Gov. Jim Gibbons is under enormous pressure from the Left to raise taxes to address the current budget “crisis.” And if he sticks to his guns, I’m with him. After all, a promise is a promise. But as they say, government is the art of compromise and you should never say never. So herewith is my compromise proposal for raising taxes in Nevada.
First, covering any additional projected shortfalls in revenue should be shared equally by budget cuts and tax hikes. So if the next budget shortfall is $500 million, then we would cut $250 million from the budget and raise taxes $250 million. And the only fair way to do that is to raise the sales tax. That way both residents and tourists alike share the burden - and millionaires like University Chancellor Jim Rogers can limit their tax liability by buying a used Chevy instead of a new Lexus.
Speaking of buying a car, part of my agreement to raise taxes will be on the condition that starting immediately Nevada citizens will pay a flat, one-time fee of $50 to register their car – and that’s it. No more yearly renewal fees. The only time a Nevada motorist should have to pay any fee to register their car is when they buy it. Paying annually to register a car which is already registered only serves to feed the bureaucracy at the DMV.
Now, about the budget cut side of the equation.
In exchange for agreeing to raise taxes, I would insist on granting me the power to establish a budget cutting “star chamber” of 3-5 individuals of my personal choosing. This “Muth Commission” would go through the budget program-by-program and then invite the defenders of the program to come before the commission to justify their existence. They’d be given 15 minutes to make their case, after which judgment would be rendered. If, for example, the Civil Rights Commission or Nevada Arts Council can’t persuade us that they’re a legitimate and worthwhile expense to taxpayers, they get axed right there, on the spot.
That would take care of the immediate problem. But if I’m going to agree to a tax hike – something I oppose with every fiber or my being - I would also have to insist on several other changes in the way the government is run. Considering the huge concession I’d be making in agreeing to a tax increase, pretty much all of the following would be non-negotiable.
• Any future tax increases which appear on a ballot must be approved by a 2/3 super-majority vote of the people.
• Any future budget increases which exceed the combined rate of population growth plus inflation would have to be approved by a 2/3 super-majority vote of the Legislature.
• Any new spending programs must be offset by reductions or eliminations in “old” spending.
• Zero-based budgeting is hereby imposed. Department heads start with nothing each biennium rather than starting with the last biennium’s budget and adding to it. Every dime must be justified every two years.
• The governor is granted line-item veto power.
• A public website showing each and every expenditure by the state government must be created and maintained by the office of the State Controller.
• The minimum wage law is hereby repealed.
• The prevailing wage law is hereby repealed.
• All collective bargaining agreements for government workers which result in a net increase in the cost to taxpayers must be approved by a vote of the people.
• The government will no longer collect union dues via payroll deductions. Labor unions must collect dues from their members themselves, just like the Rotary Club and Boy Scouts.
• No union dues money may be used for political purposes without the worker’s expressed, written consent.
• All public sector unions must publicly file an annual financial report showing where all its money came from and where it all went.
• All collective bargaining sessions involving public sector unions must be done in public.
• All collective bargaining contracts must be posted on a public website at the union’s expense.
• Public employees are banned from serving in the Legislature.
• Teacher unions are banned permanently. True professional educator organizations with no political agenda or hostility to school choice would still be allowed.
• All parents will be offered school vouchers to send their kids to the private school of their choice.
• Children who are chronic disciplinary problems in the classroom are to be kicked out of school and enlisted in the Marines…but not until they turn at least nine.
• The Nevada Board of Education moratorium on new charter schools is hereby lifted.
• Nevada charter schools will be given their own separate school district.
• The State Board of Education is to be disbanded and all current members released into the Nevada wilderness with nothing more than a hunting knife, a pack of Chicklets and one canteen of water.
• The Department of Education will be transferred over to the Executive branch of government and the Superintendent will be appointed by the Governor.
• Nevada immediately withdraws from participation in the No Child Left Behind program.
• Illegal aliens in our prisons are to be deported immediately, and subject to summary execution if they’re caught returning illegally. (OK, I might be a little flexible on that last part)
• All taxpayer-funded government documents, especially ballots, will be printed in English only.
• No taxpayer-funded welfare benefits for illegal aliens.
• An individual’s property will not be reassessed for tax purposes until sold or ownership is otherwise transferred.
• Any entity enjoying a no-bid contract from the government is banned from making political contributions.
• And finally, there must be a ban on using any taxpayer dollars for lobbying services by former Democrat candidates for Congress with the last name of “Hafen.”
There. I might still come up with a few more negotiating points, but this is a pretty good start. If the other side is willing to agree to the above terms, then I’m open to raising taxes. See, I can compromise. Happy Tax Day.
Posted on April 15th, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada
A perfectly sensible plan to me, Chuck. Why not start recruiting candidates for the legislature who will sign on to this?
Sigh, we can dream can’t we?
you forgot my favorite condition…no public employee endorsement of any political group or candidate. Why should my tax money going to a public employees salary be used to endorse a candidate/issue I don’t agree with. Also, outlaw any public employee union , period. As unrealistic as that is ,I definately agree with no collective bargaining agreements….approved by the vote of the people.
That sounds good, similar to what Ron Paul wpuld come up with
When I submit my ballot this November, Chuck Muth will be the name I write-in for President.
Love it! My only suggestion is to wait perhaps until twelve to send the disciplinary problems to the Marines. In the meantime make them volunteer for the Democrats.
GET THIS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chuck:
Only one significant problem. I think you ought to let your state and local NEA affiliates endorse people on their websites at their own expense. Otherwise, it’s difficult to know who to vote against. In our school board elections last week, the NEA endorsed three males. There was a female incumbent they didn’t endorse. My thinking was simple: if she’s an imcumbent, they know her; if they’re not endorsing her, they must not like her. Thereupon I cast one vote for that candidate, and she led the list on a “vote-for-three” ballot. If I could have voted for her three times, I would have.
What’s his name, Huckleberry? He advocated a consumption tax on everything including health care, food and diapers. Sure, low income people were supposed to have a monthly refund. But in my very long experience, many people would not be able to afford to pay the tax in the first place. 35% was proposed by Huck so that meant that every $1,000 spent on rent or groceries or health care or children’s clothing, or gasoline or any thing else for a month combined, would cost $1,350. Sure, you MIGHT get it back, but it is gone when you need it most. I have seen poorly dressed people with several children loading their baskets at Costco with more then a hundred dollars of groceries and no frills. Would your medical insurance, if you had any, reimburse that 35%. Another thing, any time the government can get their hands on your money, they will eventually manage to keep it all.
Forget it, Chuck. Too many are already scraping the bottle of the barrel. Come live awhile where I live. Simplify the tax code, of course, but keep your hands out of the pockets of the ones who don’t make enough money to pay taxes in the first place.
I do agree that unions are financially scamming the country. No cent of union money should be allowed in any political contest.
Lee in Reno
Chuck,
Can you help me get this ratified in Minnesota as well!
~Teddy Bear
Chuck, I was doing fine with everything you said until your comment on “No Child Left Behind” when it became obvious to me that the goons of the NEA had gotten to you too. All No Child etc does is establish annual accountability for schools, instead of the old every 3 year or no accountability at all standards that used to be and that the union hates more than anything. They’ve spent gazillions to convince us that it’s a bad thing and while we’d all like to see each state responsible for education, the states gave control to the NEA nationally long ago. No Child etc is the only thing that’s even begun to put the brakes on the NEA ever! do a little more in depth research on that one. please.
“Send the disciplinary problems to the Marines…”? Why would you want to mess up a fine organization like the USMC?
Put them in an institution where they are required to watch daytime TV all day, every day. No talking, and no getting out of your seat.
But that will probably be banned on the grounds of being “cruel and unusual punishment”…
PIG WILL FLY!
Sorry, Peter, you’re wrong. And I find your suggestion that my position on this issue was due to NEA brainwashing quite insulting. I opposed NCLB from the very beginning, especially when Bush did Ted Kennedy’s bidding and stripped out the choice option in the bill. It’s a HORRIBLE federal encroachment into an area there is absolutely no authority for. You need to do a little bit more in depth study of the Constitution.
Chuck, I like it better than anything the government parasites will propose, but what I like best is simply, “Send the state what you think it deserves, based on past performance, and the state must make do with what they get.” That to be the only way the state is allowed to raise revenue.
Thanks for a great organization!
Outstanding! We need this in Utah, too.
By the way, that “wait until they are nine” conforms to the old English Common Law definition of an “adult”.
Really, why don’t we just fire every government employee except constitutional officers, the legislature and the courts? Then we won’t need any taxes, causes there won’t be anybody to implement what any of the knuckeheads want done! Seriously, is there a single job done by government employees that needs to be done and that we can’t hire them for $5 an hour, including the governor and judges?
[…] Chuck Muth spells out what I think is the best compromise possible. Now if only the Government goons would agree to such a pitch. […]