Thursday, January 16, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Report: Guinn made donations to GOP winners

Governor needs support for his tax package

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn will need the support of fellow Republicans to enact record tax increases, and a report released Wednesday shows he made more than a dozen contributions to Republican legislative candidates days before the November election.

Guinn made $5,000 contributions to successful Senate candidate Dennis Nolan of Las Vegas and to Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks. He also gave $3,000 to winning Assembly candidates Garn Mabey, Joe Hardy, Jason Geddes, Dawn Gibbons, Walter Andonov, Valerie Webber and Rod Shearer.

The governor is expected to announce Monday in a 6 p.m. television speech that he wants the Legislature to increase taxes by more than $1 billion. Any tax increase proposal requires at least two-thirds support in both houses of the Legislature.

But legislators who received Guinn's financial help said the governor did not request they approve his tax proposals.

"We are in a recession, I can't say I am going to vote for taxes," said Gibbons, R-Reno. "A lot of eyes will be looking to cut waste in government first, including all the trips we take."

Mabey, R-Las Vegas, added he is a fiscal conservative and he wants Nevada to continue as a low tax state.

"I appreciate his support, but $3,000 isn't going to change how I vote on those bills," he said. "I am confident enough to say there will be some increases, but we need to make cuts, too."

The expenditures on Republican candidates were listed in a required report Guinn submitted to the secretary of state's office. All candidates for elective office last year were required to submit campaign contribution and expenditure reports by 5 p.m. Wednesday, along with reports showing how they plan to dispose of unspent political contributions.

Guinn raised more than $3 million in his re-election campaign and reported he has $701,416 in remaining funds. He plans to use that money on office expenses.

In May, the governor announced he was no longer actively seeking contributions after he drew Democrat state Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, as his major-party opposition. Guinn defeated Neal by a 3-to-1 margin in the November election. Neal reported he ended his campaign for governor $857 in the red.

Besides the contributions to winning candidates, Guinn made several donations to Republicans who lost and gave $55,000 to the Andre Agassi Foundation.

Before voting to increase any taxes, Nolan wants to make sure Guinn has made all necessary cuts.

"I don't think it is wise to make a commitment one way or another now," said Nolan. "If it is possible not to raise taxes, we shouldn't raise taxes."