Gibson urges action to keep city affordable

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005 | 11:06 a.m.

On TV Rebroadcast schedule for Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson's State of the City address. Las Vegas ONE, Cox Communications Channel 19

Las Vegas Channel 2

Speaking to nearly 900 people Wednesday during the annual State of the City address at Green Valley Ranch, Gibson sounded a warning about how residents are facing property tax hikes of hundreds of dollars and possibly more than $1,000 every year unless the state and federal government act.

The assessed value of many Henderson homes and other properties is up more than 40 percent this year, Gibson said. He called on the state Legislature for relief to keep property taxes in check. But at the same time, legislation shouldn't take away tax revenue cities need to provide services, he said.

"On behalf of our citizens, something must give, because a 44 percent increase year-to-year really hurts," Gibson said. "If you're selling anyway, it's a good thing, but if you plan on living in your home, along with a 30 percent to 40 percent increase in value, you get a large increase in your tax bill. ... No one wants to see a situation where our residents must consider selling their home to economically survive."

Alice Martz, chief executive of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, the sponsor of Wednesday's event, said the rising value not only hurts existing residents but may stifle people wanting to move to the community.

"It's a huge concern," Martz said. "Teachers and other people may not be able to come to Henderson because of the price of houses."

Gibson placed blame on the Bureau of Land Management for sales of surplus federal land. Several bidders vie for the coveted pieces of developable property, which in turn artificially inflates land value in the area, Gibson said. Making more land available would slow the growth in land prices, he said.

Merv Boyd, manager of sales and acquisition for the Southern Nevada division of the Bureau of Land Management, said the federal government sells land only when nominated by a city or county.

"The price is determined by the market, not BLM," Boyd said. "We can't sell it for less."

Despite the concerns Gibson raised about assessed land value and the higher property taxes residents will pay as a result, most of the mayor's speech touted the community and the job the city has done in managing growth and providing services.

Henderson issued 4,400 new business licenses in 2004 for a total of 13,250 businesses.

Several years ago, the city set a goal for at least 24 percent of employed residents to work within the city limits, Gibson said. Henderson has easily surpassed that goal with nearly 39 percent of working Henderson residents holding jobs in the community.

City officials said three times more employed residents work in Henderson than on the Las Vegas strip.

"Henderson has evolved, and we are just not a bedroom community anymore," Martz said.

In the city's latest survey, 69 percent of Henderson residents have lived in the community less than 10 years and almost half have lived in the city for four years or less. Some 29 percent of residents moved to Henderson from the Las Vegas Valley or Nevada. Another 20 percent are from California.

Henderson has built a sense of community that people maintain is important to their quality of life, Gibson said. The city, one of the fastest growing in the country, has had its population more than double in 13 years and projects to have more than 246,000 people this year.

"We don't simply grow for the sake of growth," Gibson said. "You have heard me say many times that in Henderson we grow well."

Gibson cited the city survey that reported 89 percent of residents said Henderson did a good job in providing services. But not everyone who attended Wednesday's event said the city is on the right track.

Laurie Robinson, one of Gibson's two opponents in the April 5 mayoral race, said the city has lagged behind growth in widening thoroughfares such as Horizon Ridge Parkway.

She pointed to the city survey results that said only 37 percent of residents who responded to the survey said the quality of life was getting better. Seventeen percent thought it was declining and nearly 42 percent of the respondants said the the quality of life has stayed the same in Henderson, and Robinson said those indicate a need for change and improvement.