Carson City - Governor Jim Gibbons today noted that major portions of the Buckley/Horsford Tax Increase of 2009 took effect today. The tax hikes were vetoed by Governor Gibbons, but Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford led the effort to override the veto and raise taxes. “Every Nevada family will pay higher taxes because of the Buckley/Horsford Tax Increase of 2009,” Gibbons said, “I am working to stimulate the economy and these legislators have conspired to kill it.”

Legislators approved increasing sales taxes starting today. While the increase may seem small, .35%, Governor Gibbons feels the impact will hurt every family in Nevada. “Working families are suffering through foreclosures, layoffs, higher gasoline prices and soon higher prices for electricity,” Gibbons said, “When you put it all together, this sales tax increase is just another slap in the face to citizens who have already been forced to get by with less.”

The Buckley/Horsford Tax Increase of 2009 also includes a doubling (from .63% to 1.17%) of the payroll tax for all of Nevada’s businesses, except the smallest businesses (payrolls less than $250,000). “I vetoed this tax increase because it will cause more layoffs in Nevada and it will discourage businesses from moving into Nevada and creating new jobs,” Gibbons said, “Speaker Buckley and Senator Horsford will never understand the damage they have done to Nevada’s economy and Nevada’s working families.”

Last January, Governor Gibbons submitted a balanced budget to the state legislature. That budget contained no new taxes that were not approved by voters. “My budget called for our State government to live within its means by tightening its belt and spending less, just like many of Nevada’s working families are doing now,” Gibbons said, “But legislative leaders refused to make to make tough choices and decided to take the easy way out, by raising taxes and making Nevada families suffer.” Governor Gibbons added, “Legislators who voted to increase taxes should be apologizing to Nevada families right now.”

Governor Gibbons says, despite the Buckley/Horsford tax hikes, he will continue working to attract more jobs and tourists to Nevada and continue to get Nevada’s economy back on track.