(Michael Chamberlain/Nevada Business Coalition) – Think you’re taxed enough already? Well, one of the leading business groups in Las Vegas doesn’t happen to agree.
Yesterday, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce announced that it would support higher taxes during this session of the Legislature.
As the headline on an article by the Las Vegas Sun’s David McGrath Schwartz screams “Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce: ‘Additional tax revenue may be necessary’”.
The story links a letter sent by the Chamber, which, interestingly enough, quotes an inflated budget deficit figure that has been rejected by all but the most ardent big government advocates. In addition, much of the letter focuses on repeating the claims of impending doom advanced by the education establishment, whose purpose is to preserve the failing status quo while receiving even more money to do so.
Sure, the Chamber tried to tie their support to a series of “reforms” but this set is even weaker than that requested by Assembly Republicans. It’s also certain to be the starting point for the other side to begin watering down and chipping away at during any “negotiations”. The only way to ensure that higher taxes are not the first item on the menu is to take them off the table completely.
Thousands of businesses in this state are teetering on the brink and hundreds of thousands of Nevadans are out of work. Yet the largest business group in the state is prepared to give in on an issue that could make that situation even worse.
The Nevada Business Coalition, however, is not. We believe our government and our systems of education need reform, not more money. We will protect our state’s businesses against higher taxes and excessive regulation, not trade them for illusory “reforms.”
(Michael Chamberlain is Executive Director of Nevada Business Coalition.)
