CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada Republicans made history last election when they took control of both houses of the Legislature for the first time since 1929.
Now, they're on the verge of leaving an even more stunning legacy by implementing the biggest tax hike in state history.
Gov. Brian Sandoval shaped his budget plan around raising or extending $1.1 billion in taxes, and he intends to funnel the new revenue into the state's low-ranking public school system.
A tax bill passed the state Senate last week and is up for consideration in the more-conservative Assembly. If it passes, Sandoval could rewrite the definition of the Republican Party.
But anti-tax conservatives are furious. They say the governor is hurting the Republican brand and ruining political prospects for himself and lawmakers.