Retail Association of Nevada poll backs Gov. Sandoval

The Retail Association of Nevada on Monday released a poll saying more than half of Nevadans think the state is moving in the right direction with 61 percent backing Gov. Brian Sandoval’s job performance.

They also agree more money is needed to fund education.

But according to the telephone poll of 401 people last seek, those surveyed didn’t like Sandoval’s proposed business license tax very much at all.

In fact, pollster Bob Moore said, they would much rather the governor and lawmakers get the $1.2 billion extra money they need from the casinos and higher cigarette taxes than from business.

No data was contained in the poll indicating how the in the poll respondents were chosen.

Under the scenarios in the RAN poll, Moore said more people favor legalizing pot to raise money than the governor’s business tax — 52 percent versus 51 percent for pot and just 44 percent for the business tax.

By comparison, hitting the casinos was favored by 79 percent of those polled and adding a buck to the price of a pack of smokes 63 percent.

“Eight out of 10 wanted large casinos to pay more money,” said Bryan Wachter of RAN.

Just under half of those polled, 49 percent, said they don’t think big business — like big box stores — pay their fair share.

He said the association has long opposed any form of gross receipts tax. He said raising the Modified Business Tax hits businesses and the casinos, “and that’s the direction we prefer.”

He said to bring more businesses into the tax loop, RAN favors eliminating some exemptions.

“But the main portion of any tax increase needs to be through the Modified Business Tax,” he said.

Consultant Jim Denton said Sandoval’s approval rating is above 50 percent from both Republicans and Democrats while his disapproval rating is just 21 percent.

He said surprisingly, his approval from Hispanics is 65 percent in the poll — far higher than the percentage of Hispanics who voted for him in either election.

He also said voters in the Reno-Carson area are more positive about where the state is heading than those in the south.

The poll also indicated that participants strongly favor converting Nevada’s existing caucus system for picking presidential candidates to a primary election system.

The primary election was favored by 65 percent while just 24 percent said keep the caucus system.