We've now reached the end of the road -- and there is not even a can to kick
Friday, March 5, 2010 at 19:17 
After days of playing budgetary chicken, the Special Session of the Nevada Legislature ended with a gimmick-ridden budget which solved nothing – only digs a deeper hole that will have to be dealt with in the future. Cynical commentators described their actions as: “kicking the can down the road.”
People across Nevada are fed-up and frustrated, anxious and angry, and so am I. Today, as opportunities are disappearing before our eyes, much of government doesn’t even function as well as it has in the past. Average taxpayers are feeling the squeeze of lesser services while the special interests are as comfy and arrogant as ever.
Meanwhile, tepid, risk-averse political “leaders” of both parties ignore any suggestion that might possibly offend someone powerful; and scurry-about trying to patch-up this sinking ship by borrowing from our future – and our children’s future – just so it doesn’t sink on their watch.
We can’t endure with these short-term, band-aid solutions. I want to reform Nevada's tax system so that it facilitates economic growth by being simple, balanced, competitive and efficient. Something is fundamentally wrong with a system where the poorest 20 percent of Nevadans pay 8.3% of their income in state and local taxes, while the richest 1 percent pays less than 2% of their income. In other words, the tax burden on Nevada’s working poor is more than four times that of our wealthiest residents.
Now is the time for enlightened leadership to take decisive action to fine-tune expenditures, eliminate bureaucratic obstacles, find more efficient ways of delivering services, and significantly broaden the 
burden of tax payments to better reflect the current realities of our state.
During the next few days I will offer some specific suggestions of the kind of proposals that I think should be considered.
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