Sandoval Confirms Conservatives’ Worst Fears About Him

“In addition to avoiding further cuts to education, this decision means there will be no need for tax increases in the next session,” Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval said on Tuesday. “Nevadans will pay no more than they are in the current biennium.”

The “decision” the governor was referencing was his decision to make permanent some $620 million worth of “temporary” tax hikes passed in 2009 that were supposed to expire on June 30, 2011…only to be jacked up again on July 1, 2011 by the governor and Legislature.

The new “temporary” tax hike was supposed to expire on June 30, 2013. Now, if the governor gets his way, taxes will go back up by some $620 million yet again on July 1, 2013 – which makes the governor’s claim so disingenuous, if not outright dishonest.

No, Nevadans won’t be paying more on July 1, 2013 than they’ll be paying on June 30, 2013…but they ARE paying $620 million more in taxes than we were on June 30, 2009 – when we were told the tax hikes would only be “temporary” – and $620 million more than we were supposed to be paying on July 1, 2011.

And among those tax hikes was a doubling of the penalty/tribute business owners in Nevada are forced to pay to the government for the “privilege” of generating tax revenue and hiring workers. Worse, thanks to the worst Secretary of State in Nevada history, Ross Miller, that business license fine/fee – which went from $100 to $200 – is now being shoved down the throats of small, part-time home-based businesses.

The whole thing stinks. And being lied to by saying that “there will be no need for tax increases in the next session” when $620 million worth of taxes that were supposed to go away will automatically be added to the budget is nothing short of adding insult to injury.

Hard Lesson: NO politician’s word, even that of a former federal judge, can ever be trusted. This is why campaign promises MUST be put in writing to have ANY chance of getting ANY politician to keep them. And this is why having candidates sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is so critical in campaigns.