VICTOR JOECKS: Passive Lombardo signs off on tax increases

Nevada is facing the possibility of $7-a-gallon gasoline next year. Gov. Joe Lombardo just signed a gas tax increase.

Last Thursday, Lombardo announced he had signed Assembly Bill 530 and Senate Bill 451. AB530 gives new authority to the Clark County Commission to increase the gasoline tax through a program called Fuel Revenue Indexing. The commission’s approval is little more than a foregone conclusion.

In 2016, Clark County voters approved yearly increases in the gas tax, tied to inflation. But those increases were supposed to continue only through the end of 2026 — unless voters approved another ballot measure. AB530 breaks faith with the promise previously made to voters.

SB451, a property tax increase to fund the Metropolitan Police Department, does something similar. Voters approved the plan in 1996. The authorization was supposed to last until June 2027. SB451 will keep it in place until 2057 — once again, without voter approval.

This isn’t the first time this has happened. In 2015 and 2021, bills passed extending the bonding authority of the Clark County School District without seeking voter input.

The next time politicians try to sell you on a “temporary” tax, don’t believe them.

At least one elected official used to believe it’s wrong to bypass voters — Lombardo.

“I would have strongly preferred that AB530 go before Southern Nevada voters directly,” the governor said in a statement. “To avoid similar situations in the future, my office is exploring a statutory amendment to require all sunset bills to automatically go back to the ballot before the sunset expires.”

Lombardo is trying to have it both ways. If he really thought AB530 should have gone before voters, he could have vetoed the bill. He’s the governor, not some helpless bystander. Voters elected him in part because of his pledge to oppose tax increases.

“In seeking this office, I said I would not seek, or would not ask for new taxes, or an increase in existing taxes,” he said in his 2023 inaugural address. He continued, “It’s a promise I shall keep.”

He didn’t.

On X, Lombardo spokeswoman Elizabeth Ray argued that AB530 wasn’t a tax increase because the Clark County Commission has to approve it. But the commission wouldn’t have had the ability to make that move without the bill Lombardo signed. You can’t avoid responsibility by delegating the dirty work to someone else.

The sad irony is that Lombardo came into office seeking a temporary suspension of the state gasoline tax. Now, he’s endorsed a gasoline tax increase.

If Lombardo were a strong leader, he’d have vetoed both bills and demanded that the Legislature give the people a vote. The property tax extension would likely have passed easily. The gasoline tax increase would probably have been closer. Instead, he took the weak way out.

Lombardo is on the same trajectory as former Govs. Kenny Guinn and Brian Sandoval. Both were Republicans who pushed through massive tax hikes after winning re-election.

Lombardo may claim he won’t do that — and I hope he doesn’t. But actions speak louder than words.

Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.