Sandoval says tax system must change but gives no details

Gov. Brian Sandoval said after Monday’s Interim Finance Committee meeting that the state’s existing revenue system is no longer up to the task of meeting state needs.

But he declined to give any indication what he intends to do to fix that situation.

He issued a statement saying that while Nevada’s economy continues to improve, “our revenue streams are not on pace with population growth and the mandatory resources needed to support that growth.

He made clear, however, his first response is to instruct agencies “to continue to look for monetary savings within their existing budgets.”

But Sandoval conceded that may not be enough: “As my office continues building the budget for the next biennium, we must continue to look beyond our traditional revenue sources, which are not recovering at the same pace as the rest of our economy.”

He said that means looking “toward funding mechanisms that compare and complement the growth of our changing economy.

Sandoval has repeatedly refused to give any indication as to what that means — tax reform, new taxes or restructuring different parts of Nevada’s revenue system.