I’ve heard that Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford – unable to budge even a single Senate Republican from their pledge not to vote to raise taxes – is now trying to cut deals, Harry Reid-style, with some Assembly Republicans, promising them all manner of taxpayer-funded goodies for their districts in return for their votes to extend the 2009 tax hikes.
Horsford’s reportedly telling people he’s happy to dole out a couple hundred-million dollars worth of earmarked pork for targeted Assembly Republicans if that’s the only way to get over a billion dollars worth of new taxes approved – including an extension of the $800 million worth of tax hikes from 2009 which will sunset in June.
Apparently, Horsford thinks a strong bi-partisan vote for higher taxes in the Assembly would put pressure on Senate Republicans to similarly stab Gov. Sandoval in the heart and give him the votes he needs to raise taxes, as well as override a certain gubernatorial veto.
And by the way, make no mistake, ANY vote to extend the sunsetted tax hikes will be a vote to raise taxes. It will NOT be a revenue-neutral vote, no matter how hard some are trying to “spin” it otherwise.
That $800 million-plus worth of tax hikes was sold to taxpayers in 2009 as temporary. They were approved ONLY because they were scheduled to go away in June 2011. Any Republican vote to extend them is a vote to raise taxes and an invitation for a GOP primary challenge next year.
Plain. Simple. Period.
