Editorial: Let’s not mess with land sales

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2000 | 8:41 a.m.

Some Las Vegas Valley developers believe a law that requires the auction of federal government lands is too rigid. The provision in dispute requires that bids can't start below the appraised value of the land, a prospect developers contend decreases the likelihood of more sales. But Congress should refrain from tinkering in even the slightest way with this 1998 law, which still is in its infancy.

As the Sun's Mary Manning reported a week ago, while 20 of 23 parcels were sold in November at the first auction under this legislation, just 35 of the 87 Bureau of Land Management parcels were bought in June at the latest auction. Sure, the minimum bidding requirement means that there might be less money for the BLM to buy environmentally sensitive lands from these proceeds, but an equally important consideration is that the taxpayer shouldn't be the loser just because some buyers don't want to pay enough money to buy what typically are landlocked federal government lands in urban areas of the valley.

Appraisals certainly aren't a fool-proof science. Two individuals with extensive backgrounds in the field can come to different conclusions. Still, the requirement that the lands be sold at this minimum level is reasonable. For that matter, the appraisals can be appealed by the prospective purchasers. The fact is that there have been too many instances in the past where some buyers have been able to use their clout to get land for prices far below their value. This provision is an important safeguard to ensure that the land is sold at its fair market value.

The bottom line is that the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act is a critical piece of reform legislation that benefits both the environment and the taxpayers. Let's give the law time to work.