Editorial: Time to act, not whine

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005 | 9:01 a.m.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, and other legislators got off to the wrong start in discussing one of the Legislature's most pressing issues -- soaring property taxes in Clark County. They whined about the failure of local governments to solve the problem for them.

It had been encouraging Monday, on opening day of the 2005 session, to see the Legislature quickly convene a joint Senate-Assembly committee to address the tax problem, caused by soaring increases in property values over the past 18 months. But the first words spoken on Tuesday by many legislators, including Perkins, were time-wasting laments.

Perkins blasted Clark County and Southern Nevada's city governments for constantly lobbying the Legislature for more control over their revenue, but retreating to the sidelines on this critical issue. Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, was among those agreeing with Perkins. He said the local governments should have taken charge when the issue began gaining momentum early last summer.

Their fulminations were probably borne of frustration, as they certainly had no basis in fact. The Legislature is the only body with the authority to solve this complex tax problem. From the moment the crisis began, all eyes have been on the Legislature. In fact, as early as last summer, Perkins said he would seek legislation to limit the taxable value of property. And Gov. Kenny Guinn, in rejecting calls last summer for a special session of the Legislature to address the problem, said he had assurances from legislative leaders that the 2005 Legislature could deal with it in time to avert problems for taxpayers. One of those leaders was Perkins.

Clark County Assessor Mark Schofield was the first to propose a solution to the Legislature -- a 6 percent cap on property tax increases, which we support. But many other proposals have surfaced, including the one Perkins mentioned last summer. His proposal calls for reducing the taxable value of all property by $50,000. A solution must be found by next month to limit what property owners will owe in taxes come July. Now that the time is upon them, the legislators need to act, not whine.