Gibbons: It wasn’t me

Gov. Jim Gibbons said today that he did not propose the $233 million increase in the hotel room tax that he built into his budget proposal.

Speaking to a luncheon of the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce, Gibbons crowed, "We balanced our budget without raising your taxes." But in order to create a balanced budget, Gibbons relied on $290 million from increased room taxes (an estimate that was later determined to be overly optimistic).

The Legislature passed the increase of up to 3 percentage points in the tax on hotel rooms in Clark and Washoe counties. Gibbons didn't sign the measure, but he didn't veto it either, allowing it to become law last week.

In a follow-up interview, Gibbons was asked how he could claim to have balanced the budget without raising taxes when he used a tax increase to balance the budget.

"I didn't raise it, the people of Nevada raised it," he said. "I did not propose it. I used it after the people had voted it in. Do not say I proposed it -- I opposed it. I did not support it, but I put it (in) because it's a reality."

An advisory question about the tax increase was on the November ballot in Clark and Washoe counties and passed. Separately, backers of the tax submitted signatures on a petition to put the issue before the Legislature. But neither of these actions by themselves would have made the tax a reality without legislative action. Had Gibbons and the Legislature not taken up the room tax in 2009, the question would have gone on the ballot in 2010.

Gibbons, however, claimed today that the 2008 vote made the tax a fait accompli and he had nothing to do with it. He was asked if he takes responsibility for what was proposed in his budget.

"I put the money in the budget, but I did not propose it. I don't support it," he said. "That's like me saying I support all the taxes that have already been enacted. I used those revenues to my benefit, but I did not propose any tax increase. Get that right in your news article."