Editorial: Ticktock, ticktock …

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005 | 9:05 a.m.

The Legislature is in its third week now and has gotten absolutely nowhere on the issue of rising property values and their corresponding rise in property taxes. At the outset, legislators knew they had to come up with a solution by mid-March to affect the tax bills property owners will receive in July. But so far nothing concrete has been accomplished. While there have been hearings and hand-wringing, there has been no action on any of the numerous solutions proposed by legislators, government officials, consultants, citizens and watchdog groups.

Senate Taxation Committee Chairman Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, can only generalize about the ultimate solution. "I think there's probably going to be some sort of a blended solution between a cap and a lowering of the rates, perhaps a freeze," McGinness says. Translation: He doesn't have a clue.

Clearly, the Legislature should be further along on this issue, which has been around for the past eight months. While there's still time to show leadership and approve a bill that is fair to property owners and tax collectors alike, the clock is ticking. If another two or three weeks go by with little progress, the Legislature will likely have failed in its most important responsibility this session.