Las Vegas NowNV Gov. Opposes Higher Tax to Fund Jobless Claims
Gov. Jim Gibbons says he's opposed to higher taxes on employers to help fund jobless benefits.
The state's unemployment trust fund will have to begin borrowing $100 million a month from the federal government once its unemployment fund is depleted. State officials anticipate that will happen later this month or early October.
Gibbons says the state is spending $40 million a week in unemployment claims. He also blamed tax increases imposed by the Legislature for adding to Nevada's record 12.5-percent unemployment rate.
The unemployment fund is supported in part by a tax paid by employers based on worker wages. The average current rate is 1.3-percent on $26,000 in wages.
The state's Employment Security Council meets Oct. 6 to consider whether the rate should be changed.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Comments Terms of Use: We welcome your participation in our community. Please keep your comments civil and on point. You must be at least 13 years of age to post comments. By submitting a comment, you agree to these
Terms of Service
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login or register See all comments |
