Friday, March 11, 2005 | 5:02 a.m.
Jon Ralston hosts the news discussion program Face to Face on Las Vegas ONE and publishes the Ralston Report. He can be reached at (702) 870-7997 or at [email protected].
WEEKEND EDITION
March 12 - 13, 2005
The scene is a noisy committee room in the Legislative Building in Carson City. The place is packed but the cacophony is from the legislators, who are whining and wringing their hands. The gavel comes down.
Speaker Richard Perkins: Good morning and welcome to this joint meeting of the Assembly and Senate tax committees to discuss property taxes. Actually, we don't even have a tax committee in the Assembly this time after that nightmare two years ago. Aren't we clever? We call it Growth and Infrastructure now. Do I see a hand from an unimportant legislator who hasn't been in our back-room meetings?
Unimportant Legislator: Mr. Speaker, why can't we just put this on the ballot like we did with marijuana and smoking? Can't we just abdicate our responsibility on this, too? That would be easier than actually doing the jobs we were elected to do. And a lot easier for us to get re-elected, so we can come up here again and not make critical decisions.
Perkins: We can't do that for several reasons. First, some of us here are running for governor so we have to do something. Or at least look like we are doing something. Second, it's the right thing to do. (Laughter erupts from members.) All right, I had to say that. The media are here.
Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus: I'd like to say something, Mr. Speaker. (Perkins cuts her off.)
Perkins: The chair does not recognize Sen. Titus.
Titus: (Interrupts.) You may not recognize me but many people in my district and across this state do because I know how to get media attention. I am just sick and tired of these closed-door meetings to figure out a plan. I have been going to those meetings but I don't like them. And that's why I come out of them and complain about them to the media. It's just not right, even though I participate. And I still like my freeze idea. It doesn't solve anything, but it sure sounds neat.
Perkins: (Surrounded by advisers and lobbyists whispering in his ear.) If you are done now, senator, let's get on with the hearing.
Sen. John Lee: I have a plan, I have a plan, notice me, recognize me. I might be governor someday.
Chorus of committee: Oh shut up, John.
Perkins: Look who is at the door, members. (Motions to Kenny Guinn, who is peering into the room). It's the governor. Come on in.
Guinn: Oh, no thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have any ideas on this topic. Just keep having this lively debate. See you in June for the first special session on this. (Leaves.)
Perkins: Thanks, governor. That was helpful. What is that racket? Sen. Cegavske, please stop talking on your cell phone during the hearing.
Cegavske: Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I was just filing my daily news report with Channel 3. I was trying to explain what property taxes are to its newsroom.
Perkins: Sen. Raggio, I see you want to say something.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio: I just want to tell everyone here that these closed-door meetings are no indication of anything nefarious and I chide the media for implying so. I am a firm believer in tradition and this is the way we have always done things and I see no reason to change now.
Perkins: Thank you, Sen. Raggio. Let me be clear here because we must keep misleading the public. Excuse me, I mean we must not mislead the public. Very few people actually have a financial hardship. The rich folks in Incline Village don't need relief. Most people in Clark County don't need relief. But some do. So we should either take advantage of the severe economic hardship clause already in the law and make sure people can tap into it. Or if we have to bend to political realities, we should at least put a means test in of some kind, or use as a barometer whether someone has a mortgage payment that now exceeds 30 percent of annual income? Why should we just blow with the political winds of the moment? (Pauses. Tries to suppress smile. Audible laughter is heard.) OK, just kidding.
Titus: I don't think this is any laughing matter. We must institute a freeze. It's what the people want. Down there in the Assembly, y'all always do what the people want. You pass poll-tested propositions like a lottery or a minimum wage. You don't care if they get killed over here because they are all for Perkins. Perkins, Perkins, Perkins. I feel like Jan on "The Brady Bunch." It's about time someone started saying my name.
Perkins: Oh, I'll say your name, all right. I'll say some other words with your name ... (Barbara Buckley interrupts.)
Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley: Mr. Speaker, why can't we all just get along? We Democrats must stick together or else we will be handing the governorship to a man who can't even write his own speeches -- you know, like we all do. We must stop treating the people as if they are dolts. Legislating to the Lowest Common Denominator must end -- after a few of my bills pass, that is. We need to explain this property tax problem to people, explain that not everyone needs relief and do this in a way that works, no matter how complex it turns out to be. If people are mad, so be it. There will always be opportunists who try to stoke the populist fires.
Perkins: What is that piece of paper being passed around by committee members? Will an unimportant legislator tell me?
Unimportant legislator: It's Sharron Angle's rollback petition. We're signing it.
Perkins: Oh, great. Now where were we?
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