Denis concedes that Demos won’t be able to raise Nevada taxes for education this session

CARSON CITY — Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis conceded in an emotional floor speech Tuesday that Democrats will not be able to raise taxes this session to provide the $300 million in education improvement they sought.

“At the end of the day we will do nothing to help our kids,” said the Las Vegas Democrat. “It is really a shame.”

Denis opened his speech by mentioning he and his wife, Susan, were celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary and how they dedicated themselves to be active in their children’s schools after the birth of their first child. He spoke of how their son had been tested as gifted and talented, but his school had no programs to help him.

“We haven’t done our job,” said Denis, a former state PTA president who teared up in talking about failing the state’s children. “We are failing our kids by kicking the can down the road again.”

Others such as Sen. Kelvin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas, were downright angry that they haven’t been able to budge the Republicans on taxes. Sen. Ruben Kihuen, D-Las Vegas, said the Legislature has too many politicians and not enough statesmen. He said the late Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, would be upset with his party’s intransigence on taxes.

Republicans were quick to defend themselves and Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget proposal.

Sen. Greg Brower, R-Reno, noted the governor’s budget increases total spending on education by nearly $500 million. He added Sandoval has proposed spending $50 million on English language learner classes and $39.5 million to reduce kindergarten class sizes. The number of full-day kindergartens will increase to 201 from 128.

“If he (Denis) wants to throw in the towel, that’s fine,” Brower said. “This governor’s budget is pretty good. I don’t understand the finger-pointing.”

Sandoval himself noted the nearly
$500 million increase in education spending in his proposed budget and how it had funds for English language learners and full-day kindergarten.

“Education has long been a priority for the governor and he remains committed to continuing to meet (the needs of) our state’s children,” said Mary-Sarah Kinner, Sandoval’s press secretary.

Denis made his concessions just as members of the Assembly Taxation and the Senate Revenue committees were to begin a hearing on Senate Bill 514, a proposal to raise $255 million by increasing the payroll taxes employers pay. The hearing was canceled.

He noted that virtually everyone has predicted the bill is dead on arrival and Sandoval has pledged to veto it if it passes.

Republicans agreed it is a dead bill.

Democrats cannot pass tax increases or override a Sandoval veto without at least one Senate Republican and three Assembly Republicans backing their tax bill.

The other Democratic tax bill would raise $50 million through an 8 percent state entertainment and admission tax that would even tax movies, bowling and golf.

“This is the worst time to increase taxes on job creation in our state,” Brower said.

“I didn’t know we were in such a terrible state,” added Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno. “We are making significant strides. I am proud of what we have done. I want to be optimistic.”

Sen. Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, called the speeches one of the “most refreshing discussions” the Legislature has had.

“Before any session ends, there has to be some blowup,” he said. “We have had it.”

Still, Democrats lamented that more money was not spent on education.

“I am not satisfied,” said Sen. Aaron Ford, D-Las Vegas, who said he won’t give up.

“I am tired to see Nevada at the bottom of the good lists,” Kihuen added.

Sen. Justin Jones said his office would be open at 10 a.m. if any Republicans wanted to come in and talk about a compromise acceptable to everyone.

Denis said he hoped there still was time that legislators could back a long-term plan to provide sufficient funds for education in the future. What that plan is, however, he still would not say during a brief news conference.

Republicans noted they still have an as yet unheard bill that would allow voters in 2014 to pass a 10 percent net tax on mining, and raise about $300 million a year. That bill, however, also is dead on arrival because of a promised Sandoval veto.

Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, said the Democrats have not even scheduled a hearing on the Senate Republicans’ mining tax proposal.

“I expected more from the majority party,” he said. “I thought the Democrats would say ‘Wow, look at the Republicans. Let’s do something for the long-term future of the state.’”

Some Democrats took his comments as an insult to Denis. But after the debate, Roberson said he meant no disrespect and liked the majority leader. Denis said he does not take comments personally.

In the news conference, Denis said he was “not throwing in the towel. I never will throw in the towel on the schoolchildren of Nevada.”

In the news conference, some reporters questioned why the Democrats won’t continue fighting, and force a special session of the Legislature if necessary to induce Republicans to back higher taxes, like they did in 2003.

But Sen. Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, noted that in Nevada there is “minority rule” on tax increases, referring to the two-thirds vote required.

Smith pointed out that Republicans also now realize that public education is underfunded in Nevada, but won’t do anything now to change that.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.