Gov. Gibbons criticizes Senate leader

CARSON CITY " Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons, called a political coward by the top Democrat in the Nevada Senate, said Thursday that "true cowardice" is being shown by lawmakers who aren't making public their plans to raise taxes.

Gibbons was harshly criticized by Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, after the governor announced he'll let a hotel room tax increase take effect without his signature.

Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, joined in the criticism, saying he was misled by Gibbons who, while opposed to most tax increases, had indicated support for the 3 percent increase in Las Vegas- and Reno-area room taxes because voters backed the plan.

Raggio was one of four Republicans who joined with the 12 Democrats who control the Senate to give final legislative approval to the tax plan on Tuesday. Five GOP senators voted "no."

"Taking affirmative steps to hide proposed tax hikes from the citizens is true cowardice on the part of Sen. Horsford and certain other members of the Legislature," Gibbons stated. "Sen. Horsford and his tax-hiking colleagues should show at least some honor and integrity by getting their tax hike plans out in the open."

"These certain legislators who are promoting an array of tax hikes need to look beyond the next day into next year and the next decade and beyond," Gibbons said. "If they do that, they will take their job-killing and recession-extending tax hike plans and throw them away."

Gibbons didn't mention Raggio by name on Thursday, but on Wednesday he said the veteran GOP lawmaker had expressed reluctance about supporting the room tax plan and he chose to do the same by letting the tax plan become law without his signature. He said many previous governors have done the same on other matters.

Proponents of the room tax increase, mainly affecting tourists, said it's needed to help deal with Nevada's widening budget crisis by generating more than $200 million for the state over the next two fiscal years. After that, revenues from the increase will be used for teacher pay raises.

The plan came to the Legislature after major Nevada casinos and the Nevada State Education Association, a teachers' union, delivered more than 130,000 signatures supporting it.