I was horrified by the recent Special Session of the Nevada Legislature. The Republican controlled Legislature approved a tax increase nearly rivaling the 2015 tax increase which was the largest in Nevada history. The tax significantly increases the room tax in Las Vegas.
The Special Session tax increase will pay for a $750 million general obligation bond to help finance a Stadium in Las Vegas which is a project of Sheldon Adelson. Adelson, according to “Forbes” magazine, is worth $31.8 BILLION and is listed as the fourteenth richest person in the world and the richest person in the state of Nevada.
Billionaire Adelson has been a BIG Republican political donor for years. Adelson donated $200,000 to Legislative races before the Primary, which will increase significantly before the November election. The richest person in Nevada just succeeded in getting the Republican controlled Legislature to vote for a huge tax increase for his Stadium project.
Late in the Session there was a startling revelation made that if the Stadium was built it would require $900 Million from the State Transportation budget to build new roads and freeway interchanges for the Stadium. So, wherever you live you will be taxed to pay for new roads for the Stadium and our roads in rural Nevada will be delayed for who knows how long so the taxpayers can pay for the roads for the Stadium. Astonishing!
This whole project is nothing more that Crony Capitalism or Corporatism which is the combination of Big Government and Big Business. Billionaire Adelson is investing $650 million in the project which will be paid back as an investment but the taxpayers will not be paid back.
This Special Session is one of three called by Governor Sandoval to promote Crony Capitalism projects for big corporations: first Tesla, then the Chinese Billionaire’s electric car company, and now Sheldon Adelson’s Stadium – all approved by Republicans.
This has nothing to do with Free-Enterprise. Sandoval and the Republicans have passed huge tax increases on small businesses and given tax dollars and tax breaks to the Big Corporations.
State Agencies recently sent their budget requests to Sandoval for the upcoming two year cycle for $8.2 Billion. That is $800 million MORE than the current spending levels. That means taxes are going up again. This time it should be easier for Republicans because they have had so much practice voting for higher taxes lately!
Janine Hansen
Independent American candidate for State Senate
