Tony wrote on April 07, 2008 10:00 PM: All Sheldon Adelson has to do is pay his employees a little less than their worth and in essence his employees are supporting his politics. Sheldon Adelson supports Israel interest first not America's

Incredulous wrote on March 27, 2008 12:39 AM: Erin said: "The late Howard Jarvis remains one of the biggest names associated with efforts to rein in property taxes in Nevada. His California Proposition 13 initiative in the late 1970s is something some Nevada conservatives want to emulate."

California's local governments and public utilities, whose taxing powers were effected by Proposition 13, are so presumptuous and dishonest, that they found at least 10 ways around Proposition 13. As a result the voters of California have had to pass at least 3 amendments to Proposition 13, to close the loopholes which the California Courts of Appeal have allowed local governments to rip open the law.

Then there are at least 8 Court of Appeal opinions slapping down other attempts by local governments to create loopholes to Proposition 13. The local governments refuse to comply with thouse court opinions, and keep doing illegal stuff relating to taxes and fees forbidden by Proposition 13 and its amendments.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation tries to litigate against all of the wrongdoing by the local governments violating Proposition 13, but there are more rip-off public agencies than lawyers at the Taxpayers Foundation to handle the cases.

I would like to see Proposition 13 passed in Nevada, but it would have to be written to include all of the amendments cutting off loopholes created by the local politicians, and all of the case law decisions explaining what the local governments were doing wrong.

Proposition 13 is a great law from the real estate taxpayer's point of view. It's the dirty crooked senior level public employees, and the elected officials who rubber stamp their work, that makes Proposition 13 an imperfect solution to reigning in the cost of local government.

Incredulous wrote on March 27, 2008 12:28 AM: I lived in California between 1978 and 2003. My wife and several of her friends were actively involved in trying to get public interest legislation passed on a number of topics.

The one thing I learned from directly watching the California Legislature's committee operations was that the Democrat controlled California Legislature was far more corrupt than even the most infamous legislatures, in places like Illinois.

The corrupt Democrats screw the few honest Democrats. The honest Democrats run to the Republican legislators for help, but together they can't muster the votes to get anything done.

That's why there are so many initiatives on the ballot in California. Their Legislature is so corrupt the only way to protect the public is through the initiative process.

I sense that the same thing is true here in Nevada.

I'm looking for a state where the Legislature isn't morally and intellectually corrupt. Anyone know of one?

douglas wrote on March 25, 2008 08:36 PM: guess i own/have owned residential and commercial property in a few states besides nevada. in any case, because anything is relatively less expensive, should it be raised ? if that's justified, then surely gasoline taxes should be raised so as to equal the pump price in hawaii or california. that's if the "proof" is accurate.

at present, i have been told by competent staff at the clark county assessor's office and neighbors, that "our" area's tax district is the highest in the state for residential property. specifically, higher than lake tahoe property.

in any case, no further tax increase is warranted *until* those departments dependent on that tax revenue rid their services to illegal infiltrators. *after* the parasites are removed from the budgets, the "shortfalls" if any remain, can be revisited. should neighbors reimburse another's gasoline cost when he refuses to plug the holes in his gas tank ?

and again, if any property owner thinks that his taxes, any tax, are "too low", they are honor bound to send a supplemental check to those departments. to do less is talk instead of walk.

James wrote on March 25, 2008 02:21 PM: Thanks, Erin. As Dave L. said below a lot of what you've written will pass over the heads of most Las Vegans.

Sound bites and 30 second commercials can sway a voter whose not really paying attention to an issue. And that's what many petitioners hope for; an electorate that's uninformed and easily manipulated.

Dave L wrote on March 25, 2008 01:52 PM: Erin, Very nice! As a Vegas old timer, I see what you are suggesting here. Very good. Very astute. Too over the head of many readers.

As for br and Phil, I suspect you never worked a day in your life, because if you did, you would know that someone, somewhere, some time, put a dime in a political race that came out of your pocket.

Burdish has had stories written about him (he's a business partner with Muth), about his work as a GOP operative in voter suppression attempts just a few years ago.

Muth runs a 'charity' (with Burdish), labeled as a "senior center" that unlawfully lobbies government. He receives money from Senator Bob Beers and then signs his praises. What came first, the praise or the money? Oh, he's taken money from Gibbons PAC, too.

And, Harris..hahahahha, he's with crazy senator Bob Beers on Liberty Watch!

tim wrote on March 25, 2008 09:20 AM: i can forsee 20 ballot questions this year like erin says,all by the teachers union.

Phil Hannifin wrote on March 25, 2008 08:46 AM: Erin, Why is it that union leaders will not put forth a system that will allow each member to individually agree in writing to have a specific amount deducted for political uses?
Is it because many members don't agree with the bosses?

Rob L wrote on March 25, 2008 08:06 AM: I just love when people call initiatives "Anti-Union" when in reality they are "Anti-Union Boss." The dues union members pay should support the union members, not be squandered on political pandering. This attitude just proves that the lefties could care less about the average Joe and his paycheck. They just see him as a piggy bank to support their legistlative agenda.

On the flip side, could you imagine the stroke Ms. Neff would have if Sheldon Adelson took cash out each of his employees paycheck to support his politics???

Evan Ravitz wrote on March 25, 2008 08:01 AM: To improve initiatives, there are good proposals to give voters what legislators get: public hearings, expert testimony, amendments, reports, etc., and to make them less influenced by money and easier for ordinary folks. The best proposal, which includes NATIONAL initiatives (which would end torture, domestic spying, perpetual war and debt, etc. in short order) is from famed former Senator Mike Gravel and YOU can vote to ratify it at http://Vote.org, much as citizens ratified the Constitution at the Conventions! Another is http://cirwa.org

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