Few critics as Nevada mulls Tesla tax breaks

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Critics say Nevada lawmakers are gambling with taxpayers’ money, but they clearly were in the minority Wednesday night as legislators moved forward with an unprecedented package of up to $1.3 billion in incentives they hope to approve in the days ahead to bring Tesla Motors’ $5 billion battery factory to the state.

Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval urged legislators in the two Democrat-controlled houses to seize an “extraordinary opportunity” to land the electric car maker’s “gigafactory” and the tens of thousands of jobs he said would help pull Nevada from the worst economic crisis in state history.