Quantcast
MobileRJ | RSS Twitter Twitter FacebookFacebook E-mail Alerts
Home manage Las Vegas Review-Journal
  Jobs Cars Homes Shopping Travel Weddings Golf Best of Las Vegas Photo   Search:

RECENT EDITIONS
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

sponsored by
News
Nov. 17, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

JANE ANN MORRISON: MGM Mirage's Lanni backed Jim Gibbons but now parrots Dina Titus

JANE ANN MORRISON
MORE COLUMNS

Gov. Jim Gibbons and gaming honcho Terry Lanni remind me of the tale about the scorpion and the frog. The scorpion asks for help crossing the river, assuring the frog he won't sting him because then they would both drown.

In the middle of the river, the scorpion stings, and sure enough, they both start to sink. The frog can't believe what happened, but the scorpion said, "You knew what I was."


Most Popular Stories
  • NORM: Terry Fator, wife ending marriage
  • NORM: Jackson worked on album at Palms
  • NORM: Blaze breaks out during magic act
  • Ex-Ensign aide details wife's affair
  • SENATOR'S AFFAIR: Hamptons given $96,000 in gifts
  • NORM: Jacksons set up LV memorial area
  • LV area residential real estate sales reach record in June
  • Ensign wrote lover a letter, saying their affair was a 'sin'
  • Official: Fatal gunshot in back
  • Coroner says sexual assault suspect killed by police was shot in back




    • The MGM Mirage chairman knew Gibbons was a no-new-taxes guy when he and other gaming officials supported the Republican in 2006.

    That's what makes it funny to listen to a thoughtful, well-crafted speech by Lanni asking the business community to join gaming to create a plan for new business taxes.

    If he could fake a Southern accent, Lanni could channel Dina Titus, the Democratic state senator who didn't become governor but would have been receptive to Lanni's speech if she had.

    "I told the gaming industry during the campaign by supporting Gibbons and his no taxes pledge, they were putting the target on the backs of gaming and forcing an initiative," Titus said Friday.

    And that's exactly what happened. The initiative process is under way to raise taxes by taxing one source: gaming.

    Lanni knew he had chosen an unfriendly crowd when he spoke Thursday to 850 business types at the Nevada Development Authority luncheon. These are folks who work to bring new businesses to Nevada using the pitch that Nevada is a low-tax state.

    His message: Work with gaming to raise taxes on medium to large businesses while protecting small businesses. "We have to accept the fact that a no-tax environment is a relic of a bygone era," he said. Nobody applauded.

    I agreed with most of his 30-minute speech. Nongaming businesses have gotten a break in Nevada because of all the taxes paid by gaming.

    Titus agrees with Lanni that the tax system is in chaos and needs stabilizing. She agrees with Lanni that raising taxes through initiative is not responsible.

    And when Lanni said whether Nevada is 49th on state spending for education (or 37th if you add construction spending ) that "even 37th isn't remotely good enough," he was paralleling what Titus consistently said about being at the bottom of the best lists and top of the worst lists.

    He even took a swipe at Sen. Bob Beers for including construction spending in figuring the education spending, calling it "something virtually no one would reasonably do for this calculation." (Just like me, Lanni has a snotty side.)

    But when I asked the gaming executive about knowing what he was getting when he supported Gibbons, Lanni said, "I did and do support Jim Gibbons. ... I've not reduced any of my consideration and support for the governor."

    Will the NDA come to the table? Sure they will. They'll certainly want to be part of the discussion about any tax on businesses, but I'll be surprised if they do more than play defense. That's what business groups have historically done, through coalitions that first say yeah, then nay, before crumbling.

    Lanni isn't certain a coalition of business and gaming to create a plan to raise taxes on businesses will be successful. But if it is, he wants to meet with the governor and ask whether he'd be willing to let the Legislature meet and consider taxes. "If they take action, maybe they can create a bill (Gibbons) could sign."

    Would he be able to change the minds of the Review-Journal editorial board, known for its unwavering anti-tax stance? "I work on the difficult, and work on the impossible later," Lanni said.

    His disdain for the local media drew the only laugh in his half-hour speech, while none of his tax urgings drew any applause. "To read the local newspapers -- something I try to avoid if I actually want to know what's going on -- one would think the Nevada economy is in a state of crisis," he said.

    Lanni isn't certain Nevada's economy is in a crisis, "but it's certainly an economy in a state of chaos."

    But the frog isn't willing to accept any responsibility for giving the scorpion a ride.

    Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275.

    Newsvine Digg Fark Technorati reddit StumbleUpon del.icio.us Slashdot Propeller Mixx Furl Twitter MySpace Facebook Google Bookmarks Yahoo! Bookmarks Windows Live Favorites Ask MyStuff myAOL Favorites

    Leave Your Comment 21 Reader Comments
    Terms & Conditions
    The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The reviewjournal.com does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please notify the web editor.

    Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 48 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
    Current Word Count:

    Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

    undrcovr wrote on November 18, 2007 01:16 PM: 'the firm' speaks with arrogance... so what else is new? The feds don't have to have a parade, throw a press conference, or even get permission to do what they need to do.


    Dawn wrote on November 17, 2007 07:24 PM: Jeffrey, you must be a CEO somewhere. Gaming is strong. If they can continue to build they can afford to pay their fair share. Mr Lanni supported putting Gibbons in office. As usual these guys get their wish. In the meantime our state is floundering at the hands of their anointed one. We were hoping that Gibbons would have been indited by now. Until then, we the people must do the job our special interest politicians won't do. Where do we sign the ballot initiative?


    Jeffery Justice wrote on November 17, 2007 06:58 PM: The gaming tax should not be increased. Gaming provides important economic injections into our economy. Such capital investments provide us with the jobs that we need and want as well as significant funding already allocated to our education system both through the general fund and donations. Our state specializes in gaming, and we need to keep gaming strong.


    the mirror wrote on November 17, 2007 03:15 PM: Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who in Nevada is the most prestigious firm of all????


    the firm wrote on November 17, 2007 02:59 PM: You guys are getting warmer. Can you guys convince the feds to do their job? We have in laws and outlaws, sons and daughters, LLC's and trusts. But, bottom line, it is just us. Our little circle that is a well oiled machine. We promote from within all the way to the Nevada supreme court. There are more of you than us. Could you really organize and take us down? Could you really get someone to listen to you. We are the best and the brightest and have been doing this for years.


    sleaze factor wrote on November 17, 2007 02:31 PM: The sleaze factor and the public's addiction to drama keeps perpetuating the Reid thing, the G-Sting Players, Saitta, Erin Kenny, Dario Herrera, Oscar..and around and around we go. Any change for the better has to be a choice by Nevada voters...or they have already, what they deserve.


    undrcovr wrote on November 17, 2007 02:04 PM: Its more than just Reid. The nest consists of Clark County officials all the way to the Supreme Court. They keep the likes of Reid where he is to serve their purposes.

    Someone said 'My people parrish for lack of knowlege'.

    The playing field needs to be leveled.

    Nevada is like a third world nation and will remain so until the citizens of Nevada get involved to make changes.


    GOD wrote on November 17, 2007 01:50 PM: You think that congress would have gotten the message when the SD voters voted Tom Daschle out of office.

    Now it's time to vote crazy yellow Harry Reid out of office.


    oh my god wrote on November 17, 2007 01:28 PM: We have dynasties within dynasties all co dependent of each other to further their personal agendas. Judges look the other way... and when challenged, the Supreme Court backs them up. They all HATE the DOJ and tremble everytime the feds start sniffing around.

    These are elected officials of Nevada...our representatives.

    Dismantled to say the least!!!


    Yes son wrote on November 17, 2007 01:13 PM: oh my god, you are correct. The REID dynasty needs to be dismantled. If the voters would connect the dots it would all come to an end. In Nevada, the partisan thing has been a smoke screen for the good ole boys that has worked well. But then business is business. Right fella's?


    Read All Comments