As we continue to look at the four most powerful people in Nevada, let’s reflect back to the article I wrote two weeks ago in this space. I mentioned that I was surprised that the Sparks City Council voted against the Harvey Whittemore Lazy 8 Casino project. About a week after the public vote by the Sparks City Council, a “behind closed doors” meeting was held by the council to secretly vote for approval of Whittemore’s project. This being an election year, I am not surprised by the shady method of voting by the council or the end result. The kind of pull that Harvey Whittemore brings to the table in Nevada is enough to cause a city council to break the Open Meeting Law without a second thought. No city council wants the public to see them cowering to the power of Harvey. Whittemore threatened the City of Sparks with a $100 million dollar lawsuit if he didn’t get his way. It worked for him. Now the State Attorney General is suing the Sparks City Council for violating Nevada’s open meeting law.
I spoke before of the extremely small club occupied by the four most influential lobbyists in the State of Nevada that have unofficially been dubbed the “Power Rangers” after the kung fu characters on a children’s television program. The second Power Ranger we will focus on is a man named Sig Rogich. Sig’s claim to fame is that he had the idea for the political TV commercial during the Bush versus Dukakis presidential race in 1988 that showed Dukakis looking completely absurd riding around in the hatch of an Army tank wearing a funny looking helmet. Sig chose to live in Nevada and his political influence has grown over Nevada politicians ever since. Some may not see the problem in what lobbyists like Sig Rogich do but as the state government encroaches more and more upon the lives of individuals, such a concentration of decision making, available to the highest bidder, becomes a concern.
In the “old days” state and the federal governments were effectively limited by the U.S. and state constitutions so that government could not easily or directly impact most individuals, businesses or industries. Over time, the Nevada State Government, (like all governments through history) has increased its influence, taxation and regulation at all levels, beyond the limitations framed by constitutional writers. Now a one may be put out of business because of a law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor. It reminds me of the famous and comical Ronald Reagan quote, “The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” If one were to look at the Nevada Revised Statutes in 1906, he would see a document with the appearance of a very thin single volume binder. Now the Nevada Revised Statutes, if stacked, rise beyond an eight foot ceiling, past the roof and even past the chimney of your single story house.
Men like Sig Rogich peddle influence to the highest bidder. Sig claims to be a Republican which would traditionally mean someone who is against tax increases. In our present world it means that Sig Rogich can successfully lobby for the largest tax increase in Nevada history and still claim to be a conservative. When questioned about his pro-tax stance when he came out against anti-tax Republican State Senator Ann O’Connell, Rogich was quoted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as saying, “I don’t think that’s anti-Republican in any way. I don’t think Republicans should shy away from necessary tax increases.” Since the $800 million dollar tax increase was followed by an $833 million dollar surplus, I doubt that a reasonable person would find Sig’s tax increase to be “necessary.” For good or ill, I think every Nevadan should know more about the “Power Rangers” whispering in the ears of their elected leaders.
No comments:
Post a Comment