Democrats Plan to Get a Plan

(Victor Joecks/NPRI) – In the Army, they say that “A plan beats no plan,” but I don’t think this is what they meant.

Speaker John Oceguera said Tuesday that the Assembly will have a tax debate sometime after early May, whether or not he has the two-thirds votes necessary to raise taxes.

“We will have a revenue discussion … There will be a discussion on revenue whether there is two-thirds or not,” Oceguera told the Las Vegas Sun. “At some point we need to stand up and ask Republicans, ‘Is this really the state you want?’ ” …

Oceguera said he will wait until after May 2, when the Economic Forum, a group of five business leaders, sets official spending projections. …

Oceguera said there is no secret tax plan.

Yep, Assembly Democrats now have a plan to get a plan in six weeks.

First, if someone ever says Nevada needs longer sessions or annual sessions, please remind him of this. By their actions, Assembly Democrats are making the case that Nevada’s sessions are too long.

Second, this should put to rest any accusations that Gov. Brian Sandoval, Republicans or believers in limited government aren’t “willing to have a conversation,” because they won’t support tax increases. Sandoval has a budget plan and believers in limited government — like, shameless plug, NPRI — have many ideas to limit spending and spend the money we have more effectively.

Nevada’s liberal politicians have … Bueller? Bueller? Oh, wait — they have a plan … to get a plan. How could I forget?

If you’re going to accuse someone of not wanting to have a conversation, you should at least have something to say.

Third, Democrats probably do have a (secret) tax plan. Horsford wanted to raise $1.5 billion in taxes last summer. They just don’t want you to know about it, à la the end of the 2009 Legislative Session.

By not releasing their plan publicly, Democrats are likely trying to avoid the political opposition a specific tax-hiking proposal would bring.

That means that to stop a tax hike, believers in limited government must remain vigilant and lawmakers who are opposed to job-killing tax increases must stand their ground.

And those lawmakers won’t be alone. More than 680,000 people voted for a no-new-taxes candidate for governor in 2010.