State’s voters split over tax questions

Friday, Nov. 8, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Voters in Clark County agreed to increase taxes for schools and police but tax questions saw mixed success in the rest of Nevada in Tuesday's election.

In Carson City, a $48.5 million school construction bond was soundly defeated, but a proposal for a quarter-cent sales tax increase for open spaces was approved.

Oddly enough, the sales tax increase must be approved by the Nevada Legislature and a new constitutional amendment will come into play. Two-thirds approval is now required for a tax increase, even though voters approved the sales tax plan.

School construction bonds also lost in Storey, Elko and Eureka counties.

Voters in Nye County turned down a property tax override of up to 2 cents per $100 of assessed valuations for museums. Beatty residents rejected an additional property tax for operation of the library. Pahrump voters turned down a $1.5 million library bond but citizens of Tonopah agreed to continue a property tax override that pays for maintaining parks and recreation programs.

Mineral County voters were more willing to tax themselves. They approved a plan to impose higher property taxes of up to 4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to help find more water for Walker Lake or to bring legal action to acquire water rights. Walker Lake, just outside Hawthorne, is drying up.

Mineral voters agreed to a 2-cent property tax rate hike for fire equipment for Walker Lake and Mina.

Douglas County voters agreed that a residential development tax of up to $500 per home should be imposed for road projects. But they turned down a plan for a quarter-cent sales tax increase for parks and open spaces.

A $19 million bond issue in Washoe County for additional jail space was approved but it won't raise property taxes since other debt is being retired. Reno residents agreed to a higher property tax rate for fire protection. But Washoe voters said no to imposing an additional property tax at Lake Tahoe for air and water quality projects.

Reno voters dumped a plan to boost the pay of the mayor and City Council, including guaranteeing annual pay raises. Residents of Incline Village rejected a proposal that former trustees of the general improvement district be granted free lifetime use of all recreation facilities operated by the district.

A plan to raise the property tax rate by 5 cents in Churchill County for a regional park lost.