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Petition-Packing Union Workers Head for Carson City

LAS VEGAS -- Two busloads of Culinary workers left Las Vegas on Tuesday bound for Carson City with about 60,000 signatures petitioning lawmakers to adopt new broad-based business taxes.

About 120 maids, food-service workers and bellmen from Culinary Local 226, the state's biggest union at 50,000 members, plan to march on Carson City today in support of taxes on Nevada businesses to fund schools, senior prescription drugs and public safety.

They're expected to be joined by another 100 or so members of the Culinary's sister union in Reno as well as dozens of members of allied groups for the march and rally at the Legislature, where the workers are expected to present their petitions to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Guinn has proposed a $1 billion tax increase to cover a projected $700 million-plus two-year budget deficit as well as additional spending that includes all-day kindergarten programs.

Culinary officials hope bringing front-line workers to Carson City will impress legislators.

"Carson City sees so little of this kind of activity," Culinary political director Glen Arnodo said. "We expect to make an impact."

The union spent about $10,000 for the buses, meals, expenses and hotel rooms at the Reno Hilton, one of the city's two union properties, a tab Culinary Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor said is money well spent.

"Carson City's getting ready to see some real folks, some working people," Taylor said as members boarded buses outside the union's Commerce Street offices. "The march is symbolic. Working people can't pay lobbyists, and the legislators will see that the working people with kids in schools want them to act.

"Look at our members," he continued. "Whites, African-Americans, Latinos, Asians. We reflect the community, and it'll be good for the (legislators) to see working people who want good schools."

Paris Las Vegas maid Maria Ibarra said she looked forward to marching.

"I have three kids in Clark County schools," said Ibarra, a Paris employee since the property's 1999 opening. "I want my kids to have a good education, because that's important."

Rio maid Reyna Ardon said the long bus trip and overnight stay were small sacrifices for an important cause.

"We want them to know that (big businesses) have to pay, all of them," Ardon said. "We're giving the (Governor and legislators) our petitions, and we want them to know we're serious."

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