Tax disputes settled with LV casino, water companies

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Tax Commission agreed to a settlement reducing the penalty and interest assessed against the Lady Luck Casino in downtown Las Vegas, which was delinquent in paying more than $40,000 in business and sales and use taxes.

The commission last week unanimously accepted the settlement presented by Deputy Attorney General Sonia Taggart, who said the accounting systems in the two corporations that run the casino were not up to par.

Commissioner John Marvel of Elko suggested the Lady Luck was wrong in this case and questioned why the full penalty and interest were not being assessed.

Tax Department Director David Pursell said the Lady Luck made a "good faith" effort to change its accounting system and he felt a reduction was warranted.

The commission also agreed to waive more than $13,100 in taxes wrongly imposed on five stores in Clark County that sell bottled water.

Auditors for the tax department figured sales tax was due on the bottles in which purified water was sold.

But Deputy Attorney General Darlene Barrier told the commission there is a conflict between the law and the regulations of the tax department. The law says containers are exempt when food is added.