To Nevada's Elected Leaders: Don't sell our kids short again!
Nevada's Elected Leaders
The Nevada Legislature is heading into a special session this week to consider increasing the hotel room tax to fund a new football stadium and expand the convention center in Las Vegas. A proposal to generate addition revenue to fund public education was pulled at the last minute—shortchanging our kids once again.
Democratic legislators are now fighting to get education funding back into the legislature’s agenda. Sign the petition to support their efforts to make our kids’ education a priority right now!
Regardless of their position on the stadium proposal, we are calling on our elected leaders to stand up for kids—
- Pass legislation to fund public education.
- Commit to restoring room tax monies passed in 2009 to their original intended use for student achievement and to help recruit and retain professional educators.
- Oppose any effort to redirect public education funds for private or other uses.
Background on the 2009 Room Tax
Leaving public education out of the discussion of the room tax increase is even more concerning given the history of the room tax. Following the overwhelming passage of an advisory measure in Clark County, the legislature passed Initiative Petition No. 1 (IP 1) in 2009. IP 1 enacted an additional room tax of up to 3% for public education. This tax increase was intended “to improve the achievement of students and for the payment of salaries to attract and retain qualified teachers...” In addition, language was included to ensure that the funds would “supplement and not replace any other money appropriated, approved or authorized for expenditure to fund the operation of the public schools...”
However, citing lingering effects of the recession in each of the last 3 legislative sessions—2011, 2013, and 2015—the funds generated from this additional room tax were “temporarily” diverted to help balance the budget. Over the course of the last 5 years, roughly $750M of room tax money has been diverted from student achievement and educator salaries to supplant the state’s general fund obligation to the Distributive Schools Account.
Sponsored by
Paradise, NV
To:
Nevada's Elected Leaders
From:
[Your Name]
We the undersigned are calling on our elected leaders to stand up for kids—
1. Pass legislation to fund public education.
2. Commit to restoring room tax monies passed in 2009 to their original intended use for student achievement and to help recruit and retain professional educators.
3. Oppose any effort to redirect public education funds for private or other uses.
I am committed to a quality public education for every student in Nevada regardless of zip code or income level and ask that you join everyone who cares about public education and stand up for Nevada's students.