Posted by
John R. LaPlante on Wednesday, September 06, 2006 10:42:26 AM
Though the citizen initiatives got their origins in populism, they have on occasion been used to restrain government growth. Such was the case with Prop 13, the original tax limitation measure, and the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, the constitutional amendment that helped Colorado boom during the 1990s.
Activists are working to implement tax and spending restraints in other states as well. One of them is Nevada. Even though the state has no income tax, there’s still a need to keep spending under control. Enter TASC, the Tax and Spending Control amendment. It is a modified version of Colorado’s measure, and as you might expect, it’s come under fire, especially from government employees who fear that their jobs will be lost.
The Nevada Policy Research Institute says that the measure has “significant potential” to strengthen Nevada’s “historic legacy of individual liberty.” In Frequently Asked Questions (and Hysterical Allegations) Regarding TASC (PDF), Michael J. New, Charles F. Barr, and Steven B. Miller explain how TASC would work, how it would benefit Nevada families, and answer objections to the measure.
The TASC, if enacted, would limit growth in state and local government spending to a sum equaling the population growth and the inflation rate. It includes provisions for a rainy day fund, and voter approval for spending beyond the limit.