(Roberson for state Senate campaign) – On Saturday, incumbent Nevada State Senator Joyce Woodhouse hosted two town hall meetings as part of a “listening tour” to kick off her re-election bid. Michael Roberson, leading candidate running to unseat the incumbent, posed some questions for Senator Woodhouse, now that it appears she seems willing to hear what voters have to say about her voting record.
“I’m glad that the incumbent senator has picked the Saturday before Easter to find time between her busy schedule as a taxpayer-funded senator and taxpayer-funded public education consultant to hear from those who pay her bills,” stated Michael Roberson. “But where was the tax-and-spend senator when her constituents were strongly opposing massive new tax hikes last session during the worst economic recession in Nevada’s history?”
As Nevada’s unemployment has spiked to all-time records and hundreds of Nevadans continue losing their homes each week to record foreclosure, Senator Woodhouse worked tirelessly to pass record-high tax increases on already recession-torn taxpaying families and small businesses. So, perhaps the incumbent can now answer these following questions:
1) The Las Vegas Review-Journal states that Woodhouse “was paid from the school district’s general fund, which is supported through local and state taxes.” Problem is, Senator Woodhouse voted to raise taxes so she could protect increased spending on programs that directly benefitted her and put cash in her wallet. She claims there is no conflict. How convenient. Why is it not a conflict to tax hardworking families at a higher rate to protect a budget you directly benefit from, Senator?
2) Voters clearly opposed higher taxes and increased spending while we were in the midst of the worst recession in Nevada history. Why didn’t you listen to voters prior to voting to raise their taxes so that you could increase spending beyond the current revenues available?
3) Explain how a nearly 100 percent increase on the jobs tax increases job creation? I know this one will be difficult for somebody who lives off the taxpayers, but clearly you can see that since passing nearly $1 BILLION of increased taxes in 2009, unemployment has only continued to increase in Nevada.
4) Do you believe that tax policy affects private sector investments? In other words, despite empirical evidence showing that higher taxes stifles job creation and economic growth, perhaps it would be a good time to let voters know your position on tax and spend policies in our state.
5) Do you support the bi-partisan SAGE Commission findings – which, if implemented by incumbent Senator Woodhouse and her colleagues – would save the state approximately $2 BILLION by reforming long-term spending obligations? If so, which ones. If you don’t support them – or any of them – why not?
6) Do you believe collective bargaining agreements for public employees should be subject to a vote of the taxpayers – since it is the taxpayers who fund 100 percent of these agreements? If not, why not?
7) Do you believe collective bargaining negotiations for public employees should be subject to open meeting laws in the State of Nevada? If not, why not?
“I appreciate the fact that the incumbent Senator is finally taking time to hear from voters,” continued Roberson, “unfortunate as it may be that she ignored them throughout her entire term as she took more from struggling families to pad her own pocket, regardless of the devastating impact on our economy. Tourism was down, so the incumbent raised taxes on tourists. Does that make sense?
“Jobs were being lost, so the incumbent raised taxes on jobs. Does that make sense? People were losing values on their major assets – like their homes and their automobiles — so the incumbent changes state law to require the DMV to fudge the numbers on the value of your car – so they could collect more from us – while they increase government spending. Does this make sense?
“Nevada taxpayers in the 5th District of Clark County know that the incumbent Senator Joyce Woodhouse has a lot of explaining to do,” concluded Roberson. “It begins on the afternoon before Easter in a year she is desperate to hold on to her title of ‘Senator’ by running for re-election. Struggling taxpayers see through this – especially when the failed tax and spend policies of the incumbent padded her own pocket at our expense.”