Las Vegas NowNevada lawmakers rush to deliver $6.8 billion budget, tax plan to governor
Associated Press - May 22, 2009 8:05 PM ET
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - Racing against the clock Friday, Nevada lawmakers delivered their $6.8 billion, 2-year state budget and $781 million in tax increases to Gov. Jim Gibbons with time to spare.
The rush to get the tax measure, SB429, to the Republican governor, who's expected to veto it, was critical since lawmakers must adjourn June 1. Gibbons could wait until late next week to reject the plan, leaving lawmakers little time for an override vote.
The tax plan increases sales taxes, business levies and license fees and vehicle registration fees. The Senate voted 17-4 for the bill, sending it to the Assembly where it was approved a few minutes later on a 29-13 vote. GOP lawmakers cast the "no" votes in both houses.
The tax measure was then hand-carried to Gibbons, at the nearby Nevada Capitol, 30 minutes before the normal closing time for his office..
As he accepted the bill, Gibbons said, "Giving the governor a $1 billion tax increase in a recession was the worst thing they can do for the American and the Nevada people." He added, "I'm confident of what I've watched and seen of the Legislature that we're going to veto this bill."
Also sent to the governor was AB562, the $6.8 billion appropriations act which will fund state government operations.
Lawmakers also approved AB543, the "tax grab" measure taking property taxes taken from Nevada's two largest counties, Clark encompassing Las Vegas and Washoe which takes in Reno.
Also approved was SB431, another key budget measure which spells out how most non-state general fund money will be spent. That amounts to $12 billion, mainly in federal dollars.
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