Bill would aid low-income Nevadans in power crisis

Erin Neff

Wednesday, March 14, 2001 | 10:46 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Consumers who can afford to pay higher utility bills would help subsidize those who can't under a bill introduced Tuesday.

Assemblyman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, is proposing the creation of a fund to assist low-income Nevadans by more than doubling the tax on utilities.

"It's the most responsible revenue source that's out there," Goldwater, chairman of the Assembly Taxation Committee, said.

Goldwater's proposal, Assembly Bill 326, would add 0.0575 cents charged the utility on each dollar of gross revenue. The utility usually passes that on to consumers.

The bill would raise the total annual assessment to 0.1 cents per dollar, from .0425 cents.

Goldwater said there is little the state can do about the cost of utilities, so most important "when we are in a time of crisis is help those who need it most."

During the past two budget cycles the tax actually dropped, though the decline resulted in little change for consumers, Goldwater said.

"I don't think that affected the power bills a lot, so this shouldn't, either," Goldwater said.

The bill was referred to the Assembly Speaker's Select Committee on Energy.