Democrats trot out tired tactics on budget

Someone in Carson City has a great sense of humor.

The Legislature's official calendar counts out the constitutionally capped 120 days of the 2011 session and lists key deadlines for bills. The calendar (posted on the Legislature's website) also includes a recommended timetable for the state's budgeting process.

Whoever put the handy guide together this year included some priceless advice for legislative leaders. This coming Friday, May 6 -- the 89th day of the session -- is labeled "Start Resolving Budget Differences."

Now that's a knee-slapper. Begin negotiating this week? When lawmakers are only three-quarters of the way through the session?

The majority Democratic leadership clearly is working from its own calendar. This week is labeled, "Spread More Fear and Doom." Next week, it's "Redeploy Six-Figure-Salaried Union Leaders to Demonize Republicans." And the week after that, it's "Escalate Nasty Threats."

Only when we close in on Memorial Day does the master schedule say "Pray for Return of Bill Raggio," and, finally, "Panic."

Democrats have known for months that a shame campaign wouldn't get minority Republican lawmakers to vote for tax increases. Last week's move to put tax foes on the spot through "committee of the whole" meetings was a complete failure. Ginned up protests from the education establishment, such as those held Friday and Saturday, will have no bearing on any budget compromise. College rallies? Long forgotten.

All these tired tactics focus on Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval's proposed budget cuts, his opposition to tax increases and the insistence of Republican lawmakers on supporting him. Assuming Democrats can unify their caucuses in support of the tax increases needed to restore those cuts -- not a sure thing -- they'll need two Republican votes in the Assembly and three in the Senate to pass them with the constitutionally required two-thirds supermajority. Those same votes could override Sandoval's veto.

Believe me, I'm as tired of writing that boilerplate as you are of reading it. But it still needs repeating, because it's the calculus of compromise that, one way or another, will decide the 2011 session.

Democrats are going to have to cut a deal to raise taxes. Only they're not dealing. Their entire strategy, thus far, has focused on trying to embarrass, humiliate and intimidate a few weak-kneed Republicans into voting for tax increases without passing education, collective bargaining, pension and tort reform as a quid pro quo.

The idea that Republicans who won election opposing tax increases must now break that promise and get nothing in return is laughable.

And as of Friday, the Democratic leadership in the Senate and the Assembly had not extended a single olive branch to minority Republicans. There have been no negotiations.

Assembly Republicans have been open about the reform legislation they want passed in return for a two-year extension of sales tax, motor vehicle tax and payroll tax increases that expire June 30. Senate Republicans, on the other hand, have issued no such list of demands. Senate GOP leaders have been as firm as Sandoval in saying there will be no trade for tax increases.

But in politics, everyone has a price. There are a handful of Republican senators who would support tax increases if the deal had enough sweeteners. Like the governor's entire education reform agenda. And the elimination of pensions for future government hires. And ending collective bargaining for local government workers.

You know, the kind of legislation that packed Wisconsin's Capitol with thousands of union members and college students. The kind of legislation that would never otherwise stand a chance of passing in Nevada. Reforms that would prompt the Democratic base to hang turncoat legislators by their ankles inside the nearest Porta-Potty.

If Republicans must endure a backlash from their base and face a nasty primary challenge in their next campaign as a result of supporting tax increases, their Democratic colleagues are going to have to endure the same outrage.

On Monday, the budget becomes less hypothetical when the Economic Forum releases its revenue projections for the 2011-13 biennium. Once lawmakers know exactly how much they'll be allowed to spend under the existing revenue structure, Democrats finally will have to say how much they want to raise taxes. The higher the figure, the more reforms they'll have to pass for Republican votes.

Democrats don't have much time to close that deal. Which brings us back to the official session calendar. It lists May 26, the 109th day of the session, as the date lawmakers should "Finish Budget Differences."

That's no joke. Because the governor has five days to issue a veto during any regular session, Democrats need to pass tax increases at least six days before adjournment to guarantee themselves an opportunity to override. That's the path they took in 2009.

If they wait until the last days of the session, Sandoval can exercise his veto after adjournment, which would move the override vote to the opening of the 2013 session. Sandoval would then control the agenda of any special session, which would make it all but impossible for Democrats to raise taxes.

Because of the Memorial Day holiday and weekends, any tax increases would need to be passed by May 26 or May 27 to ensure an override vote by June 6. That's less than four weeks from now.

I don't think Democrats have it in them. They want no part of reforming the inefficient education systems and unsustainable union compensation structures they've built over decades.

There's irony in this recalcitrance. Democrats claim to be for the children, the downtrodden and the future, but they're selling out the very people they're mobilizing. Without some kind of grand bargain, public school classrooms will become more crowded and social services, including mental health programs, will be slashed to preserve seniority-based layoffs and pay raises.

And it will be the Democrats' fault, because leadership never pursued a compromise in good faith.

If protesters want to make an impact, they need to forget about Sandoval and GOP lawmakers -- Republicans are doing what they said they'd do, and they won't be swayed by any dog-and-pony show, no matter how big.

The new signs should read, "Democrats, make the deal."

Glenn Cook (gcook@reviewjournal.com) is a Review-Journal editorial writer.