Governor Kenny Guinn

Governor Kenny Guinn Should Not Be Recalled There is a move afoot in the Silver State of Nevada to recall Governor Kenny Guinn. The movement is a copycat style of recall in the same vein as California's successful recall effort; run by a group of Nevadans who believe Governor Guinn acted inappropriately when he ordered the intervention of the Nevada Supreme Court in the controversial tax measure that was stalled in the State Legislature.

Guinn initially proposed the largest tax increase in state history when he proposed his state budget in January 2003. A core group of lawmakers in the Nevada Assembly disagreed with the tax increase, and refused to vote the proposed budget, with its attached tax increases, into effect, and so the Legislature had to continue in special session after the regular session term expired.

"After months of debate, two special sessions and a landmark Nevada Supreme Court decision prompted by Guinn's request for intervention, lawmakers approved a record $836 million in tax increases" (Almeida). Guinn ordered the Supreme Court to intervene and force the legislators back to the bargaining table to end the impasse, and many conservatives felt he had overstepped his bounds, and acted against the State Constitution, which is the basis of the recall movement.

The recall group, called the "Recall Kenny Guinn Exploratory Committee" has a Web Site with information on where to sign the petitions they have drafted to recall the governor, and a laundry list of reasons why Guinn should be recalled. The most important reason, they believe, is Guinn's tax increases on the state, as the site states here: "After only 4 years under Guinn's management, this surplus melted in to a deficit. Now 'Taxing Kenny' wants you to pay for his mismanagement" (Editors).

The recall group needs to gather "128,109 signatures, or 25% of those who cast ballots in the 2002 general election" (Almeida). However, recent polls have shown that most Nevada residents do not support the recall efforts. "A Reno Gazette-Journal/KRNV-TV poll found 68% opposed recall efforts targeting Guinn and six Nevada Supreme Court justices. Twenty- four percent supported it, and 8% were unsure. The poll had an error margin of 4 percentage points" (Almeida). In addition, the recall could cost Nevada counties nearly two million dollars.

"The counties would have to raise about $2 million to hold a special election to recall Gov. Kenny Guinn. If that figure doesn't end it, voters will know there's something more afoot than interest in the state's well-being" ("Price Tag"). The costs alone may be enough to sway voters away from recall efforts, but even more telling is the fact that the recall group does not even have a candidate in mind to run for office if Guinn is recalled.

The recall movement, and their Web Site, seems more emotionally-based than based on coherent thought. The Governor's intervention with the Supreme Court was certainly controversial, but it does not seem to merit a general recall. Guinn's record up until now has been quite unblemished, and he was reelected Governor in 2002, defeating his Democratic opponent with 68% of the vote. Clearly, Guinn's stand on other issues pleased the voters, and around the same percentage are still happy with him today, and do not approve of the recall effort.

As the Reno Gazette-Journal stated, "But trying to turn out a governor who seems innocent of wrongdoing and forcing the state to spend that kind of money shows no consideration for principle or people" ("Price Tag"). If the group can gather the signatures it needs, the election might be held as early as December. However, the recall effort in Nevada, though based in theory on the successful recall in California, is a much different process, and it is clear a majority of the people does.