Clark County schools would get about $100 million from proposed property tax

CARSON CITY — If a property tax bill approved Monday in the Assembly becomes law, the Clark County School District could secure $100 million for vocational education over the next 10 years.

Joyce Haldeman, deputy superintendent of Nevada’s largest school district, said she did not know whether the district’s trustees would approve the tax. The bill was not sought by the district but by a legislator seeking funds for the Washoe County School District.

“I don’t know if the CCSD trustees would try to use the funding source or not; I have not approached them about it,” Haldeman said.

Assembly Bill 403 is enabling legislation. If it wins legislative approval, then school districts around the state must decide whether to approve the tax — $2 per month per housing unit. The tax could be collected for 10 years.

But before that happens, the bill still must be approved by the Senate and signed by Gov. Brian Sandoval, who has pledged to veto any new taxes.

Assemblyman Richard “Skip” Daly, D-Sparks, said he introduced the bill for Washoe County, which he said has not kept up with vocational education programs as well as Clark County has.

He wanted to include only Washoe County in the bill, but he said bill drafters suggested it apply in all counties. Voters in his county last year rejected a school bond issue.

Daly said he has been told Clark County will not want to pursue the funds.

“They could change their minds over the next six months,” he said. “Clark County is far ahead of us in vocational education. Washoe County needs the money. Washoe County is way behind. With vocational training, many students could leave school with job-ready skills.”

Unlike most tax bills that are referred to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee for hearings, AB403 first was sent to the Ways and Means Committee and then to the Assembly Education Committee.

Taxation Chairwoman Irene Bustamante Adams, D-Las Vegas, said where bills are sent is determined by the chapter in state law that deals with the subject matter in the bill.

Because AB403 dealt with vocational education, it was forwarded to the Education Committee.

Supporters of the tax increase will have a tough time overriding a veto, which requires a two-thirds vote in each house. The bill passed the Assembly 23-16 on a party-line vote. Twenty-eight votes would be required to override a veto.

“Let’s see if the governor is willing to veto a bill for vocational education,” Daly said.

A Sandoval aide said Tuesday that the governor would not comment on whether he will approve or veto the bill until it clears both houses and is sent to his desk.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.