The Big News
Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar is doing a victory lap over the Delaware Supreme Court’s recent decision making it easier for companies to leave the First State. With TripAdvisor already planning its move to Nevada, Aguilar’s office is trumpeting this as a massive win.
But before we pop the champagne, let’s talk about what this “win” is costing Nevada taxpayers.
Today’s Victory Announcement
In a fresh press release dated February 13, 2025, Aguilar declares:
“Nevada is proving itself as a smart investment for businesses. From our business-friendly laws to our processing improvements and excellent customer service, there are more and more reasons to incorporate here.”
He adds that he’s:
“grateful the Delaware Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing corporations to look for opportunities outside of Delaware.”
The release touts how the Delaware Supreme Court cited Nevada’s own legal brief, noting:
“healthy competition between states allows corporations to make their own value judgments about what corporate governance policy best serves a corporation’s needs.”
But Wait, There’s More: Project Orion
What Aguilar’s Delaware victory lap conveniently glosses over is the massive government expansion already underway. In a separate announcement about “Project Orion,” his office reveals the true scope of their ambitions – and the price tag that comes with it.
The Project Orion documentation boasts that “nearly 560,000 businesses in Nevada manage their state business filings through the SilverFlume Business Portal” and these filings “generate approximately $200 million for the State General Fund annually.”
But here’s the kicker – the 2023 Legislature granted the Secretary of State a whopping $15 million to “improve the SilverFlume experience” and “modernize the system completely.”
The Empire-Building Continues
According to the Project Orion announcement, after “having reached our goal and stabilization to the system, improved call wait times, and eliminated backlogs,” they’re now planning a “full replacement” of the system.
You read that right – after spending millions on improvements, they’re planning to scrap it all and start over.
The Marketing Spin
The Project Orion documentation claims they’re “committed to implementation of a true state-of-the-art modernized system.”
They’re even soliciting feedback from the business community through surveys, because apparently, the best way to stay business-friendly is to create more government programs and paperwork.
Why Companies Already Prefer Nevada
What makes Aguilar’s $15 million spending spree particularly questionable is that Nevada already offers natural advantages over Delaware. Our state provides stronger privacy protections for corporate officers, better liability shields, and significantly lower filing fees.
Unlike Delaware’s costly Court of Chancery system, which can trap businesses in expensive litigation, Nevada’s business courts are more straightforward and cost-effective. We also offer superior protection against hostile takeovers and fewer shareholder disclosure requirements.
The Unnecessary Solution
These built-in advantages – not a fancy government portal – are what attract businesses like TripAdvisor.
Delaware’s complex tax structure and burdensome recordkeeping requirements have been pushing companies to look elsewhere for years. Nevada’s lean, business-friendly environment stands in stark contrast to Delaware’s bureaucratic approach.
Or at least it did, until Project Orion started expanding our own government footprint.
The Real Bottom Line
Here’s what we’re really looking at: Today’s Delaware court victory is being used to justify yesterday’s government expansion.
While Aguilar celebrates poaching corporations from Delaware, Nevada taxpayers are stuck with a $15 million bill for Project Orion – a technology boondoggle that somehow needs even more money for a “full replacement” after supposedly meeting all its goals.
So while Aguilar brags about beating Delaware, keep your eye on your wallet.
Nevada built its business-friendly reputation on minimal government and staying out of the way – not on expensive government portals. Something tells me Project Orion is just the beginning of his grand plans for spending your money to “help” business. After all, there’s already a survey link waiting for your input on how to spend more.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
