Boulder City ballot initiatives include property tax question

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | midnight

Controversial hospital tax goes to Boulder City voters (10-30-2008)

Election 2008 guide

In addition to deciding whether to allow Boulder City Hospital to collect taxes, voters will decide on three other ballot questions: whether to make change two changes to the City Charter and to allow the city to sell industrial lots.

One change to the charter seeks to make it "gender neutral," including feminine terms with all masculine terms.

The Charter Commission earlier this year suggested the change, which would have no financial impact, and would require passing another vote in the June 2009 municipal election.

It would need to be approved again in June to take effect.

The other charter change would bring it in line with state law requiring meetings to discuss termination of public officials be open.

The charter currently allows a city officer who is in danger of being terminated to request a private City Council hearing to determine the employee's character, alleged misconduct, professional competence or physical or mental health.

The Nevada Open Meeting law prohibits the closed meetings.

This question also would need to pass another vote before being enacted.

The third ballot question will ask whether the city should sell 46 acres of commercial lots in the industrial area west of Yucca Street to help pay for a new intake valve from Lake Mead.

Boulder City as part of the Southern Nevada Water Authority must pay its share of the third pipeline, which will reach deeper into Lake Mead to ensure water supply as the lake level goes down. City officials expect it to cost about $200,000 in the next two years.

Voters last year approved using money from the Capital Improvement Fund for the intake, but rejected sale of residential land to pay for it. Redevelopment money also is being used to the intake valve.

The city has not estimated how much money the sales would bring, but would acquire two independent appraisals of the land before selling it.

If the question passes, the city would have the needed permission to sell the land and put the money into the Capital Improvement Fund to pay Southern Nevada Water Authority. If it fails, the city will have to find another source of funding.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or cassie.tomlin@hbcpub.com.