SPARKS, Nev. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dean Heller warned Monday that a proposal to fund education by taxing corporations would undermine efforts to persuade Tesla Motors to build a $5 billion battery plant in Nevada.

The Republican senator believes Nevada is well-positioned in the bidding war with Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona to lure the electric-car maker whose “gigafactory” would bring an estimated 6,500 jobs. He cited the state as the only place where the California-based company has done site work to prepare to build, but Tesla has plans to break ground in one or two other states as well.