State of Nevada Archives: on Tax Reform
Jacky Rosen:
Opposed Republican tax cut to wealthy
Just in time for the holidays, politicians are trying to gift-wrap tax breaks for their billionaire donors and corporate special interests while hardworking families foot the bill. Desperate to score some sort of political win, Republicans in the
House and Senate are ready to throw millions of Americans under the bus--so they can give the wealthiest Americans and huge corporations a massive tax cut. I was disappointed with the final bill in the House, and I voted against it on Nov. 16.
Source: Las Vegas Sun on 2018 Nevada Senatorial race
Nov 29, 2017
Adam Laxalt:
Critical to maintain low taxes
I've shown a commitment to fiscal responsibility as Attorney General, my office has returned nearly $30 million to taxpayers since my inauguration, even while increasing services and I'll do the same as Governor.
It is critical that we maintain a low-tax climate so that our businesses can thrive and our families can prosper. As Governor, I will oppose all efforts to increase Nevadans' tax burden, and will also look for ways we can reduce taxes.
Source: 2018 Nevada Gubernatorial website AdamLaxalt.com
Nov 7, 2017
Ruben Kihuen:
End the absurd carried interest tax loophole
It's time to hold Wall Street accountable and ensure they cannot continue to put short-term profits ahead of people's lives. In Congress, I will:- Sponsor legislation to hold Wall Street executives accountable when they defraud the American
People and ensure criminal behavior is prosecuted, even if the criminals wear a suit and work in downtown Manhattan.
- Fight any effort to roll back Dodd-Frank and work to pass new, tough regulations on Wall Street including an end to the
Volcker Rule's hedge fund loophole, increased regulation of the shadow banking system, and fight to make the stock market more fair so high frequency scalpers are not allowed to reap profits off the backs of everyday Americans.
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End the absurd carried interest tax loophole that allows Wall Street to claim their profits as capital gains instead of income. No hedge fund manager should pay a lower tax rate than his or her secretary.
Source: 2016 Nevada House campaign website RubenForCongress.com
Nov 8, 2016
Bob Beers:
Fight against tax-and-spend hikes; reduce tax revenue
Beers led the fight against the 2003 tax-and-spend hikes in the Nevada Assembly. Today, he is still a full-time Las Vegas City Councilman with a track record including:- Leading the effort to stop the City from giving $100-million to a speculative
soccer stadium developer
- Leading the effort to repeal the 2009 energy code, which impeded the redevelopment of downtown
- Leading the effort to keep the City's budget in balance during a time of economic recession and reduced tax revenue.
Source: 2016 Senate campaign website, beers4nevada.org
Apr 1, 2015
Mark Amodei:
Americans don't pay too little in taxes
I disagree with Pres. Obama's assessment that Americans pay too little in taxes. I pledge to advocate for changes in federal tax and spending policies that will reduce the burden on struggling American Families and small businesses:- Make the Bush
Era Tax Cuts permanent
- Abolish the Estate Tax, to protect family farms, ranches and businesses
- Maintain the mortgage interest deduction on primary residences and second homes
- Reduce the marginal tax rates on individuals and small businesses.
Source: 2012 House campaign website,www.amodei4nevada.com, "Issues"
Sep 15, 2011
Brian Sandoval:
Don't raise taxes by $1B; that would halt job growth
I was briefed on the Democratic plan for raising over a billion dollars in taxes. We had a frank discussion about our differences of opinion concerning the impact of raising taxes, and I restated my belief that raising taxes in this economy would be a
mistake. Nevada is just beginning to demonstrate signs of economic recovery and this proposal would bring job growth to a halt, at a time when we have proven that growing our way out of this crisis can address our budgetary needs.
Source: Nevada 2011 gubernatorial press release, #4294971649
May 5, 2011
Harry Reid:
I am not in favor of giving billionaires tax cuts
Angle pushed for extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, arguing that if they were not made permanent "we will experience the largest tax increase in the history of America.""I personally am not in favor of giving billionaires tax cuts,"
Reid responded, before guaranteeing that he would not support an increase in taxes for middle class Americans.
Source: CBS News coverage of 2010 Nevada Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Sharron Angle:
Extend the Bush-era tax cuts, or it's a tax increase
Angle pushed for extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, arguing that if they were not made permanent "we will experience the largest tax increase in the history of America.""I personally am not in favor of giving billionaires tax cuts,"
Reid responded, before guaranteeing that he would not support an increase in taxes for middle class Americans.
Source: CBS News coverage of 2010 Nevada Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Jim Gibbons:
No new taxes and no expansion of state government
It is time for Nevada government to face facts and make tough choices about the services we can and cannot afford. This unprecedented economic situation is a crisis. Therefore, I will be issuing a proclamation convening a Special Session of the Nevada
Legislature on February 23. This is not a responsibility I take lightly, this is an extraordinary time and we must take action. In 2007, Nevada's economy began a downturn which I knew was not temporary. The Executive Budget I prepared in January of
2009 scaled back state government to weather this crisis. More importantly, the balanced budget I submitted imposed no new taxes and allowed no expansion of state government. The Nevada Legislature disregarded my solution. They raised taxes one
billion dollars, and they made government bigger. They made the wrong call. I vetoed their new taxes and their inflated spending. I thought it was wrong then. I KNOW it's wrong now. I planned responsibly. They gambled on new taxes and we all lost.
Source: Nevada 2010 State of the State Address
Feb 8, 2010
Chris Dodd:
Moderate but keep the estate tax; incentivize middle class
Q: The benefits of President’s Bush’s tax cuts have overwhelmingly gone to the very wealthy. Meanwhile, federal revenues have dropped to the lowest share of our national wealth in decades. A: First of all, we need to have a program which focuses
attention on critically important domestic issues. We also need to make sure we don’t allow these tax cuts to become permanent in this county. Providing that kind of benefit for people at the very top levels would be a mistake.
We’re going to need not a repeal of the estate tax but to moderate it. But if we were to totally get rid of that, there would be a tremendous loss of revenues for the country.
And then we need to provide the kind of tax breaks and incentives for those in the middle-income category of our country so they can begin to grow and prosper and contribute more.
Source: 2007 AFSCME Democratic primary debate in Carson City Nevada
Feb 21, 2007
Mike Gravel:
Wipe out the income tax! -- it’s regressive
We ought to wipe out the income tax, wipe it out! It’s the most regressive, unfair system of taxation in the world, and it’s what’s causing us to lose our jobs. It brought about the Rust Belt. Now, what kind of a tax should we have? The most important
thing a government can do is raise revenue. Now, if it raises unfairly -- which is what we’re doing -- the people intuitively know in their gut that the government’s going to be unfair in all of the programs that deals with the people.
Now, what kind
of a tax should we do? I’m for the Fair Tax. You’ll hear liberals say, “Well, that’s a sales tax, that’s regressive.” That is not regressive. Both systems of taxation, that is the income tax and the sales tax, are both progressive. Whatever you make, you
pay a tax on. If you make more, you pay more tax. With respect to consumption, sales tax, whatever you spend, if you spend more, you pay more tax. So now they’re both the same. The income tax has been gamed by the wealthy people with 30,000 lobbyists.
Source: 2007 AFSCME Democratic primary debate in Carson City Nevada
Feb 21, 2007
Mike Gravel:
National sales tax; no exceptions; prebates for essentials
The income tax has been gamed by the wealthy people. I for the Fair Tax [national sales tax]. The essentials of life that we have -- food, lodging, medicine, what have you -- we can deal with that. We can’t provide an exception.
When you go to the grocery store, you’ll pay the tax on it. Because if you start giving an exception, then Katy bar the door, the wealthy will game the system again. But what we can do is create a prebate.
Determine what the average cost of essential is to average American, and then turn it around and multiply that by the tax, take the amount of tax, divide it by 12, and send every single registered American a check at the beginning of the month to
cover what he would pay in the way of taxes on the essentials of life. Now that creates a cash flow, and then you go get your paycheck, and there’s no tax deductions at the federal level.
Source: 2007 AFSCME Democratic primary debate in Carson City Nevada
Feb 21, 2007
Jack Carter:
Oppose the elimination of the sales tax deduction by the GOP
The 2006 tax reconciliation bill eliminates the sales tax deduction for residents of seven states, including Nevada. This deduction has proved immensely popular with Nevadans. They collectively have saved an estimated $130,000,000 a year, and now Ensign
and his fellow Republicans have voted to eliminate this deduction. The sales tax deduction has provided significant federal income tax relief, especially to residents of the seven states in which there is no state income tax. The average Nevada family of
four with a household income of $45,000 could claim a $700 exemption on their 2005 return. This bill means higher taxes for Nevadans, and that means less money in their pockets. With soaring prices on everything from gas to health care, it’s ridiculous
that Ensign voted to wipe out this tax relief. It’s another example of him providing tax cuts for the wealthy, while increasing taxes for the little guy. He seems to be ignoring the financial struggle which is a part of everyday life for many Nevadans.
Source: 2006 Senate campaign website, Carter for Nevada
May 21, 2006
Kenny Guinn:
Nevada needs new revenue, but now is no time for new taxes
During this past year, I have made no secret of my belief that Nevada must explore new revenue streams and establish a broader economic base, so that we can provide a good education to our children, adequate health care to our families and seniors,
and safety for all our citizens. As a result, many speculated that I would be forced to raise taxes. Indeed, the state’s expenditure and long-range revenue projections show that, without changes, Nevada will face a tremendous shortfall within 8 years.
I believe, however, that, with the potential slowing of the national economy, now is not a time for new taxes, and my budget does not contain a single tax increase. Now is a time for moderation and restraint.
I have long believed that state government cannot and should not be all things to all people. There are some things, however, that only the state can do -- educate our children, care for our seniors, and protect the disadvantaged.
Source: 2001 State of the State Address to the Nevada Legislature
Jan 22, 2001
Page last updated: Feb 13, 2018