SILVER STATE CONFIDENTIAL 04/06/2015

PUTTING LIPSTICK ON SANDOVAL’S PIG Defenders of Gov. Brian SandRINOval’s indefensible gross revenue Business License Tax (BLT) insist isn’t the same as the teachers’ union’s gross revenue margins tax, both of which would tax businesses depending upon their gross revenue. Storey County Commissioner Lance Gilman, also director of the Tahoe Regional Industrial Center, ain’t buying the snake-oil sales pitch.  “I don’t care if you put lipstick on a pig,” he told the Las Vegas Sun, “but the governor’s bill is going to smack of a recreation of” the teachers’ union’s margins tax. And any Republican who votes for it should be drawn and quartered. By the way, don’t forget to sign our Ax the Tax online petition at www.AxTheTaxNow.com. GOP MUTANT TAX HIKERS Although sponsored by Democrat Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, don’t be surprised if some Assembly Republicans support the former Speaker’s new-and-unimproved “Fun Tax” proposal this session.  If passed, the Fun Tax – which Kirkpatrick disingenuously refers to as a “Luxury Discretionary Spending Tax” – would jack up the cost of attending both the Electric Daisy Carnival in Clark County and the Burning Man Festival in Washoe County.  NASCAR fans would also be smashed with the tax, as would nightclub and poolside day club goers at Nevada resorts. And while attending GOVERNMENT-sponsored events – such as UNLV basketball and UNR football games – would be exempt from Kirkpatrick’s Fun Tax, baseball fans heading out to catch a Las Vegas 51’s or Reno Aces’ game would be socked.  As would folks going to boxing matches or attending the annual National Finals Rodeo. You see, if you go to any of these events, you’re indulging yourself in a “luxury” in Ms. Kirkpatrick’s mind, and spending “discretionary” money that the government could put to better use on your behalf. Any Republican who goes along with this should be drawn and quartered. RALSTON RANTS So, Jon Ralston – Nevada’s #2 liberal blogger-with-a-taxpayer-subsidized-TV-show, claims that Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun “spiked” a column Ralston wrote about Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid two years ago.  Greenspun denies the accusation and says Jon’s full of flapdoodle.   Why do I doubt the disgruntled ex-employee’s version, especially since it took Jon more than two years to finally publish the allegedly spiked column on his own blog, as well his habit of never missing an opportunity to bite a hand that fed him? DUMB AND DUMBER SB421 would change Nevada’s presidential caucus system to a primary election that could be held as early as January and include all of the state’s elected positions.  That means legislative candidates flooding your mailboxes with “hit” pieces slamming their opponent right along with Christmas and Kwanzaa cards. The change would also mean the cost of selecting the Republican and Democrat party nominees would be paid for by the state’s taxpayers instead of the major parties.  This is a truly dumb idea being sold as a way to “increase voter participation.” Look, if voters can’t be bothered to show up at a caucus meeting and participate actively, not passively, in the candidate selection process, then they’re not serious and shouldn’t be taken as such. Worse, they’re probably part of that portion of the electorate known as “low information voters.”  Please explain to me how the republic in strengthened by boosting the number or ill-informed and uninformed voters.  The only thing dumber than SB421 is SB499, a bill allowing voters who do not belong to a major political party to vote for who the party’s nominee should be.  This is like allowing members of the KKK to vote in NAACP elections.  In addition, the bill would throw all candidates, regardless of political affiliation, onto the same ballot and the top two finishers would go to the general election.  Which means in many districts the general election would likely feature one Democrat against another Democrat regardless of whether or not a Republican filed to run for the seat. Any Republican who votes for this bill ought to be drawn and quartered. And then there’s SB433, a bill that would ban early voting on Sundays.  Now, I’ve long opposed early voting; however, if you’re gonna do it, then why in the world would you ban early voting on the one day of the week when most people are off of work? And, um, duh…this is Vegas.  We are not the Bible belt.  Plus, if your religious beliefs don’t lend themselves to voting on Sundays, don’t vote on Sundays.  But why should one person’s religious beliefs be forced upon someone else?  Hello? FAMOUS LAST WORDS “The government shouldn’t have to do more with less.  It should do less with less.” – Chuck Muth HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Silver State Confidential is an email newsletter on Nevada politics, public policy and current events published (usually) daily by Chuck Muth, Nevada's #1 Renegade Conservative and the man voted "Most Likely to Irritate Liberals!"  Click on the link below for subscription information…