Nevada Assemblywoman Danielle Gallant’s (R-Clark) recent column criticizing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge completely misses the mark – and worse.
It insults the very voters the Pledge was designed to protect.
She calls it a “weapon for political insiders.” But let’s be honest: the only people who feel “attacked” by the Pledge are politicians who don’t want to be held accountable when they break it.
The Pledge isn’t a tool of political insiders. It’s a promise to the people. Period.
Gallant tries to justify the recent reimposition of a Clark County property tax that was scheduled to sunset, claiming it wasn’t really a tax hike.
That’s like saying if you cancel a subscription but then decide to restart it, your bank account didn’t take a hit.
Of course it did. If the tax was going away – and lawmakers voted to keep it – that’s a tax increase by any honest standard.
A Promise Is a Promise
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge clearly says: “I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”
It doesn’t have fine print. It doesn’t carve out exceptions for “good intentions” or “public safety.”
And it certainly doesn’t say, “unless some lawyer finds a loophole in the statutes.”
And here’s the part Gallant conveniently leaves out: Of the 63 lawmakers in the Nevada Legislature, only five had the courage to vote no on this tax hike.
And of those five, three were Pledge signers.
Those lawmakers didn’t deserve criticism – they deserved applause.
They didn’t just sign the Pledge for campaign points. They honored it when it counted. That’s called integrity.
And in a state where too many politicians talk like Ronald Reagan on the campaign trail but vote like Gavin Newsom once they’re elected, we should be celebrating the ones who actually keep their word.
“Myopic” and “Juvenile”? Hardly.
Gallant stoops to calling the Pledge a product of “myopic” and “juvenile” thinking. That kind of name-calling says more about her argument than it does about the Pledge.
What’s truly short-sighted is believing government can grow, taxes can creep up, and somehow we’ll still have a healthy economy and free citizens.
What’s juvenile is expecting voters to swallow the spin that extending an expiring tax isn’t a tax hike.
What’s immature is signing a pledge, breaking it, and then blaming the people who expect you to keep your word.
The Pledge reflects the adult responsibility of living within your means – something households across Nevada do every day.
If families can tighten their belts and make hard choices, why can’t government?
The “juvenile” label belongs to those who think the solution to every problem is more taxpayer money.
Let’s not forget: it takes real political maturity to say no to pressure, no to emotional manipulation, and yes to the principle of fiscal restraint.
That’s what the Pledge enforces – and that’s exactly why it matters.
Don’t Redefine “Tax Increase”
Gallant argues that since the tax rate doesn’t change and abatements are in place, it’s not technically an increase. That’s legal wordplay – and voters know it.
The only reason this tax still exists is because lawmakers voted to keep it going. If they had done nothing, it would have expired.
Instead, they made an active decision to keep collecting money. That’s not neutral – that’s more money out of taxpayers’ pockets.
She frames it as a vote to “keep 800 cops on the street,” but that’s a false choice.
Conservatives support law enforcement – we just don’t believe the only way to fund it is by keeping an expiring tax alive forever.
Why not cut waste, reprioritize spending, or audit bloated government programs before asking Nevadans to keep paying more?
The Pledge Works – That’s Why Some People Hate It
Gallant claims the Pledge causes infighting.
No. It exposes who’s fighting against taxpayers.
The real problem isn’t the Pledge. It’s politicians who sign it and then look for ways around it. The ones who treat a firm promise like a flexible suggestion.
And let’s not ignore the swipe she takes at critics, accusing them of chasing “clicks, likes, and subscribers.”
That’s elitist nonsense.
The outrage isn’t coming from “political insiders.” It’s coming from real people who are sick and tired of watching their taxes go up while politicians say one thing and do another.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge is one of the last lines of defense between the taxpayer and an ever-growing government.
It isn’t a “weapon.” It’s a spotlight. And that spotlight just showed us who’s willing to stand up and who’s willing to cave.
Three out of the five “no” votes came from Pledge signers. They stood alone. They kept their word.
And they should be recognized not for making the promise – but for honoring it.
If that kind of integrity offends some political operatives or makes other lawmakers uncomfortable, maybe the problem isn’t the Pledge.
Maybe the problem is the politicians who can’t be trusted with one.
