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Teachers union membership primed for margin tax campaign
An overwhelming number of teachers union members support the margin tax, although the membership is only marginally aware of it, a new survey of members shows. The survey, conducted by the union last week of 424 members and posted here, showed large numbers had not heard anything about the tax, whether it was called The Education Initiative (34 percent) or the margin tax (53 percent). Junkies sometimes forget it's not yet April, so maybe that's not too surprising.
Democratic governors come out against gaming ban
Here's the letter sent today:
Reno casino boss joins crusade against online gaming
The three amigos? You’ve heard Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn are against online gambling. Now, Atlantis chief John Farahi has joined the chorus, telling me Tuesday that he is opposed to web gaming. How opposed? “100 percent,” he said by phone. “1,000 percent.” Farahi said he recently convened a meeting of gaming executives and invited, among others, Adelson lieutenant Andy Abboud, to talk about the threat of online gaming.
Reid paid granddaughter for "holiday gifts" to give donors, supporters
Update, 2:30PM: Reid will reimburse campaign: "I thought it would be nice to give supporters and staff thank-you gifts that had a personal connection and a Searchlight connection, but I have decided to reimburse the campaign for the amount of the expenditure.” ----
Progressives set up two PACs to promote tax initiatives
UPDATE, 3/24/14: And then there were three. ---- The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada has erected two political action committees, one to try to pass the margin tax and another to promote taking mining taxation out of the Constitution. I'm not sure how much money they can raise, but Nevadans for Mining Fairness and Nevadans for Corporate Responsibility, both filed last week, create vehicles for the groups to try to combat the corporate interests that will fund opposition.
MY COLUMN: Vegas makes its can't-miss pitch for GOP 2016
After the last of the pitches by cities vying to host the 2016 Republican National Convention, Chairman Reince Priebus sat down with his aides. Here’s what happened: Priebus: So what do you think? Aide No. 1: Has to be Vegas. Aide No. 2: I agree. Aide No. 3: Dallas was pretty impressive, though. Priebus: What did you like about Dallas?
Republican front group attacks Democrat on air, so Democratic front group files complaint
One week after a Republican front group attacked attorney general hopeful and Secretary of State Ross Miller on the air, a Democratic front group filed a complaint with the state.
Lowden commissions poll to try to raise money in homestretch, but it has problems
The email went out early Monday morning from Sue Lowden’s campaign manager, Tom Letizia:
TX taxpayers watchdog: NV margin tax "far more burdensome" than TX version
The margin tax would raise $725 million to $825 million a year and would be "far more burdensome" than the Texas version, a Lone Star state taxpayers association chief asserted this week. Dale Craymer made the claim in a letter to his Nevada counterpart, Carole Vilardo, who already has raised numerous questions about The Education Initiative. The letter, posted below, says the Nevada tax has a much higher rate than the Texas franchise tax on which it is based and corrals businesses the Texas tax exempts.