If you know nothing about any other matter on the November ballot, we urge you to go the polls to cast a resounding “no” vote on Question 3 — otherwise known as The Education Initiative or more accurately as the margin tax.
Depending on which study you rely on, this tax could directly destroy somewhere between 3,600 and 9,000 private sector jobs without an iota of assurance that the money raised would be spent on education or, even if it is, that it would improve education.
The Nevada State Education Association has put before the voters a 2 percent margin tax on all Nevada businesses that gross more than $1 million a year. The union has estimated the tax would bring in $800 million a year in additional funding for K-12 education. Any business reaching that $1 million threshold would pay taxes on all its revenues whether profitable or not — a straw that could break a few camels’ backs.
The Coalition to Defeat the Margin Tax Initiative — which is made up of retailers, miners, manufacturers and assorted businesses and business groups — has published a report showing that with passage of this tax Nevada would jump from a state with one of the lowest business tax burdens in the nation into the top five, making it difficult to attract new companies and jobs.
When added to the current Modified Business Tax, Nevada’s effective corporate income tax rate on profits would be 15 percent — the highest in the West and nearly double California’s business tax rate of 8.8 percent.
The companies subject to the tax employ the majority of Nevada’s workers and account for the majority of the state’s economic activity.
Anti-tax coalition spokesman Karen Griffin notes that “many businesses that sell goods and services in Nevada would pass on their increased costs from the tax to consumers, increasing the costs we pay for food, clothing, health care, electricity, phone bills, and other products and services.”
Another study found that the tax would effectively amount to a deduction from employee pay of $1,314 per worker per year.
Even labor unions are opposing the margin tax.
Furthermore, the ballot initiative contains no language that would prevent the Legislature from simply taking tax money that currently goes to education and spending it elsewhere, just as it did with a hotel room tax that was supposed to go to education.
If the money does go to education, there is nothing to prevent the money being spent without any incentives for performance improvement.
In the past 40 years, Nevada has increased inflation-adjusted education spending 100 percent, while SAT scores have fallen. — TM
Rosss Miller should apologize to Adam Laxalt and Nevada’s veterans
Growing up during Vietnam at the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot in Hawthorne , Nevada taught me a little about the Armed Services. Hawthorne, during Vietnam, hosted every service. We had units from the Marines, Navy, Army and Air Force. I attended the Mineral County school system with dependents from every service. They were my friends and classmates. At the end of Vietnam, my father retired from the Air Force and we left Nevada. I can still remember singing “Home means Nevada” as a child..
In 2003, and after serving in the Air Force since 1977, I was activated for Iraq for 18 months . As a C-141 Flight Engineer in the Air Force Reserves, I hauled folks from every service. During Iraq, the last two units of the C-141C Starlifter fleet were tasked exclusively with the Iraq to Germany and Washington DC Medevac mission. Everyday, A C-141C would perform a Medevac mission to and from Iraq. Everyday Air Force Reservist Flight nurses and Flight surgeons would load the wounded. These patriot wounded, these gallant and dedicated warriors would be from every service and every age group. Some were fresh out of basic training while others had 35 years service. All soldiers in the field are teammates. They have all answered the call to duty ,honor, country.
The doctors and nurses that treated these patriot wounded were from every branch of service from Bethesda Naval Hospital to the Brooks Army Medical Center.
On the aircraft, Nevada Guardsmen would set next to a Naval Reservists from Oregon. A 50 year old Army Reservist from New York would be laying next to an 18 year old litter patient from the 3rd Armored Division etc. During times of war, we do not care what service our patriots serve in. We do not ask the wounded if they are active duty military or in the Guard before we let them on the plane. In wars like Iraq, everyone understood that anyone that enters the combat zone was subject to “improvised explosive devices” on the “Road of Death.” At any moment, anyone of us could be killed or wounded from a suicide bomber or a mortar attack. Terrorists do not care if an American soldier works in the “chow hall” or on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the enemy will kill Americans if they get the opportunity.
Ross Miller insulted all Nevada veterans when he insulted Adam Laxalt service in Iraq. Adam Laxalt answered the call, volunteered, and served in a “Combat Zone” . In return, Ross Miller calls him a “paper pusher” in Iraq and has devalued Adam Laxalt’s service. In essence, Ross Miller has attacked the patriotism and service of all Nevada veterans who have served in war.
I guess, Ross Miller does not understand the concept of “Brothers in arms”!
Ross Miller should apologize to Adam laxalt and all Nevada veterans.
Stephan Brodhead