Silver State Times

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Mastro remained non-committal on whether she supports President Joe Biden’s $3.5 million spending bill that would raise taxes for the state’s hospitality industry, Nevada Current reported.

The Biden administration’s proposal would increase the tax rate from 21% to 26.5% for the highest-earning corporations, which would include most of the large casinos in Las Vegas, Reno and other areas in Nevada. This is less than the 28% rate originally sought by the Biden administration.

When asked by the Nevada Current, Cortez Masto declined to comment whether she will support the $3.5 trillion spending bill that includes the corporate tax hike. But her office released a statement pointing out her efforts to secure $750 million in funding to help states like Nevada that have been impacted by tourism and travel.

In recent weeks, Adam Laxalt, a Republican challenger to Cortez Masto, and his communications director John Burke, have criticized the incumbent for refusing to say whether she commits to voting against the Biden administration bill.

Laxalt tweeted a news story describing Cortez Masto’s indecision.

“This is unbelievable. @CatherineforNV refused to say whether she’d support tax hikes on Nevada’s largest industry. Our hotels are still recovering and Democrats want them to pay for a multi-trillion-dollar spending spree. This is absolutely spineless,” Laxalt said in the tweet. 

Burke retweeted Laxalt's tweet and added his own statements.

“If @CatherineForNV cared at all about Nevadans, she’d stand up and oppose tax hikes on the state’s largest economic sector. Apparently, she’s too spineless to do that. Shameful is an understatement,” Burke said in the retweet.