All the Governor’s
Men
Wait. Are you kidding me?
Anjeanette
Damon of the Las
Vegas Sun recently obtained emails showing that a troika of
lobbyists/power-brokers overruled Gov. Brian Sandoval’s (R&R-Partners)
senior staff on one of the governor’s numerous betrayals of his “no tax hikes”
pledge. This outrageous story shows that
not only are Sandoval’s promises empty, so is his suit.
At
issue is what has become known as the “More Cops” tax increase for Clark
County. Voters approved half the hike in
2004 when Nevada was still in times of plenty.
Indeed, recall that in 2005 tax revenues had come in so much higher than
expected from the 2003 Mother of All Tax Hikes that then-Gov. Kenny Guinn actually
issued tax rebates.
The
deal in 2004 was that the second half of that tax hike had to be approved by
the Legislature in 2013. Clearly, economic
circumstances have changed dramatically since 2004 and there’s no way on God’s
green earth such a tax hike would have been approved today if it came before
voters.
And
yet, Gov. Sandoval, despite his oft-repeated verbal assurances that he would
oppose any and all efforts to increase taxes, ended up not only supporting this
totally uncalled for tax hike, but ultimately called a special session of the
Legislature to get it approved!
Over
the objections, we now find out, of his chief-of-staff and chief policy
advisor.
Why?
Because two lobbyists – Pete Ernaut and
Greg Ferraro - and a political apparatchik, Mike Slanker, overruled them,
that’s why. But don’t worry, it gets
worse.
According
to the story, the email exchange shows Ernaut argued in favor of the governor
breaking his “no tax hikes” pledge because “the police union…was one of the
only public employee unions to support the governor in his last election…” In other words, a political payback.
Hang
on. We still haven’t gotten to the punch-line yet.
“At
the time,” Damon reports, “Sandoval’s senior staff did not know that Ernaut,
president of government affairs at R&R Partners, was a paid lobbyist for
the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, the labor association for
rank-and-file police, which would benefit from more money to hire police
officers.”
Holy
lack of disclosure, Batman! But there’s
still more…
Reportedly
the email exchange in question wasn’t really about whether or not Sandoval
should or shouldn’t support the tax hike. Apparently the governor had already
committed, unbeknownst to his staff, to break his word and back the
increase.
No,
“Sandoval’s top campaign consultant Mike Slanker” was simply trying to figure
out how to spin breaking the governor’s word to the press and the public.
Of
R&R Partners, by R&R Partners, for R&R Partners. It’s the Nevada Way. And a shameful indictment of a governor who’s
proven to be all sizzle and no steak.
First Friday Happy Hour
Citizen
Outreach
and KDWN 720 AM will be hosting the next First Friday Happy Hour on
Friday, September 6 from 5-7 pm. The special VIP guest-of-honor will be
Louisiana State Sen. Elbert Guillory (click here to watch video explaining his party switch from D to R last June). $5
donation requested at the door.
NEW LOCATION! Our First Friday Happy Hour celebration is moving this month to the Blue Martini
in Town Square in Las Vegas. Bahama Breeze was a great venue, but new
management ordered us to ban all photographs, even with smart-phones,
and required us to shove our folks out by 7:00 pm, even if they were
still eating and drinking.
Let's just say that didn't make us very "happy."
Third Thursday Leadership Lunch
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