The Real Deal

Earlier this month, Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun shocked us... Not with his expected column opposing The Education Initiative (TEI), but with his assertion that LVGEA's gawd-awful Whitney Houston lip sync is somehow praiseworthy.

Queue today's Las Vegas Sun editorial on this year's ballot questions. While The Sun makes good points on Questions 1 & 2, it again ventures off to Neverland in search of a cohesive opinion on Question 3.

The solution is one we’ve already seen developing: Business groups are banding together and finding ways to fix the situation. They plan to come to the Legislature with a plan that will better fund education in a way that won’t break the backs of small businesses.

That’s what should happen and that’s the best way to go. This is a discussion for the Legislature, and seeing businesses involved in the process is encouraging. The bottom line is Question 3 is bad policy and would be disastrous for the state, especially when businesses are ready and willing to work with the Legislature to find a better way forward.

Here we go again with "The Deal". What is "The Deal"? What's in "The Deal" for our kids? And why can't we know how "The Deal" is being made? Maybe this is because "The Deal" is like all the other past "deals" that have gone nowhere?

As we've said before, why are we now to believe the very forces who have always fought against any kind of meaningful progressive tax reform suddenly want to give us "The Deal"? What have they ever done to earn our trust?

Think about this: They're spending millions on their campaign to defeat a mere 2% tax on $1,000,000+ of corporate income. If they're spending so much to defeat this at the ballot box, what makes us think they'll agree next year to any kind of tax reform that makes them pay something closer to their fair share?

So "Deal or No Deal"? Actually, how about we settle for The Real Deal?

No "Deal", No Mirage, No Dilemma

We had a feeling this was coming. In his "Sunday Column" yesterday, Jon Ralston moaned about the difficult choice he has regarding Question 3. Dare we say the typically very opinionated pundit hasn't yet made up his mind?

We understand this is difficult for him. He wants to believe. He wants to believe the Governor & Legislature will magically reach "The Deal" that Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun alluded to in his column announcing his opposition to The Education Initiative (TEI). If we just give the "bid'ness establishment" just a little more time to "bring everyone together", can't we all just get along and praise the glorious arrival of "The Deal"?

However, Ralston has seen this same s--tshow play out so many times that he can sense "The Deal" is just a mirage. And when we say mirage here, we're not talking about the Strip casino resort with the volcano.

There's a reason why the very "bid'ness establishment" that's promising to usher in "The Deal" is spending so much to kill TEI. Every time anyone has suggested some kind of comprehensive and progressive tax reform, it's gone in to kill reform. Not even then Governor Kenny Guinn (R) could succeed at that front in 2003.

So why are we to believe "this time will be different"? And why are we to believe this time they will actually behave differently? We don't even know what's in this "Deal". And to be completely honest, we don't know if there will ever be a real "Deal".

However, we have the real deal on our ballot now. The No on 3 campaign offers a beautiful mirage of a miraculous "deal". But as with all mirages, this one is simply an illusion. Even Ralston seems to understand this.

As we've said before, our choice on Question 3 truly comes down to this: Something or nothing. We can either agree to the real deal for Nevada schools by saying yes to Question 3, or we can just say no and eventually realize there's no deal behind "Door No on 3".

We understand this may actually be a dilemma for Ralston and some other Nevada voters. Why must we be stuck with this decision? Why must we have to decide tax policy at the ballot box?

We just don't see this as a dilemma any more. That's because we're sick and tired of being offered nothing but enticing mirages and ficitious "deals" by the Carson City "bid'ness establishment". We want the real deal, and we now know exactly how to achieve it.

Why "TEA Party, Inc." Fears "T Word" Honesty

(They did it again. Of course, they did it again! They're the powers that be who happen to run the state's largest [absolute embarrassment of a] "newspaper". Today, they published another in-house anti-TEI ad. But this time, they posted it on the front page and right under a story boasting about how much money the No on 3 campaign has raised!

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

So we figured today is the perfect day to take a trip down the Nevada Progressive archives and back to June 2012. Let's review why we now have Question 3 on our fall ballot. Let's examine the truth behind the lies being propagated by opponents of The Education Initiative. And let's remember how this whole Question 3 campaign began.)

As we noted yesterday, the corporate margin tax is finally going live. And already, it's making a big splash. And already, the radical right is making noise on how "dangerous" this is.



The usual "tea party" suspects are kicking up the scare tactics. Who knew a simple margin tax, a tax proposal that some progressives complain doesn't go far enough[, could be so damned frightening?] That's why I had a good laugh when I saw NPRI's hand wringing, and why I then rejoiced when I saw Sebring's rebuttal of NPRI's fearmongering at The Nevada View.

Anti-tax reform groups, like NPRI, feeling like they have duped and confused middle class citizens go on to state that “research shows there’s little to no correlation between $ and student achievement.” The facts are not on their side though. As the Student-Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) project and the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) project have shown, “Research concentrating on class size is important because the findings have largely concluded that smaller class size leads to increases in student achievement, helps to close the minority-majority achievement gap, and has several other long lasting benefits.” Class size reduction though isn’t possible without an increase in the number of teachers in classrooms within a district. Logic tells us that these increases in teacher counts will cost money. Thereby showing that increased financial investments in schools most certainly does increase student achievements, as well as providing other socially relevant benefits.

For decades, the likes of NPRI have deceived Nevadans into thinking we could get something for nothing. But in the last decade, we've had to learn the hard way that we really can't get "money for nothing and chicks for free". Instead, our penchant for rewarding tax evasion has only caused us unnecessary pain and suffering as we've failed to invest in the public infrastructure (like public schools) necessary for growing a sustainable and diversified economy.

Even Ralston, who sometimes wants to like NPRI almost as much as he hates the initiative process, couldn't stay mum on NPRI's idiotic attempt to stifle reasonable discussion on badly needed tax reform. And that's what has "Tea Party, Inc." running scared. The frustration is real, the need for reform is real, and now the first step in building a lasting solution to our chronic budget AND economic development woes is real. They're trying desperately to stifle this, but their days of bullying Nevada into remaining a failed state (just so their corporate patrons can reap the rewards of our suffering) are numbered.

Pathetic

Here's what you need to remember about the most important race in this very important election: Something or nothing. That's the choice we have this month. We can do something, or we can continue to go along with nothing.

This is what you need to remember about Question 3. The Education Initiative (TEI) gives us the opportunity to finally do what our elected "leaders" have failed to do in Carson City for far too long. But if voters say no to Question 3/TEI this fall, there's no guarantee we'll see any of the changes TEI's opponents are now promising.

This is why we laughed yesterday. For some reason, Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun wants us to believe LVGEA's horrifically pathetic Whitney Houston lip sync is somehow indicative of them "trying to craft a plan that will grow our public school system into what we need to be a 21st-century competitor". Huh? So now, we're supposed to believe the same people who've opposed every attempt at progressive tax reform and strengthening public education are now "finding common ground" with the very people they've been fighting tooth and nail all this time? While we're all for legal marijuana, perhaps Mr. Greenspun needs to put down the "magic brownies" before taking calls from anyone at Wizard of Oz Global HQ LVGEA.

This is why we laughed yesterday. For some reason, the local "newspaper" (of ill repute) decided to do an in-house ad against TEI. No really, the "newspaper" went there... Again! Now, we're just wondering when the "newspaper" will start slut shaming TEI proponents and publishing teachers' home addresses.

It's a shame we have to rely on "news media" like these newspapers. One publishes the classic "bid'ness establishment" fantasy, while the other is so desperate to fill ad space that it has to publish its own ads. While both still employ numerous great reporters, the leadership of both continue to value access over enlightenment.

Today is one of those days when we wish CityLife was still around to read both of the newspapers to high filth. But since that paragon of true journalistic virtue is no longer with us, it's now up to us to state the obvious. And what's obvious to all thinking Nevadans today is that both Southern Nevada newspapers looked like pathetic imitations of their former selves with their craptastic editorials.

The only thing more pathetic than these newspaper editorials of questionable value is No on 3's campaign of half-@$$ed fearmongering and laughable distortions. In fact, this may ultimately prove to be valuable... To the Yes on 3 campaign. If this is truly all No on 3 has, this says everything about why TEI landed on our ballots in the first place.

Question 3: Something v. Nothing

We're really trying to be nice this week. We swear. Here, we'll show you how nice we're trying to be. Let's consider Jon Ralston's commentary last night on The Education Initiative (TEI).



First off, let's point out what he got right. Yes, this initiative is not perfect. In fact, some progressives were originally concerned about TEI because it's not comprehensive and far-reaching enough. In an ideal world, we could consider something like California's Prop 30... No, scratch that. In an ideal world, our Legislature could pass a comprehensive tax package like California's Prop 30 without having to resort to "ballot box budgeting".

But as we've been saying here for some time, we don't live in an ideal world. Even Mr. Ralston himself seems to understand that now. We've waited forever for the Governor & Legislature to agree to any sort of major tax reform, only to be rewarded with bupkes. And because of that darned single subject rule for ballot initiatives, We the People are expressly forbidden from considering any kind of comprehensive tax reform (like California's Prop 30) as a ballot initiative.

So that leaves us with the choice of TEI... Or nothing. And here's where Ralston's onto something. For all the "We Believe Our Children Are Our Future!" talk TEI's ("TEA" fueled) opponents have been ramping up in recent weeks, they've provided no real alternative. And that's because their true preferred alternative is nothing. That's why they've prevented any real "conversations" on tax reform in Carson City. And that's why the only "alternatives" they can present when asked are dead horses, straw men, and a whole lot of meaningless hot air.



This is why Question 3 may actually be the most important item on our ballot this fall. And without a doubt, it provides a very compelling case to vote this fall. We may very well hold our state's future in our hands.

So what will we do with it? Sure, we can play semantics games. We can parse over imaginary bills and theoretical scenarios. We can discuss the philosophy of tax policy. Or we can actually do something for a change. We can actually do what our elected "leaders" have failed to do. We can say yes to Question 3 and stop failing our children & our communities.

Hardy, Meet Romney

Today, we must return to the vault. We made another trip to the Nevada Progressive archives to uncover this gem from none other than Mitt Romney. Remember when this now infamous video first dropped in September 2012?

Herein lies Romney's problem, which is the same problem he's had all along. Basically, Mitt Romney continues to reveal himself as an out-of-touch plutocrat who just doesn't care about the middle class and working poor. And no matter how many glossy mailers he sends to me and to other Democratic households, he can't convince us to vote against our best interest. In fact, he keeps making sure of that whenever he opens his mouth and goes "off the cuff"!

And remember when a critical mass of Republicans (even Nevada's own Joe Heck) closed ranks around Mitt Romney and his "47% philosophy"?

As we've discussed before, Paul Ryan's budget is nothing less than a full assault on America's middle class and the working poor aspiring to become middle class. And not only has Mitt Romney fully embraced Paul Ryan's "vision" of a middle class busting budget, but he also wants to undo decades worth of BIPARTISAN economic policy meant to boost the ranks of the middle class. And in pursuing this false dichotomy of "the makers versus the takers", he's actually attacking upwards of 60% (!!!) of Americans along with these bipartisan decades old policies meant to build and sustain America's middle class.

This is the real poison of what Mitt Romney said at that Boca Raton fundraiser. Mitt Romney revealed that he's more than willing to undo the foundation of America's middle class just so he and his fellow 1% plutocrats can pay even less in taxes. Heh, I guess Harry Reid has been right all along.

And this is why the teabaggers are reverting to screaming about what President Obama supposedly did or did not do in Las Vegas last week. Despite all their howls suggesting otherwise, perhaps even they are starting to realize this is a losing issue for Mitt Romney. Perhaps they are finally realizing that Mitt Romney is losing this election. One just can't attack 60% of Americans and expect no blowback.

Believe it or not, The Great 47% "Gaffe" of 2012 is back. And you won't... Actually, you should have no problem believing this Nevada Republican is reviving this incredibly offensive and misleading meme.



Oh, yes. That's right. Cresent Hardy went there. And he did so at the same fundraiser at Falcon Ridge Golf Club where he blamed everyone who voted for President Obama for anything and everything that's gone wrong. Oh, and that was the same Mesquite fundraiser where he refused to take any responsibility for driving his own company into bankruptcy (before someone else had to buy him out).

So now, Cresent Hardy wants to branch out. "Segregation laws" just aren't enough. Not even Highland Hills is stinky enough for Cresent Hardy. No, he must now enter Mitt Romney territory of total douchebaggery.

Who could have ever guessed Danny Tarkanian would one day earn the title of "Best NV-04 Candidate Nevada Republicans Have Ever Recruited"?

Break the Cycle (of FAIL This Fall!)

(Today, we felt it necessary to take another trip back into the Nevada Progressive vault. This piece is from July 2013. While other media pundits use their Sunday columns ro speculate on political personalities and misleading "optics", we figured now's a good time to remind everyone of actual reality. Oh, and if you're still looking for a "reason to vote this year", you're officially on notice.)

[In 2012], the typical (corporate lobbyist) powers that be in Carson City were suing their darndest to kill The Education Initiative. Ultimately, they didn't succeed.

[Last] year, they then took Carson City by storm to kill it. Ultimately... They didn't succeed at that, either. Although the Nevada Legislature declined to pass IP 1, this only means We the People will have the last word on The Education Initiative next year.

We've known for some time that Nevada's tax system is broken. And we've known for some time that Nevada's constant underfunding of public education is hurting our economy. And while Governor Brian Sandoval (R) wants us to believe his status quo approach will let us "have it all" (while paying for none), even members of his own administration can no longer deny reality.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment for progressives this year was the Legislature's failure to break the fiscal status quo. Despite many past promises of change, and even a surprise announcement from another top Nevada Republican, we ended up with yet another biennium of the same old status quo. How can we ever break this cycle of FAIL?

We'll uncover the answer [on November 5]. That's the difference this time. And this may be the one chance Nevadans have to break the cycle of FAIL.

Sure, this may not be the ideal way to enact major change to the tax system. But as long as the (corporate lobbyist) powers that be in Carson City continue to refuse to even consider change, this may be the only way to begin saving our state. And no matter how much Governor Brian Sandoval and his inner circle (of corporate lobbyists) protest, they can't hide the fact that their demands for endless status quo led to this.

[This fall], Nevada will finally have the opportunity to break the cycle. Nevada will have the opportunity to better fund our schools and put in place the foundation for a better economic future. This opportunity will present itself on our ballot next year. Will we take it?

#Tesla Update(s)

And it's on! We knew this was eventually coming. But now, it's official. "The Tesla Session" is officially underway in Carson City.



And what have we learned since this morning? Perhaps there will be no Switch, after all?

Remember when we told you about the last minute move by the Southern Nevada data center company to land tax credits for a Nevada expansion? So far, Governor Brian Sandoval (R) is saying no. It remains to be seen how many allies Switch has in the Legislature Building.

In the mean time, Steve Sebelius notes the slippery slope this state will approach if the deal is approved. Why Tesla? Why Apple? Yet why not Switch? And why not any other company willing to tell us what we want to hear about "economic development"?

Also, PLAN made it official this morning. Folks there are concerned about the glossy numbers Governor Sandoval's office has released about the economic impact of Tesla's Gigafactory, as well as shifting the tax burden from Tesla to working families. Oh, and PLAN added this at the end: "One last question, which has been asked by others but only answered by silence: Why can’t the state of Nevada come together on a plan to raise revenues to fix our broken education system as enthusiastically as the rush to create a $1.3 billion package of corporate subsidies for a single company in one part of the state?" Ouch. (This is actually the reason why The Education Initiative [TEI] is on our fall ballot.)



At least now, we're starting to see the Tesla bills emerge. We're also continuing to see strong reviews for the very technology Tesla wants to bring to Northern Nevada. The Tesla Gigafactory may even end up producing 20% more renewable electricity than it actually needs.

The Guinn Center just endorsed the Tesla deal, provided there are benchmarks Tesla must meet in order to continue enjoying those tax credits. Reno News & Review's Dennis Myers, however, calls foul on what he sees as naked corporate welfare. And of course, NPRI is against anything that doesn't perfectly fit its ideological mold.

We probably won't have more #Tesla details until around 4:00 PM. We'll do our best to stay on top of it all. And if there's any critical breaking news tonight, we'll do our best to cover it here. So go ahead and stay tuned as #TeslaMania continues in Carson City.

"Ratification Is Different from Rubber-stamping."

No, we don't always agree with him. Yes, this only touches the surface of what's increasingly looking like an incredibly thorny issue. But yes, Jon Ralston's advice to state legislators on Tesla is very sound advice that they should pay attention to.



"Ratification is different from rubber-stamping." Just since the deal was announced last Thursday, the price tag has swollen from $400 million to $1.25 billion. Why? This gigafactory isn't cheap.

Ironically, Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (& Mustang Ranch brothel) owner Lance Gilman claimed "no public money" has been used to develop Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. Even if that statement was completely true last week, it certainly will not be going forward. If the Nevada Legislature approves the deal US Senator Harry Reid (D) encouraged and Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) economic advisers negotiated, Tesla will be exempt from paying sales taxes on construction materials and factory equipment for 20 years. That alone essentially serves as an estimated $725 million state subsidy for Tesla and Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center.



In addition, Tesla will receive $195 million worth of transferable tax credits along with $332 million worth of exemptions from property taxes. And on top of that, the State of Nevada will pay Lance Gilman $43 million for right-of-way so it can invest at least another $60 million to build a highway through Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in order to connect the Tesla Gigafactory to US Highway 50 and Interstate 80 Freeway.

Oh, and this may not even be the end of it. Take a look at the growing list of registered lobbyists for the 28th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature. We can only wonder what may come next.

At least some legislators are demanding certain conditions for all these giveaways, such as guarantees for prevailing wage and Nevada workers being considered first for the new Tesla jobs. And quite a few legislators are insisting the tax credits will be tied to Tesla's progress in building the gigafactory (perhaps because they want to avoid another Apple boondoggle?).

Let's be upfront here. The reward will be quite high if this Tesla project succeeds. Nevada will have cemented our reputation as the hub of the 21st century clean energy revolution. And the Reno/Sparks/Tahoe region may finally have secured economic growth and diversification...

But at what cost? The Atlantic Senior Editor Richard Florida has already decried the $56,000-$300,000+ the State of Nevada may pay for each Tesla job that may or may not last into the distant future. Already, critics are accusing the state of overpaying for a "trophy". And opposition to the Tesla deal is already creating some very strange bedfellows, from the "TEA" powered NPRI and AFP to progressive stalwart PLAN.



"Ratification is different from rubber-stamping." At least one legislator seems to fully understand this. Pretty soon, we'll find out how many more also do... And/or how many simply don't.

(No More) Dead Horse

Not again. Must we talk about this again? Why are we witnessing the beating of this dead horse again?

Oh, wait. A certain State Senator's favorite media pundit insists on beating this dead horse again. Why? A group of Republican teachers want to give this Republican State Senator an award

Before we proceed any further, let's review the dead horse the Senator and the pundit continue to beat.

Clearly, Ralston is excited by this. However, there are two major problems. And Ralston himself knows what they are.

One is the law. At best, the Nevada Constitution is unclear as to how legislators can propose an alternative to a citizen's initiative, especially when the Governor would rather not. At worst, Governor Brian Sandoval (R), Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D), and Secretary of State Ross Miller (D) are all correct in finding [State Senator Michael] Roberson's [R-Henderson] proposal unconstitutional.

The other problem is the politics. As we've discussed before, Roberson's proposal has led to yet another major division among Nevada Republicans. While Roberson assembled a Senate GOP "Mod Squad" of six to support it, Governor Sandoval, the other Republican Senators, the bulk of Republican Assembly Members, and the "tea party" activist base of the party have all aligthened against it. Roberson desperately needs Democrats for this to have any chance of passage, but Democrats so far look to be keeping their distance from any proposal to ratfuck harm The Education Initiative that's already legally qualified for next year's general election ballot.

The law was not on his side. His own party was not on his side. And really, no one other than his inner circle and the above mentioned media pundit were on his side. It just wasn't happening, regardless of Democratic leaders' decision to keep away from the magical, mythical, meddlesome mining tax initiative.

(And by the way, State Senate Democrats actually did release a tax proposal. So did Assembly Democratic leadership. Just because [we and] the media pundit didn't like these tax plans doesn't mean they weren't on the table last year.)

Oh, and let's not forget this: the magical, mythical, meddlesome mining tax initiative never truly existed (until it was too late). Oh, yes. That's right. There was never a bill number (until May 13). If there's no bill number, it doesn't exist.

So why was there no bill number? Think about this: When did the horse die? And who killed this horse in the first place?

Perhaps this is why Senator Roberson prefers to deflect blame onto Democrats. It's easier for him to blame Democrats than to admit that the law and the bulk of his party don't seem to agree with him.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying all Democrats have been angels when it comes to preparing a proper state budget. Far from it, I have not hesitated to criticize Democrats when they were wrong. But come on, one can't blame Democratic leaders for keeping their distance from a tax initiative that's legally questionable at best and creating even more chaos within Republican ranks.

So just keep this in mind next time some media pundit or Republican Senator tries to deflect blame for the failure of the tax initiative that was never to be.

There was no bill number. There was no coalition ready to pass it. There seemed to be no plan in place to actually pass it. We're left to wonder if there was even any actual desire on anyone's part to pass it.

So why are we examining this dead horse yet again? It's all this Republican State Senator has to run on. And for some reason, it's all the above mentioned media pundit loves to fantasize about.

Yet it's still a dead horse. But you know what isn't? The Education Initiative (TEI). It's real, it's alive, and it will be on our ballots this fall. Unlike that Republican State Senator's nonexistent tax initiative, TEI offers real funding and real solutions for Nevada schools.

So why must be beat the dead horse again?

ADDENDUM: So there was a bill number: SB 513. The problem? It wasn't introduced until two months after the IP 1/TEI deadline. So our point stands. There was no actual bill introduced until it was too late.

Stop Failing Them.

Today is the first day of school for the Clark County School District (CCSD). When we stopped by Gibson Elementary School in Henderson this morning, we witnessed dozens of parents dropping their children off as teachers were preparing for class. Everyone seemed to be ready for the school year.

Yet as parents, students, and teachers were ready for the new school year, the state and CCSD didn't seem to be. CCSD now has a teacher shortage. And on top of this, not all students have the materials they need. Textbook shortages have been reported across the valley. Many of the textbooks that are available are outdated. And English Language Learner (ELL) programs remain limited.

You know what can alleviate all these problems? The Education Initiative (TEI).





At Gibson Elementary School, local business owners and educators shared the reasons why they're supporting TEI. GymCats owner Cassie Rice stated her business is among the 13% of Nevada businesses that will have to pay the corporate margin tax under TEI. And she's perfectly fine with that, as she knows the value of public education to our community and our economy.



Lisa Muntean and Tom Wellman are CCSD teachers. They experience firsthand the challenges of educating so many kids on a shoestring budget. They know our kids need the extra $800,000,000 per year TEI will provide Nevada public schools. And they know our economy will benefit greatly (to the tune of at least $630 million added to Nevada's GDP in 2016 alone) from the additional investment in public education.





TEI's opponents have thrown just about everything (including the kitchen sink) at it. They tried to spin it away at Four Seasons. They tried setting up the "Esmeralda Straw Man" against it. They even tried various parliamentary tricks to stop the Nevada State Democratic Party from endorsing it. Yet each time they try to spin TEI away, they reveal something about themselves.

Have they been to any CCSD schools lately? Do they know anyone in a local public school? Don't they realize just how "grossly underfunded" Nevada schools are?

It's easy for them to make their philosophical case against TEI from their guard gated and gold plated bubble. And it's easy for them to complain about TEI's "flaws" when they've repeatedly failed to provide a realistic alternative. What seems to be incredibly difficult for them to admit is that they have no real alternative to TEI. They offer Nevada nothing but the same hot air and empty rhetoric that have failed this state for far too long.

At Gibson Elementary School this morning, we saw children going to school. We saw them enter a place where they encounter new ideas, new knowledge, and new opportunities. For far too long, we've been failing these children by failing to maintain public education. It's long past time for us to stop failing them.

Stand for Something (Real)

This again? Really? Must we cover this again?

It was illegal. When the Nevada Legislature declined to even take a vote on IP 1/The Education Initiative (TEI), the Legislature forfeited the legal opportunity to introduce an alternative to TEI.

Of course, this little thing called the Nevada Constitution didn't stop State Senator Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) from proposing an alternative mining tax initiative. One would think that a trained lawyer would pay attention to small matters like the law. But apparently, lack of legal standing wasn't enough to stop him from pursuing this odd political gambit.

Ultimately, Senator Roberson's illegal tax proposal went nowhere. With most Republicans resisting it, it simply had no chance. However, that didn't stop him and his favorite media pundit from trying to pin the blame onto someone else.

Now, Senator Michael Roberson is at it again. He's again claiming he wants to "increase education funding". But this time, something's different. Actually this time, something's missing.

That's because this time, Roberson is not explaining how he will fund his plan to "increase education funding". Perhaps he's a fan of a certain offensive Dire Straits song, but he must ultimately acknowledge the reality that there is no such thing as "money for nothing & chicks for free". Roberson will ultimately to show us the money he wants to use to "increase education funding". And this time, he will need to make sure his fiscal plan is actually legal.

We can only wonder why Senator Roberson is saying this now. Might he be afraid that the comically hyperbolic campaign against The Education Initiative can backfire? Or is he afraid that Teresa Lowry, his opponent in the general election in SD 20, might actually pull off an upset victory over him this fall?

We know Senator Roberson really wants to win some elections this fall. And we know he really wants a certain title he's been coveting for nearly 3 years. He just seems to be forgetting an important lesson: Outside the bubble of media pundits and Carson City lobbyists, these political stunts simply fall flat. He'll need to actually stand for something (real), since most voters won't simply fall for anything.

One More Step

In 2011, a constitutional amendment was introduced in the Nevada Legislature. And somehow, it managed to pass that year despite the acrimony and frustration that came to define the 76th session.

Fast forward to 2013. Even though SJR 15 had managed to pass Round 1, Round 2 was suddenly in doubt. The mining industry had doubled up its lobbying campaign, and it looked like that was about to reap mining conglomerates a huge payday. But then, another strange twist occurred.

As soon as it became a rather eye-popping attempt at "Republican rebranding" and a "no brainer" tax reform plan with actual bipartisan support, Legislature leaders had no choice but to stand back and let SJR 15 sail its way onto the 2014 general election ballot.

Today, the Interim Legislative Commission approved the final ballot language for SJR 15. Despite some last minute mining industry shenanigans and an awkward argument over the physical impact of mining, the Commission ultimately approved the SJR 15 ballot language 11-1.

So now, there's just one more step left for SJR 15. "We the People" must vote on it this fall.

Ever since the founding of this state, the issue of mining taxation has been a rather contentious, irritating, and occasionally even nauseating one. In a way, it's quite fitting that the 150th anniversary of Nevada statehood will be remembered for the people's vote on fixing a long debated error in our state's Constitution. How better to celebrate 150 years of Nevada than to take one more step to on the path to a functioning state government and a more equitable tax system?

Perspective

Hey, someone had to it. Fortunately for us, Jon Ralston did it. Last Wednesday, he attended the glitzy & glamorous Four Seasons premiere party for "Las Vegas Perspective". And what is "Las Vegas Perspective"? Why, it's the ultimate Southern Nevada insiders' cheat sheet to all the inner workings of Southern Nevada's economy and society.

And jeez, was there high society at Four Seasons last Wednesday! First Lady Kathleen Sandoval gave a keynote speech on the state of Nevada's public education system. Numbers guru Jeremy Aguero gave more details on Nevada's economic recovery. And all the movers & shakers in this soirée oohed & awed at all the facts & figures inside the actual publication.

So what's in the actual publication? It turns out that it's a collection of what we already know. The gaming industry is as erratic as ever. Our unemployment rate is down, but it's still above the national average. The housing market is improving, but many local homeowners are still struggling to stay above water. Our economy is improving, but the fundamentals of our economy still point to epic dysfunction and continued missed opportunities.

This is what was so ironic about last Wednesday's posh premiere party for "Las Vegas Perspective". Even as the uber-insiders of the "Gaming-mining-lobbying Industrial Complex" slapped each others' backs and sang the praises of Nevada's hallowed status quo, even their own sacred cheat sheet couldn't completely deny that the status quo keeps us stuck in a "bubble based economy" that hasn't even fully recovered from the bursting of the last bubble.

Funny enough, one of the sponsors of "Las Vegas Perspective" happens to be none other than the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA)? Remember them? They've gone from "Kiss Your Assets Goodbye" to "Say Hello to Our Esmeralda Straw Man". And they're still running scared from the solution to our core economic problem.

The uber-insiders who attended last Wednesday's Four Seasons shindig did not want to discuss The Education Initiative (TEI)... Just as they didn't want to acknowledge our continuing economic difficulties. After all, if they were to acknowledge the unhealthy truth of our "bubble based economy", they'd also have to acknowledge the need for a realistic solution to this problem. And that would completely undercut their rather "sunny" case against TEI.

Last Wednesday's Four Seasons event was supposed to be about "perspective". Perhaps it was... In that attendees celebrated their perspective of Nevada. But what about ours? Fortunately for us, they're not the only ones who will make the final decision on TEI this fall.

Our perspective also matters. Our struggles also matter. And our future also matters. And we should keep this in perspective.

Ours to Make

Let's just get this out of the way now: Outgoing Assembly Member & current Lt. Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D) kicked @ss on "Ralston Reports" last night. She drove the narrative. She generally answered Ralston's questions in the best way possible. And she came off far more polished than the two other candidates running in the other major party's primary for this race.

Yet with all this being said, there was one moment that gave many progressives at least a little heartburn. Of course, that was when Lucy Flores proposed an alternative to The Education Initiative (TEI). She said she has problems with TEI...

And she's not alone. Many state legislators do. Yet when it was in the Legislature last year, none of them proposed an alternative... Until it was too late. And even then, that supposed alternative was still very half-baked.

So now, the choice is this: TEI or nothing. And the choice is not Lucy Flores' to make for us. In fact, the choice is no longer in any one legislator's hands. It's now in our hands. The choice is now ours to make.

For years, this issue has been studied. Eventually, it became studied to death. We know our schools are "grossly underfunded". We know our business climate does suffer due to our gross underfunding of public education. We know our 19th century tax system is in dire need of 21st century reforms. And we know our Legislature has dragged its feet on tax reform for far too long, as it's only succeeded in delivering broken promises of reform.

This is why TEI happened. And this is why TEI will be on our ballot this fall. After seeing the same cycle of FAIL spin around for far too long, many thousands of Nevada citizens decided enough was enough. These citizens decided to break the cycle of #NVLeg #nved #FAIL by turning the decision of tax reform to "We the People" to make.

We're sick & tired of too late & half-baked alleged "alternatives". We're sick & tired of absurd straw men standing in the way of reform. And we're sick & tired of the long string of broken promises from Carson City. We're sick & tired of waiting for reform. TEI is now here, and it's the only tangible option for real reform now.

While we understand why Lucy Flores, Jon Ralston, and various other politicians & pundits have problems with TEI, we also recognize that the decision of long awaited & badly needed tax reform is no longer solely theirs to make. It's now ours to make. It's either TEI or nothing, and that decision will be made by all of us later this year.

Kiss That Straw Man Goodbye

We expected them to scream over it. But really, did they have to lie? And did they have to advocate a "plan" they themselves know will go nowhere?

So what are we talking about? Remember those gawd awful "Kiss Your Assets Goodbye" TV ads that the rabidly anti-tax-reform Nevada Development Authority ran in California nearly five years ago to entice businesses there to move here? Well, it's back... And it has a new name: The Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA).

And not only does LVGEA have a new name, but it also has a new mission: killing The Education Initiative (TEI). Perhaps it's not really all that new, since LVGEA/NDA has always fought any attempt to bring Nevada's tax code into the 21st century. But now, it's focused on killing this new effort to break the cycle of FAIL that's crippled Nevada schools and the state’s overall economy. But why? Simple answer: shortsighted greed.

But this week, that shortsighted greed may be coming back to bite LVGEA. Why? Remember when we discussed the shortchanging of Southern Nevada two years ago? LVGEA went there this week. So far, so good. But then, it proceeded to shoot itself in the foot. But how so?

Remember when we went into detail last year about how to fix state funding formulae without shortchanging anyone? LVGEA clearly doesn't get that, since Jon Ralston & other local media caught LVGEA boss Tom Skancke claiming Esmeralda County can magically fix Clark County schools. But how so?

He claimed the state should just slash funding for Esmeralda County schools and the rest of Northern Nevada public education, then divert all that money to the Clark County School District. Of course, there's one problem with this new funding fix: It's anything but realistic. There's no way anyone up north will agree to massive budget cuts in order to better fund the south. But even if Southern Nevada lawmakers were to miraculously agree on a "Rob from the North to Fund the South" budget, it would still only add a few extra pennies into the still mostly empty bucket for Southern Nevada's schools.

So why go there? Why is LVGEA proposing such a nonsensical and unrealistic "alternative" to TEI? Does LVGEA now care about public education in Southern Nevada? Is its rage against the state’s flawed funding formulae blinding it to the full picture of Nevada's flawed tax structure? Or is it just trying to distract Southern Nevada voters with a rather flimsy straw man?

Frankly, we strongly suspect the latter. We also suspect this straw man is faring as well as that ridiculous "Kiss Your Assets Goodbye" campaign did five years ago. And if NDA/LVGEA/Whatever-the-hell-it-will-call-itself-next wants us to believe it has a realistic alternative to TEI, then it actually needs to produce one (and then get its cronies in Carson City to actually pass it).

The Little Resolution That Could

Normally, Nevada State Democratic Party Central Committee meetings are not exciting. There are no conspiracy theories. There are no endorsement hijinks. And there are no ideological "purity" battles that are part of a larger intra-party civil war.

No, Nevada Democrats typically don't have to worry about that kind of drama. But yesterday, something interesting happened. An uprising occurred. A grassroots movement was heard. And once the voting was done, something surprisingly wound up with the party's seal of approval.





Yesterday, the state party had a resolution to vote on. And it wasn't just any resolution. This was to have the party formally endorse The Education Initiative (TEI).

Oh, yes. That's right. The party was confronted with the very initiative most state legislators didn't want to confront at all.

But yesterday, everyone at Central Committee had to confront reality. And the one & only Dan Hart (from the TEI campaign) showed up to start the reality check.



He attempted a "pre-buttal" of opponents' arguments that TEI is some "job killing TAX!!!" and/or "flawed measure" that's "poorly designed". If the "low tax/no tax" official mantra of this state really works in creating jobs and building a good economy, then why isn't it working? And if TEI is such a "flawed measure", then why has no one else offered a realistic alternative tax plan?

And that returned the audience's attention to the other elephant in the room: the many broken promises of tax reform. Some opponents of the resolution even seemed to agree with TEI supporters that public education is "grossly underfunded" in this state. But then, they pivoted to argue that TEI is somehow "fatally flawed" and/or "job killing" and/or "too divisive for the party to take sides on". And some suggested that we just nip this inconvenient initiative in the bud so Carson City can have a chance to get it right next time.

And that's when the fireworks really blasted off. Local parent Erin Neff reminded the audience of what's happened every time we left this to Carson City. (Here's a hint: Nothing.) She also called on the Democrats in the room to remember their party's spirit of social justice & platform of progressive values.



Throughout the day, opponents of the pro-TEI resolution tried just about every parliamentary tactic available to sink it. They asked to delay the vote until the June (state party) convention because "we need more information". They called for a vote to move it to the platform committee so it can be "considered there" until the June convention. They even attempted to nullify the results when their motion to move the TEI resolution to the platform committee narrowly failed.

Despite all the attempts to manipulate Robert's Rules of Order into killing the pro-TEI resolution, education activists refused to relent. Even as the Central Committee meeting dragged on and people were becoming frustrated & exhausted, activists managed to keep enough members in the room to defeat all the hostile amendments and motions. And finally, local teacher Lisa Muntean channeled her inner "Norma Rae" and made a compelling, passionate case for the resolution (and for TEI).



Needless to say, it worked. After a dragged out battle over Skype spanning from the IBEW 357 union hall in Las Vegas to the Washoe County Democratic Party headquarters in Reno, the Nevada State Democratic Party Central Committee voted 92-78 to endorse TEI. Despite all the big money and numerous parliamentary maneuvers used to stop this little resolution that could, it nonetheless passed.







And now, the Nevada State Democratic Party is on record supporting a ballot initiative based on a tax reform plan that Democratic leaders in Carson City proposed less than three years ago. And it's a plan that's far from "extreme". And it's only going to voters this year because a critical mass of citizens finally became sick & tired of the status quo in Carson City.

It remains to be seen where this little resolution that could will go next. Perhaps it will give hope to the little ballot initiative that could? At the very least, it's reminding Nevada Democrats that a little excitement at Central Committee meetings isn't always a bad thing.

The Disappointment... & The Solution

Let's dig a little deeper today. Last week, we discussed the deadly consequences of ignoring our tattered and torn social safety net. But now, we must recap why it's become so tattered and torn. Here's a hint: We've forgotten the basics of civilization for far too long.

Why is it that we always hear that "we can't afford" proper mental health care, decent schools, and repaired roads, yet our Governor and Legislature always seem to be able to afford corporate welfare to shower upon multinational corporations like Apple that neither need the help nor deserve it? Think about that as well. How on earth does this lead to a stable economy for our state? And how on earth does neglecting the most vulnerable in our society lead to a healthy economy? 

It doesn't. That's precisely the problem. Our "leaders" in Carson City keep chasing after mythical economic unicorns while failing to provide the most fundamental building blocks of a sound economy. 

Sure, luring Hollywood to Las Vegas sounds sexy. But ultimately, that won't mean shit for economic development if our schools keep bursting at the seams, our hospitals keep stuffing patients onto Greyhound buses heading out of state, and our roads are clogged with commuters while paved with just as many potholes. We seriously need to pay attention to the rude awakening we're now receiving. We must get back to basics, and we must do so before it's too late.

This past Spring, Carson City was buzzing over visions of Hollywood glamour, Wall Street power, and Silicon Valley splendor. Yet while Governor Magic Man (R-Denial) and certain legislators were falling over each other to bask in the glory of the "razzle dazzle" of it all, they were also agreeing to yet another round of status quo.

[... T]he Legislature finally succumbed to Governor Sandoval's request for underfunded schools and inadequate public infrastructure. They may not be quite as underfunded as they were in previous sessions. Yet even Governor Sandoval's own President of the State Board of Education, Ms. Elaine Wynn herself, has described Nevada public schools as "grossly underfunded". This poorly kept secret is becoming increasingly difficult to deny.

So now, someone has to deal with it. Someone has to start fixing this structural problem. And since we saw no solutions from "leaders" in Carson City this spring, We the People must provide leadership and get it done in the fall of next year.

Wait, so what's the deal with that last sentence? What must We the People do? Here's a hint: T. E. I.

As usual, Ralston mourns the policy failures that have grown out of the dysfunctional politics of this state. And in quite a few aspects, he's right on the money. But now, we have a chance to move beyond mourning over what can't be done. We finally have a chance to seize what can be done.

So what can be done? Remember these three letters: T. E. I. 

We've had it with the overcrowded schools, overburdened teachers, and underfunded public infrastructure. And yes, we've had it with the usual hand-wringing and empty rhetoric. We now have The Education Initiative on next year's general election ballot, and we know it can (and must!) be done. 

If we want Nevada to succeed in building a better economy and a brighter future, we have to look beyond what hasn't been done and realize what must be done. Then, we have to recognize that it can be done. And of course, we then have to just do it already.

Some things just don't change. In his column on his 10 biggest Nevada political stories of 2013, Jon Ralston lamented the Nevada Legislature's failure to pass tax reform. Of course, he also screamed over "disastrous leadership" and took one more pot shot at The Education Initiative. But this time, not even he could muster enough outrage to scream all that much about the ills of "ballot box budgeting".

Sure, "ballot box budgeting" isn't ideal. But really, are underfunded schools, busted health care infrastructure, and broken transportation systems acceptable at all? Something must change. And yes, We the People must provide that change next year.

When it came to economic justice in Nevada, 2013 offered plenty of disappointment. However, there was a twist this year. 2013 also offered a chance to start changing that disappointment into solutions.

How many times have we grumbled over Carson City's failure to reach meaningful, thoughtful, and truly helpful solutions for "The T Word"? Yet in 2014, all it will take is passage of three letters (hint: T. E. I.) to move past the disappointment and finally start reaching solutions.

What Can Be Done

This week, we've been jumping back into issues closer to home. And yes, there's one issue in particular that's raising our eyebrows and getting us thinking. Here's a hint: T. E. I.

We're not the only ones thinking about it. In a letter to the editor published in today's Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas elementary school teacher Angie Sullivan summed up the sorry state of perhaps the most important part of Nevada's public infrastructure... And what must be done to fix it.

Nevadans should vote for the Teacher’s Education Initiative in one year. The initiative will tax businesses that profit $1 million or more.

For over a decade, Nevada’s public schools have been teaching, testing, reteaching, tutoring, testing, testing and failing as public schools endured $1 billion in cuts.

Some have tried to use teachers as scapegoats. This is very puzzling to those of us who serve above and beyond for the students. Frankly, teachers are struggling with too many needy students, not enough supplies, not enough support, and obstacles such as poverty.

Bottom line: We know our students are failing. We have data to prove this. We also know that Nevada does not fund our schools adequately.

This is what we've been saying here all along. What politicians in Carson City can't do is what voters must do. And The Education Initiative (TEI) finally gives voters the opportunity to do what must be done.

As usual, Ralston mourns the policy failures that have grown out of the dysfunctional politics of this state. And in quite a few aspects, he's right on the money. But now, we have a chance to move beyond mourning over what can't be done. We finally have a chance to seize what can be done.

So what can be done? Remember these three letters: T. E. I.

We've had it with the overcrowded schools, overburdened teachers, and underfunded public infrastructure. And yes, we've had it with the usual hand-wringing and empty rhetoric. We now have The Education Initiative on next year's general election ballot, and we know it can (and must!) be done.

If we want Nevada to succeed in building a better economy and a brighter future, we have to look beyond what hasn't been done and realize what must be done. Then, we have to recognize that it can be done. And of course, we then have to just do it already.

It Doesn't Have to Be This Way.

We weren't trying to be mean. No really, we weren't. It's just that Jon Ralston's fantasy of tax reform is just that: a fantasy.

And yesterday, the Washoe County Commission reminded us why it's a fantasy... And why we must come to grips with reality.

Commissioner Kitty Jung began to cry when she explained why she was for Assembly Bill 46.

“We just have to work on continuing to build on the momentum generated from this,” Jung said.

The proposed bill would have applied a sales tax increase of a quarter of a percent and 5 cents per $100 assessed in property values.

The Nevada Legislature passed AB 46 along with the "GovRec Budget" this past spring. And of course, Governor Brian Sandoval (R) signed both. The budget locked in most of the past two sessions' worth of cuts to an already underfunded public education system, while AB 46 passed the buck on raising taxes to better fund Reno area K-12 schools to the Washoe County Commission.

And now, most Washoe Commissioners seem to be content with dropping the buck. Is anyone actually surprised by this? Governor Sandoval did not want to be seen as a "tax raiser" (despite evidence to the contrary)... And neither do 3 of the 5 Washoe County Commissioners.

So where does that leave Washoe County Schools? Now, they're having to consider extra budget cuts. How lively (not).

It doesn't have to be this way. No really, it doesn't. It just confirms what we were saying yesterday. If we want change, we will have to do it ourselves by passing The Education Initiative (TEI) next year.