to come to an end, especially as this pandemic has exposed how overly reliant our state revenue is on tourism industries.”

Nevada State Education Association President Brian Rippet said in a statement that “while there is some good news reflected in Governor Sisolak’s proposed budget, Nevada is still in desperate need of new revenue. Unfortunately, we did not hear about a plan to get us there in tonight’s state of the state address.

The good news is the Democrats don’t have enough votes to get the 2/3 super-majority necessary to pass any tax hikes.

The bad news is there are Republicans in the Legislature who are open to giving Democrats the votes they need to pass tax hikes.

Grab your wallet and watch ‘em like a hawk.  I know I will.

P.S.  If you have anyone who wants to receive my AnnieGrams, please have them sign up at www.AnnieBlack.net or shoot their email address to me at [email protected].  But make sure you have their permission first.

QUOTES OF THE DAY

“The Democrats are so drunk with power, they truly believe that a Biden Executive Order will lower the global temperature and stop the rise of the oceans.” – Stephen Moore

“The teachers’ unions are the single biggest obstacle to black youngsters getting a decent education – and among the biggest donors to the Democrats.” – Thomas Sowell

Annie Black is the Nevada State Assemblywoman representing District 19.  You can get more information by visiting www.electannieblack.com