Monthly archive

One of the reasons mining's Carson City clout is so formidable is because the industry knows it must extinguish taxing efforts in that compliant universe lest the effort get before less-friendly voters. This is not some hypothetical; there is plenty of empirical evidence. Here's some: Before he abandoned his attempt to tax mining last year, businessman Monte Miller hired master voter contact man Billy Rogers to gauge support. So Rogers went door-to-door asking folks how they felt about raising...
When the Legislature missed the 40-day deadline to act on the margins tax, they rejected it by inaction, according to the Legislative Counsel Bureau. Even though the Constitution uses the word "reject," and some lawyers believe a vote must be taken, the LCB disagrees, as state Sen. Michael Roberson has been saying. The opinion, attached here, essentially says: There is more than one way to reject an initiative. This could be critical because if a court does not construe inaction as rejection,...
Clark County officials have demanded that Constable John Bonaventura outline why he hired lawyers for more than $30,000 or be held personally liable for the expense. The letter, which I have obtained and attached here, essentially says Bonaventura may have broken the law, needs to pay up or the district attorney will be involved. I don't think the county has much respect for him. Just guessing.    
The North Las Vegas mayoral nastiness escalates, with the attached mail piece from John Lee constrasting Mayor Shari Buck's travel with a water rate increase. Brutal.  
Welcome to The Weekly Report, where you will get exclusive information and analysis. This week: 1. Insider Club Inductee: Mark Ferrario, the independent counsel in the Brooks case 2. The Weekly Insiders Survey: The new lobbyists to watch, the SNWA/PUC bill, chances of expelling Brooks   INSIDER CLUB INDUCTEE After a distinguished career as a civil lawyer and sometime participant in local and state government lobbying, Mark Ferrario has taken on the thankless task of preparing that independent...
Attorneys involved in that Henderson land lawsuit believe that developer Chris Milam settled because City Attorney Josh Reid used his father, the Senate majority leader, as leverage.   The explosive revelation is contained in an email (attached here with attorney-client material redacted) from Todd Kennedy, who represents land consultant Mike Ford, and relays a conversation he had with Milam's attorney while the meidation was occurring last weekend.   "Josh apparently stated flat out...
Constable John Bonaventura has sued the Clark County Commission, which is considering abolishing his office. In a Thursday filing (attached here), Bonaventura seeks to enjoin the county from acting on a proposed ordinance on Tuesday, accusing commisisoners of a "pattern of harrassment," including taking his funds without public notice. Judge Rob Bare has set a hearing for Monday.  
  On Friday morning, instead of taking a stand on the most important issue confronting the Legislature and one that could forever change the state, lawmakers listened to music and watched dancing. All that was missing: Legislators playing fiddles as the building burned. Yes, there are no heroes, only Neros in Carson City these days. With so much promise – new leaders, big talk – I’d hoped that the biennial courage vacuum would be filled with concrete action. But by punting the margins tax to...
UPDATE: Looks as if the court will hear from lawmakers before that select committee meets, after all. Late today, AP reporter Sandra Chereb says, the court gave the Legislature only two more days. So March 20 it is. Accusing Steven Brooks' lawyer of shoddy legal practices and claiming legislative lawyers are too busy with drafting deadlines, lawmakers have asked the Supreme Court to delay a hearing on whether they had the authority to ban the troubled assemblyman. If granted, lawmakers likely...

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