In the grand circus tent of Nevada politics, where the clowns wear neckties, and the carnival barkers speak a procedural language, four Republican senators drew a firm line—not in the sand, but in the cement mix of legislative integrity—by voting against Senate Bill 451, a measure to continue funding Las Vegas police through an existing property tax stream.
Don’t let the headlines fool you—these folks ain’t shaking their fists at the badge. They were raising an eyebrow at the fine print.
The bill, cooked up by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro—a Democrat out of Las Vegas, naturally—promises to keep boots on the ground—800 of them, to be exact. That’s 400 officers, give or take a baton or two.
Cannizzaro warned with all the dramatic flair of a thundercloud that if this tax extension didn’t pass, the city might be left defenseless in the face of armed robbery, sexual assault, and Lord knows what else. But hold on a minute–Republicans weren’t objecting to keeping the town safe. They were objecting to the way this sausage’s gettin’ made.
Senator Robin Titus of Wellington—Minority Leader and, it seems, guardian of voter intent—stood on the floor and said the people voted on this tax back in 1996, and should they want to keep it rolling, then the people should have another say.
“Shall impose a tax,” the bill reads, and to Senator Titus, that smelled a lot like the state elbowing past local authority.
If a law officer’s job is on the line, that’s serious business. But so is keeping a campaign promise, especially when it’s the governor’s neck in the political noose. Governor Joe Lombardo—who once wore a badge and pledged not to raise taxes—might get caught betwixt and between.
Sign the bill, betray the tax-hating faithful.
Veto it, officers get pink slips, and folks might accuse him of gutting the force he once led. Talk about a steel-toothed trap.
Democrats, of course, are grinning like cats in a creamery. All of them voted “aye” on SB451, and you can bet they’ll remind voters they’re the ones who backed the blue—especially if Cannizzaro’s eyes are on the attorney general’s office. It’s a tidy little purposeful narrative they’re weaving—Republicans voted against police—Democrats saved the day.
But politics, like poker, ain’t played with just the cards on the table. You have to watch the hands.
Meanwhile, in the dim-lit backrooms of the Capitol, where deals get made over weak coffee and strong ambitions—another drama folds. NV Energy, that giant humming beast of the electric grid, is busy whispering about wildfire liability. They ain’t wantin’ to get left holding the match if a power line goes rogue and torches a hillside.
No official word yet—they’re tighter-lipped than a banker in a gold rush–but they’re angling to follow Utah’s lead by setting up a fund paid for by ratepayers–that’s you and me, dear reader—just in case their equipment sparks a blaze.
Call it “self-insurance,” though the self in question is the customer, not the company.
It’s all quite preliminary, of course, like sourdough rising. But if NV Energy gets its way, it might walk away from future infernos without a singed cuff. Berkshire Hathaway—the folks who own NV Energy—have been pushing this model across the West like a traveling salesman with a miracle tonic.
Now, some may call this savvy business. Others might call it wriggling out of responsibility. But one thing’s known—if a wildfire ever comes roaring through your backyard, don’t expect the electric company to bring marshmallows and apologies. They’re more likely to hand you the bill.
So as the Legislature heads toward its finale with all the grace of a one-legged mule in a rainstorm, we see the old playbook at work—Democrats securing their headlines by setting up Republicans, who’re standing their ground, and the corporations whispering deals in the hallway.
And the voters? They’ll have the final say, assuming someone remembers to ask them.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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