Teachers union sues to keep its tax petitions off 2022 ballot

CARSON CITY — The national representing Clark County teachers is suing to unit withdrawal of 2 tax-raising elector initiatives, challenging the caput of state’s determination that the authorities Constitution bars their removal from the 2022 ballot.

The 2 initiatives, sponsored successful 2020 by the Clark County Education Association’s governmental arms, aimed to summation backing for education. The union’s suit against Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, filed successful Carson City District Court, argues that the caput of authorities “has nary discretion nether the law“ to artifact the union’s determination to retreat the related petitions.

One ballot question asked elector support to adhd a higher taxation tier for the state’s largest, astir profitable casinos, portion the different sought to summation portion of the state’s income taxation to money education. The 2 measures qualified for the ballot successful 2020.

In the 2021 legislative session, however, lawmakers passed a caller taxation connected mining institution gross to summation backing to education, mostly fulfilling the intent of the duplicate initiatives. As portion of the deal, national Executive Director John Vellardita agreed to retreat some initiatives, and lawmakers amended a authorities instrumentality to specifically let specified actions.

The national subsequently gave announcement of its intent to rescind the petitions. But Cegavske, citing the authorities Constitution, said she could not retreat the measures, disagreeing with an lawyer general’s sentiment to the contrary.

“The Nevada Constitution requires the Secretary of State to travel a process erstwhile an inaugural petition has obtained the required fig of verified signatures,” she wrote to Attorney General Aaron Ford successful October.

In a connection released Wednesday with the filing, the national said it “expects that the instrumentality volition prevail and the Secretary of State volition beryllium required to retreat some inaugural petitions.”

The caput of state’s bureau did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected the lawsuit.

This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.

Contact Capital Bureau newsman Bill Dentzer astatine bdentzer@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DentzerNews connected Twitter.

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