Ray Hagar of the Reno Gazette-Journal takes a look at the final days of the regular season for the 2011 Nevada Legislature and the budget road blocks that may send it into overtime, including these Muth’s Truths about potential tax hike votes from Republicans:
Chuck Muth, a conservative pundit and blogger from Las Vegas, is concerned that enough Republicans will join the Democrats to get the two-thirds voting requirement to passes taxes and override Sandoval’s veto.
“I have always believed that they will get the two-thirds they need in the Assembly,” Muth said. “That is a foregone conclusion. All they have to do is offer them a bag of magic beans, and they (the Democrats) will get the two Republicans they need in the Assembly.
“The problem is in the Senate; if they can get three or not,” Muth said. “I have always believed that it would be possible to get (Sen. Joe) Hardy and Sen. Dean Rhoads because Hardy is a liberal Republican and Rhoads is term-limited. Everybody thought that (Sen. Ben) Kieckhefer might (be) soft, and he would be the third.
“But (Minority Leader Mike) McGinness voted twice this week to raises fees or taxes,” Muth said, referring to a bill to collect added fees for justice courts and to extend taxes for the Southern Nevada Water Authority that were set to expire.
“The third vote in the Senate is critical, and I think McGinness will hold (on large tax bills).”
It truly is all up to Senate Republicans on whether or not the ’09 sunsetted tax hikes get extended. Assembly Republicans are useless and irrelevant at this point…as they have made themselves since Day One.
As for the Democrats new Haircut & Tips Tax or their Gross Receipts Tax 2.0, forget it. Both are DOA in both Houses thanks to united GOP opposition.
It’s all about the sunsets. Most Republicans will hold. Those who don’t will likely enjoy spirited primary challenges next year. Nothing like a good RINO-culling after a tax vote.
