(Gardnerville, NV) – March 15, 2012 – Jim Wheeler, Republican candidate for State Assembly District 39, released the following statement regarding Governor Brian Sandoval’s announcement proposing yet another renewal of the 2009 “temporary” tax increases. These taxes were to expire by law in 2011, before they were renewed during the 2011 Legislative Session, to expire in 2013. The Governor now proposes a new tax-bill extending them out to 2015.
I strongly oppose the $620 Million tax increase the Governor is proposing in his newest budget. A little over a year ago, we were told we needed these taxes in order to offset possible lawsuits against the State of Nevada by her counties. Now that the lawsuits have not materialized, we are being told we need this tax for education. Sadly, there’s always an excuse to raise the taxes of Nevadans. Until this nonsense stops, Nevada will likely remain #1 in unemployment, bankruptcies and mortgage foreclosures. Americans for Tax Reform recently reported that in 2011, forty-five (45) states reduced spending rather than raise taxes. Only five states raised taxes: New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, and Nevada. In the first four states, the Democrats controlled each house, senate, and governor’s office. Only in Nevada were taxes raised, by a Republican governor.
Renewing a tax scheduled to sunset is a new tax. I opposed these taxes in 2009 and 2011, and I will vote against them in 2013 if elected to represent Assembly District 39.
As our Governor said during his election campaign two years ago, “You don’t raise taxes in a recession.” Candidate Sandoval was correct then and his former view continues to be 100% accurate today. In my opinion, and I’m confident the majority of Assembly District 39 constituents agree, we can’t get out of a recession with government spending. We can get out of the recession by growing our tax base, not adding more taxes. We first added these taxes in the 2009 Legislative Session with a sunset in 2011. We added them again through 2013, and now the Governor wants to add them a third time. Adding a sales tax and a large payroll tax inhibits the ability of citizens to spend and discourages employers from hiring new workers. Sadly, this anchors Nevada’s economy as the worst-performing in the United States.
It also pains me greatly that the presumed leader of the Senate Republican Caucus, Senator Michael Roberson, would sign-on to this increase. It is even worse that he would try to ‘spin’ the deal by pretending it is not a new tax, desperately attempting to let himself out of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge he signed. He opposed this tax last time and to keep his pledge he should oppose it again this time.
In truth, I believe the Senate Republican leadership is trying very hard to ‘move to the center’ in the false hope that it will somehow help them win a majority in the upcoming election. However, it is my belief our candidates can only win the majority by standing up for our own principles, not by emulating the failed policies of our opponents, the Democrats. Those in the Republican Party who attempt to rationalize the reasons given for this unneeded tax increase are simply not thinking clearly.
Jim Wheeler is a candidate for the State Assembly in District 39. He is a true conservative who believes in the Constitution and its principles. He firmly believes that a representative should vote consistent with their constituents’ wishes.
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
RSS