Nevada's Freedom Budget: Why tax increases aren't necessary in NV
Geoffrey Lawrence, fiscal policy analyst at the Nevada Policy Research Institute, has just released a line-by-line budget for Nevada based on priorities and principle. Total cost: $5.1 billion. That's more than $1 billion less than the governor's proposed budget.
Read it for yourself. Or, if you're busy (or lazy), there's always the press release.
The Economic Forum meets tomorrow and is widely expected to project lower tax collections over the next two years than previously anticipated. The calls for tax increases are just beginning.
From Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford:"I don't think any of us want to raise any taxes, especially in this down economy where businesses and individuals are really struggling to survive," Horsford said.
No, Majority Leader Horford, you don't have to raise $600 to $700 million in new taxes. And here's the budget to prove it.
"That said, we have to raise $600 to $700 million of new revenue just to fund the governor's budget, which includes 6 percent cuts to teachers and state workers, elimination of health benefits for retirees, basically dismantling higher education because of 38 percent cuts, not to mention the impact to K-12 education."
With more tax dollars Nevada's politicians will continue to fund their pet, well-intentioned but poorly performing projects.
