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Republicans loaded for bear on margins tax
Lawmakers will hear the teachers' union's margins tax proposal on Tuesday in a hearing that is sure to be full of sound and fury and signify punting. To the ballot, that is.
UNLV student body president to Legislature, regents: I don't support what the rest of the student leaders want
UNLV student body President Mark Ciavola boycotted Nevada Education Day in Carson City last week and sent a scathing missive to regents and lawmakers about his colleagues' priorities. The memo, pasted below, indicates that Ciavola, a well-known Republican, former college GOP boss and ex-Rep. Joe Heck operative, is against many of the increased funding agendas of other student leaders.
Developer's attorney to Henderson: Don't use us to make your case
In a tart letter to Henderson City Attorney Josh Reid, attorney Todd Bice has essentially admonished the city not to use his client, Juliet Corp., to make its case against would-be stadium developer Chris Milam.
Reid signs amicus brief to overturn DOMA
This is a big deal: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, known for his conservative social views, has signed onto an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. Reid has always said marriage is between a man and a woman, although he has signaled the world changed after the president, ahem, evolved. But this is a much bigger step for Reid.
North Las Vegas mayor's race starts nasty
Ex-state Sen. John Lee's attempt to have a second political life and North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck's desire for her constituents to forget the dismal state of the city for a campaign season is playing out north of Owwns Avenue -- and it's not pretty. Lee started with a piece calling Buck "ethically bankrupt" and Buck began with one that describes Lee's multiple bids for different offices. All that money these two are going to spend on this race might be better served trying to solidfy the city's budget..... Both pieces are attached here.
DCCC goes after Heck on sequester
If there were any doubt that national (and local) Democrats won't leave Rep. Joe Heck alone for the next 600 days, a new robocall campaign on the sequester will end any doubts. After near-daily releases from the Nevada Democratic Party assailing Nevada's swing-district congressman, the Democratic Congressional Committee todays strats a call trying to press Heck on the sequester. Yes, you need to suspend any memories of where the sequester came from or of who (just about everyone) voted for it. But you get the point. Transcript below -- audio attached. ----
Resolving underwater mortgages through eminent domain? The plan comes to Southern Nevada
A controversial method to help underwater homeowners by deploying eminent domain is coming to Southern Nevada.
Even when a bill is good and the cause is just, politicians will be....politicians
UPDATE: A couple of folks reminded me of the 2009 battle over a similar provision, which closes the loop because it was an attempt by Republicans to try to affect then-Speaker Barbara Buckley's potential gubernatorial run. The measure flew out of the Senate (thanks to Sir Bill of Reno) but was entombed in the Democratic-controlled Assembly. As I say below, all politics is personal. Here are some hearing minutes and I have attached some more above. -----
Club for Growth once called Heller a liberal, but now he's one of the group's main men
It seems like yesterday. The year was 2006. A maverick secretary of state named Dean Heller was seeking a vacant congressional seat as incumbent Jim Gibbons sought the governorship. Heller was ther anointed choice, but there were two obstacles: Gibbons' wife, Dawn, and a backbencher assemblywoman named Sharron Angle filed against him in the primary for the guaranteed GOP seat.
A couple of North Las Vegas muni race nuggets
Nugget No. 1 -- So Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins' effort to take over his turf in North Las Vegas by promoting his community liaison's candidacy took a bizarre turn as he put out a piece -- see it at right -- paid for by his campaign to make sure everyone knows he has not endorsed incumbent Anita Wood.