Pubdate: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 Source: Reno Gazette-Journal (NV) Copyright: 2004 Associated Press Contact: http://www.rgj.com/helpdesk/news/letter_to_editor.php Website: http://www.rgj.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/363 Author: Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/marijuana+initiative Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) GROUP URGES JUDGE TO REJECT TAX PETITION The lawyer for a Nevada taxpayers group urged a judge Monday to reject a petition aimed at getting a public vote in November on whether to repeal last year's record $833 million tax increase package. Attorney Thomas "Spike" Wilson, representing the Nevada Taxpayers Association, argued the "Ax the Tax" proposal was unconstitutional because it would create an unbalanced state budget and because there was no clear explanation given to people asked to sign the petition. Attorney Joel Hansen, arguing for Nevadans for Sound Government, asked Carson City District Judge Bill Maddox to reject the arguments against the petition and complained of "litigation by ambush." Maddox didn't issue an immediate ruling and asked for additional information from the lawyers. The court hearing followed Secretary of State Dean Heller's finding on Friday that the petition failed by 4,548 signatures to meet a minimum 51,337-signature requirement needed to qualify for the ballot. An earlier statistical sampling showed the "Ax the Tax" petition failed by about 2,100 names, and at that point Heller ordered election officials in the state's eight largest counties to check every signature. George Harris of Nevadans for Sound Government said he's going to court anyway because the process followed by election officials violates the law. Harris said he's filing a brief in a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case dealing with a petition aimed at easing Nevada's marijuana possession laws. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake