Yesterday afternoon, Citizen Outreach emailed the following letter to every candidate from all parties who have filed to run for a Nevada legislative seat:
Dear Candidate,
As you probably know, the Nevada Legislature raised over a billion dollars worth of taxes in the 2009 session despite being in the midst of the worst recession in our state’s history. The bulk of those taxes expired on June 30, 2011.
However, the Legislature and Gov. Brian Sandoval agreed to re-impose about $620 million worth of those expired taxes – including a doubling of the business license fee and a huge increase in the payroll tax large employers are forced to pay for every person they hire. Those taxes are, once again, scheduled to expire on June 30, 2013.
However, last week Gov. Sandoval announced that he intends to again break his word to Nevada’s citizens by once again extending the sunsets – this time likely making them permanent. And Sen. Michael Roberson, who hopes to become the next Senate Republican leader, has broken his word, as well, and has endorsed the governor’s plan to raise these taxes again in the next legislative session.
Meanwhile, despite Gov. Sandoval’s and Sen. Roberson’s flip-flop, a number of Democrats and special interests are nevertheless clamoring for even HIGHER taxes beyond the extension of the “sunsets.”
With that in mind, Citizen Outreach is inviting you to take a firm, WRITTEN stand against any further extension of the “temporary” 2009 tax hikes, as well as any and all other efforts to increase taxes should you be elected to the Nevada Legislature by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
“Politicians often run for office saying they won’t raise taxes, but then quickly turn their backs on the taxpayer,” writes Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and “father” of the Tax Pledge. “The idea of the Pledge is simple enough: Make them put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing.”
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge has been a part of American political campaigns all across the country for over 25 years now. At this time, all of the remaining Republican candidates for President, 41 United States senators, 238 Members of Congress and over 1,100 state legislators have signed the Pledge, which, for state legislators reads:
“I, (insert name), pledge to the taxpayer of (district #) district of the state of Nevada and all the people of this state that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”
That’s it. Short and sweet.
Citizen Outreach will once again be publicizing a list of candidates who have and who have not signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge this election cycle. You and voters are able to access the up-to-date list at http://citizenoutreach.com/2012TaxPledge
If you, as a Nevada state legislative candidate, would like to take a firm stand against the Sandoval/Roberson sunset extension, as well as any and all other efforts to increase taxes, you can download a copy of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge here: http://atr.org/userfiles/StatePledge.pdf
After you have signed your Pledge and had it witnessed, please forward a copy as follows:
FAX to: (702) 664-0900
Or scan and email to: Chuck@CitizenOutreach.com
We’ll keep you posted as to which candidates sign and return their Pledges…as well as which ones don’t.
