Legislative briefs for May 11, 2005

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 | 9:47 a.m.

Measure OK'd for tax lien sales

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Minden, said two years ago there was $10 million in uncollected property tax.

He outlined a novel way Tuesday to allow the local governments and the schools to receive this revenue, rather than waiting years before the property is sold or the taxes and penalties paid.

His Assembly Bill 393 would allow county treasurers to sell tax liens against the properties that haven't paid their taxes. He told the Senate Taxation Committee there are investors willing to buy these liens which would guarantee an interest rate return of 10-20 percent.

In this way, the local governments and the schools would get their money from the sale of these liens which would be auctioned off in a public sale.

Twenty-eight states have these laws, he said. His bill would give the option to the counties to enter into one of these programs.

The committee unanimously approved the bill and sent it to the floor of the Senate.

Perkins promotes tax holiday

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, expected to be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor next year, wants to give Nevadans a sales tax holiday from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28.

Perkins told the Senate Taxation Committee that Nevadans "need relief now" from taxes. Under Assembly Bill 320, all of the sales tax, except the two percent imposed by the state, would be waived on clothing up to $1,000, school supplies and computer equipment. The sales tax is in the 6-7 percent range, depending where a person lives.

He predicted there would be record sales during the three-days. The two-percent state sales tax could not be waived unless the voters approved it. And he said that could not come until the November 2006 election.

The committee did not take action on the bill.

Guinn signs mad cow bill

Gov. Kenny Guinn Tuesday signed a bill aimed at stopping mad cow disease from entering Nevada.

Senate Bill 192 would prohibit the importation of Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer or white-tailed deer into Nevada.

Sen. Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, said stopping people from bringing the animals into the state would guard against the disease.