Americans for Tax Reform called on Nevada gubernatorial candidate Brian Sandoval to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written promise to constituents to oppose and veto all tax increases. Sandoval has publicly refused to sign the Pledge a number of times, claiming it could “tie his hands” in future budgetary decisions.

The Taxpayer Protection Pledge is a binding commitment to oppose all tax increases. While ATR promotes and maintains the Pledge, it is actually made to a candidate’s constituents, who are entitled to know where a candidate stands before voting for him or her. Currently, 1,104 incumbent state legislators and nine incumbent governors have signed the Pledge. On the federal level, 173 U.S. Representatives and 34 U.S. Senators have taken the Pledge.

“In asking Brian Sandoval to sign the Pledge, we are asking him one simple question,”said Grover Norquist, president of ATR. “Will he raise taxes on Nevada families in the future? His steadfast refusal to reject tax increases in writing is a telling indication that he is open to doing so.”

Gov. Jim Gibbons and Mike Montandon,    Sandoval’s primary opposition, have both signed the Pledge. Senate candidates Sue Lowden, Danny Tarkanian, and Sharron Angle are also Pledge signers. The Nevada legislature has 11 incumbent Pledge signers, with dozens of challengers having taken the Pledge.

“Brian Sandoval’s fear of the Pledge ‘tying his hands’ is nothing more than the candidate leaving tax increases on the table,” added Norquist.  “Nevadans deserve a governor who will look them in the eye and promise to get government spending out of control and stop treating them like an ATM.”

Posted by Joshua Culling on Thursday, May 27, 2010 3:10 PM EDT

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