Tax, mining proposals still alive

CARSON CITY — Proposals to generate nearly $645 million in tax revenue in the coming fiscal biennium and that would impact mining companies got a boost from a Senate committee Thursday.

The unanimous vote by the Senate Committee on Revenue to seek deadline waivers for Senate bills 491 and 492 and Senate Joint Resolution 15 means the proposals will remain alive until the end of the session, which is to wrap up on June 6.

The committee also voted 5-2, with Sen. Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, joining Democrats voting in favor, to advance Senate Bill 493, which would create a mining oversight commission.

The votes suggest Democrats are hopeful some Republicans will join them to lift sunset clauses and allow the state to continue collecting about $645 million in taxes set to expire. They also show an expectation the mining industry will pay more as Democratic legislators seek an alternative to Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval’s $5.8 billion general fund budget.

Sandoval has said he will veto any bills that would increase taxes.