Governor Brian Sandoval's tax plan has cleared the Senate. Reno Public Radio's Michelle Bliss reports that the proposal now heads to the Assembly where it'll face tough opposition.
Only four senators voted against the proposal, while 17 came out in support. That's more than the required two-thirds majority vote needed, and it's a margin that surprised even Governor Sandoval.
"We felt really good about it," Sandoval said, "but you never know until the votes come in, so it turned out extremely well. It took a lot of courage, and I think a couple of the senators said, 'It's time to invest in our children, invest in our schools.'"
The plan would restructure Nevada's business license fee in order to raise more than $437 million for K-12 education initiatives like shrinking class sizes and offering all-day kindergarten statewide. In total, taxes would be raised or extended by more than $1 billion.
Some Republican Assembly members have gone so far as to present alternative plans that avoid tax hikes, including Majority Leader Paul Anderson and Assemblyman Jim Wheeler.
Sandoval says he knows passing the Assembly won’t be easy and will require a change of heart from lawmakers opposed to tax hikes of any kind.