(Todd Taxpayer Bailey) – It’s been just over a week since Assemblyman Pat Hickey’s Town Hall Forum at the Nevada Legislature, and we finally figured out what the participants really meant. All too often in politics it’s not what they say, it’s what they didn’t say.
Norm Dianda – Construction Industry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMAvFH67zDA
What he said: “There is no sense of urgency in government.”
What he didn’t say: “If you worked for me, you’d all be fired, and the business closed.”
Danny Thompson – AFL-CIO Union Boss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYs0epvW-K8
What he said: “Collective Bargaining has nothing to do with the state’s problems.”
What he didn’t say: “Unions own this state, you Tea Party Republicans can suck eggs.”
Senator Michael Roberson – Las Vegas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlroLieZdDY
What he said: “It amazing how much Danny Thompson knows that is not true.”
What he didn’t say: “Unions own this state, but I’m not going to suck your egg.”
Tray Abney – Reno Chamber of Commerce http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxLseq4o0cM
What he said: “Government is struggling because business is struggling.”
What he didn’t say: “We’ll support taxes if it doesn’t hit us; Payroll Tax sucks.”
Bob Fulkerson – Progressive Leadership Alliance Nevada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYIkHC7gNww
What he said: “Taxes are a contribution to something bigger than we are
individually.”
What he didn’t say: “We’ll be happy when Nevada is a one-party, socialist state.”
David Humke – Washoe County Commissioner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC9V8A30OXo
What he said: “The state is taking our cash, our goats, our sheep—that’s easy.”
What he didn’t say: “We’re doing the real, heavy lifting on the tough decisions.”
Dr. Heath Morrison – Superintendent Washoe County School District http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNywrSZUOUw
What he said: “We have a reform, data driven, strategic, education plan.”
What he didn’t say: “We need a billion dollar tax increase, no data required.”
Jim Pfrommer – Washoe Education Alliance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3vWf2-8CSE
What he said: “I’m one of you, I’m not a lobbyist, I’m not a politician.”
What he didn’t say: “Washoe County School District gave us $400,000 to develop a political excuse for raising taxes by a billion dollars, violating WCSD Policy 1310.”
Assemblyman Cresent Hardy – Las Vegas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBJ8yrfJSYg
What he said: “Nevada has changed with this new population, government dependent.”
What he did say: “Many members of the Nevada Legislature is even more government dependent.”
Carole Vilardo – Nevada Taxpayers Association http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h13_D0ylY_0
What she said: ‘If someone is standing behind a tree smiling, they got away without paying the tax.”
What she didn’t say: “I see smiles on gaming, mining, unions, and establishment lobbyists.”
Professor Elliot Parker – UNR Business Economics Department http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m08EDBauE4
What he said: “When Milton Glick passed away, Nevada’s average IQ dropped.”
What he didn’t say: ” Excuse me while I use someone’s death for political purposes and leverage.”
Claire Andriola – Association of Builders Contractors (non-union) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCtVYUTe5wk
What she said: “Prevailing wage is so high, it scares businesses away from Nevada.”
What she didn’t say: “Unions are pushing laws that will keep our members unemployed.”
Assemblyman Ira Hansen District 32 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmLttuqRMPM
What he said: “Trail lawyers are making millions off of construction defect lawsuits.”
What he didn’t say: “Trail lawyers in the Nevada Legislature are self-serving sluts.”
Neil Medina – Northern Nevada Contractor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd1hMS1fcPI
What he said: “We do not spend money we don’t have.”
What he didn’t say: “You tax-and-spend liberals want a piece of me? See if you can find one.”
Geoffrey Lawrence – Nevada Policy Research Institute http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaY7YC7GlaE
What he said: “Automatic, across the board pay raises every year are not accountable.”
What he didn’t say: “Sorry about all the facts, I know you don’t use them to create laws.”
Assemblywoman Debbie Smith – Washoe District 30 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erl_cnx0J74
What she said: “We have cut and will cut; I’m very much about efficiency and consolidation.”
What she didn’t say: “I’m going to keep trying to raise taxes, just not sure which ones yet.”
Heidi Gansert – Chief of Staff to the Governor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPDgIHDq7fc
What she said: “We have to hold the line on taxes, and allow this recovery to continue.”
What she didn’t say: “We have to hold the line on taxes, we were not lying to the voters. Sorry.”
Mary Lau – Retail Association of Nevada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1tsx2LFUqo
What she said: “Too often I’ve heard the same things here, for 10 years.”
What she didn’t say: “You people are not fooling anybody. Stop it.”
Assemblyman Pat Hickey – Washoe District 25 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odf9NCvWINk
What he said: “Democrats killed all reforms, so Republicans have nowhere to go. No New Taxes.”
What he didn’t say: “Don’t hold me to that statement.”
Chuck Muth – Citizen Outreach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaUH3a6xOXw
What he said: “Government needs to do less, with less.”
What he didn’t say: “I know many of you are tone deaf at the Legislature, so I will only speak for two minutes.”
Former Senator Randolph Townsend – Gaming Commissioner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KWV-VYdO28
What he said: “We need to have an adult dialogue.”
What he didn’t say: “I’d like to use my 5 minutes to lecture the freshman legislators for 15 minutes.”
It’s never what people say, it’s what people don’t say that you need to be aware of. Be sure to hang on to your wallet while they are talking.
(Todd Taxpayer Bailey is publisher of The Capitol Chronicle.)
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