Posted on 09/20/2003 2:40:03 PM PDT by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
RENO -- The recall effort against Gov. Kenny Guinn is slow going in Northern Nevada, organizers concede.
Even some Reno-based political allies of the petition drive said they're too busy to help collect the 128,109 signatures from registered voters required by Nov. 24 to force a recall election.
Janine Hansen, a Reno member of the Independent American Party, said she has petitions available for signing in her office, but hasn't organized any Northern Nevada effort.
"I've got too many projects going," she said.
Tony Dane, chairman of the group seeking the recall, said he has been trying to plan a rally in Reno for the past three weeks. Most of the group's efforts so far have been in Las Vegas, he said.
"I see Reno as very important," Dane told the Reno Gazette-Journal, adding that he has talked to many people who said they're upset over the last legislative session.
"We want to bring them together and do a massive drive up there. We're still in the planning stage. We haven't come up with a date yet."
Dane estimated the group has collected about 12,000 signatures so far.
The Committee to Recall Governor Guinn, a group of conservatives from several political parties, formed in response to Guinn's proposal of nearly $1 billion in new and increased taxes. After a divisive legislative session that stretched into two special sessions, Guinn signed into law a record $836 million tax increase package.
Guinn has said he was elected to make difficult decisions for the state and has worked to reduce the size of government in the six years he has been in office. But, he said, the state faced a critical revenue shortfall and the budget had nothing left to cut.
Dane said that although other petition drives have paid signature collectors, the recall effort is relying on volunteers to gather signatures.
He said he has offered $10,000 to the person who collects the most signatures if the group forces a recall election.
"When we first started, I figured this was basically an impossible task," he said. "But now I am becoming very optimistic that it is possible. And I credit that to the Internet."
Dane said the group has recruited volunteers and networked through its Web site.
Recall group clashes with Highway Patrol
Mike Zigler (zigler@lvpress.com)
Las Vegas City Life
September 17, 2003
The Nevada Highway Patrol and Wackenhut Security recently had an interesting interpretation of a Nevada Revised Statute -- the Use of Public Buildings to Gather Signatures on Petitions Regulations. It reads: "[A] public officer or employee may not deny [a] person the use of the area."
But folks from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Nevada Highway Patrol bullied five signature collectors with the Committee to Recall Governor Guinn, explained Christopher Hansen.
"The officer put it this way: 'If you collect one more signature, you're going to jail now,'" said Hansen, a member of the committee.
The group of five stood outside of the DMV on East Sahara Avenue, greeting Las Vegans. After collecting only four signatures, state officials approached.
An officer even handed the committee a copy of the law, which ironically Hansen's sister lobbied for due to troubles she had collecting signatures at public buildings. Hansen said the officer told the group they needed a permit to collect signatures.
"They had a copy of the law, handed it to us and said we needed to get a permit from the secretary of state," Hansen said. "I guess maybe they can't read."
The committee filed a complaint with the secretary of state's office in Las Vegas Sept. 12, the day after the incident.
"We might be filing a civil lawsuit against them and we think we may file criminal charges if we can," Hansen said.
But the DMV was only the beginning of the harassment, explained Hansen. While trying to gather signatures inside of the Clark County government building Sept. 16, government employees forced them to stop. Hansen plans to visit the secretary of state's office about this incident as well.
"They really don't like freedom of speech," Hansen said. "The government never follows the law, but they constantly demand that we do."
Thanks for the ping and bump!
"I've got too many projects going," she said.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.-Luke 14:28-32
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