Guinn: Truckers need to pay more for highway use

Monday, Feb. 18, 2002 | 9:11 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn says out-of-state truckers don't pay their fair share of taxes to help expand and make repairs on Nevada roads and streets, and they're costing the state $100 million a year.

The issue arose at a meeting of the state Transportation Board Friday as the panel discussed problems keeping up with the demands of maintaining the state's highways and building new ones.

The board decided to set in motion the transfer of maintenance of the Las Vegas Strip to Clark County and Eastern Avenue to the city of Las Vegas. Both are state routes.

If the state doesn't turn over many of the streets to local governments, the state's budget will be eaten up by maintenance work and there will be little left for new roads, Guinn said.

But as the board weighed how to pay for road improvements, Guinn noted, "The truckers, they don't pay their fair share."

A local trucking company that sends a rig from Reno to Las Vegas pays 15 cents a mile in taxes and fees, he said. But out-of-state rigs pay only 7 cents a mile.

Guinn cited Utah's system of collecting from out-of-state truckers using its highways. But the governor did not say whether he would propose a similar plan to the 2003 Legislature.

Jacob Snow, general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, agreed with Guinn, noting that the large trucks cause traffic congestion and damage the highways.

Adding to the funding problem, Guinn said, is that as cars get more fuel-efficient, less money is collected in the state's gasoline tax, which is one of the main sources for building and maintaining the Nevada roads. As a result, tax revenue doesn't reflect inflation, he said.

He was also critical of the Legislature's decision to spend $6 million to switch the design and color of license plates. Motorists with the white and silver "bighorn sheep" design now are getting the new blue and orange sunset plates, at the state's expense.

"We've got more important priorities," Guinn said.

Guinn also was upset over a law that allows motorists to reclaim part of the governmental services tax if they sell their vehicles with time left on the registration.

Calling it a "crazy idea," the governor said it was costing the state $15,000 a day in refunds. In addition, it has resulted in more paperwork for the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

The department sometimes must send a refund check of $1 or less to the motorist, and it costs $32 to process the check, the governor said.