Chuck Muth, the head of Citizen Outreach and top defender of Nevada taxpayers, sent out an email to Nevada taxpayers urging them to contact Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno) and tell him to oppose the proposed billion dollar tax hike. 
 
Muth stated “no Republican senator is going to vote for any tax hike without Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno) giving them the “green light” to do so by supporting it himself.”
 
The email title “Anybody who raises taxes now is psychotic” came from Steve Wynn’s, owner of Las Vegas based Wynn Resorts, statement on Jon Ralston’s “Face to Face” program aired on April 9.  Wynn’s lawyer, Kim Sinatra, claimed that not only was Muth wrong for “attacking” Senator Raggio, but also took Wynn’s comment out of context because Wynn publically supported the Modified Business Tax (MBT). Click here to read more about what Sinatra said.
 
Reading the letter, it is clear that is simply a call for public action and not an attack on the Senator Raggio.  Additionally, in the transcript of the program, Steve Wynn contradicts himself.  He first says that he does not support raising taxes, but then later in the program he discusses how raising the payroll tax is probably the best way to raise revenues. So which is it Steve?
 
Muth’s letter to Nevada Taxpayers is below:
 
Dear Nevada Taxpayer,
 
Democrats control the Nevada State Senate, 12-9.
 
And because of a 2/3 super-majority requirement in the state’s Constitution, Democrats cannot pass their billion dollar tax increase on the citizens and small businesses of Nevada this week without the votes of at least two Republican senators.
 
And no Republican senator is going to vote for any tax hike without Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno) giving them the “green light” to do so by supporting it himself.
 
In addition, should the state Senate vote for the billion dollar tax increase on the citizens of Nevada, Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons has promised to veto it. And then once again the Democrats will need the support of Sen. Raggio to override the governor’s veto.
 
The Bottom Line: Whether or not Nevada’s citizens, businesses and tourists get socked with this billion dollar tax hike in 2009 all depends on Sen. Raggio.
 
If Sen. Raggio supports the billion dollar tax hike, it’ll pass.
 
If Sen. Raggio opposes the billion dollar tax hike, it’ll die.
 
It’s just that simple.
 
Take Action: Call Sen. Raggio and urge him to OPPOSE the billon dollar tax hike!