Higher Nevada spending levels may lead to special session

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick warns that a special legislative session may have to be called because of tax increases being sought to cover state agency spending.

Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, expects the Legislature will be asked to approve more than $900 million in tax increases before its scheduled adjournment June 2.

That total is well above the $704 million increase Gov. Kenny Guinn says is needed to keep state services at current levels. But it's lower than the $1 billion sought by Guinn to cover basic services and allow for some program growth.

Hettrick said Tuesday that Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees are approving state agency budgets for 2003-05 at higher spending levels than the governor recommended.

Guinn expressed optimism that legislative leaders have control and will approve the necessary tax increases.

"They have to come up with the money now," he said. "They have a lot of work to do in the next 15 or 20 days."

Guinn added that he proposed a $1 billion tax increase for 2003-05 so legislators "could tinker around" with increases above the $704 million level he considers essential.

The governor would be forced to convene a special session of the Legislature if lawmakers can't balance the budget by the end of the 120-day session.

Hettrick has proposed tax increases of $636 million for the next two years, while cutting $400 million out of Guinn's proposed $4.83 billion budget for 2003-05.