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IS IT TIME TO GO FOR BROKE WITH TABOR “TAX-PAYER BILL of RIGHTS”, PROP 13 “CAP OUR TAXES CALIFORNIA STYLE”, AND CFR “CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM”? — I THINK SO. 

by Ken Mahal, NSC President
Originally published on  June 9, 2005 - reprinted with permission

 By now you should have heard about TABOR which is popular in Colorado where monies proposed to be spent by the government are limited to prior years spending plus population growth plus inflation. Anything beyond that would be refunded to the tax payers, although government can ask voter for permission to spend the surplus. Not a bad idea for Nevada and it should be done now considering the way this 2005 session and the 2003 one went. In the 2003 session when the governor insisted on the $833 million tax increase and the legislature approved it even after state advisors predicted there was going to be a double digit increase of present taxes so new taxes weren’t needed. That should have told people it was time to take charge of the spendthrifts in Carson City but we didn’t do it and now look at what has happened in 2005 with at least a $600 million surplus after a 45% spending increase. It really should be obvious that we cannot trust them to themselves once they confer in Carson City.
NEVADA PROP 13 is a California style real-estate tax cap, where existing properties are capped at some agreed upon date and remain that way with a rate set at 1% of market value and limited to a 2% increase per year. When the property is sold it is reassessed to market value. At our June 9th meeting Sharron Angle of the legislature will have explained all of that to us so that we are thoroughly informed and prepared for the petition drive after the first of September when it is OK to do so. This has proved to be a blessing in California and the only way long term they have found a way for people to be able to afford to stay in their homes.
It is unfortunate we are being forced to consider such a proposal all because our Clark County Commissioners and city Council’s and Mayors of our four cities have let ourselves be savaged by developers who are not paying their way so growth is not paying for growth; a great thought of a few seconds some 15 ears back. Growth is killing us in spite of what the commissioners and a certain mayor may have to say. Almost every year the worst spender, the SNWA, comes out with another 2 or 3 billion more to spend and that is only one entity of government. Then there are the roads, gas, electric, sewer, police, fire, primary secondary schools, libraries, health care like UMC, UNLV and on and on. Is it any wonder none of us can keep track of our cost of life. As a matter of fact it might not be only our cost of food or prescription drugs but also whether we can afford to live or die and the proper day to leave this heaven or hell on earth we live in. What a way to feel about our existence. Well let’s not dwell on it and just drive home with our eyes closed. Can’t be any worse than I see all of the time when my eyes are open.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM (CFR)
We might as well throw every thing in the pot and see what comes to the top. After this present session of the legislature it has convinced me more than ever we should do the finance reform that I came up with several years back with the help of our good friend Dr. Larry Paulson and a few comments by friend Knight Allen. If you look at the way money flies into the pockets of most politicians it makes you sick. I remember it is but a very few years when $17,000 was enough for a campaign and now it seems to be so much more than that that no one can understand why it costs more in any given election than most of us will save to retire on in a life time. Disgusting isn’t it? So what can we do in campaign finance reform that makes sense? Easy just make the money for a district run come out of that district and keep the carpet baggers out.

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