An Open Letter to Jim Gibbons re: a Six Percent Salary Cut

Governor Jim Gibbons of Nevada promised he would not raise taxes during his administration.

His solution? Cut the salaries of public employees by six percent, force them to give up longevity pay and force them to give up pay raises for two terms.

I, like the Governor, am afiliated with the Republican Party. But this guy is nuts. Sure, the state is in a fiscal crisis - which one isn't. Cut spending, fine. But try to impose pay cuts on those who can least afford it just so you can keep an election year promise of not raising taxes?

I've got news for you Jimmy. You're raising taxes in abstentia on a group that can't even write a portion of the salary cut off. Businesses being taxed in Nevada - especially public companies (i.e. casinos, mining corporations and developers) could at least take a deduction against federal taxes.

But not individuals. Not teachers, not custodians, not the state employees who would be forced to enact your ludicrious plan.

I knew there was a reason I didn't vote for you.