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Aug. 15, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NOVEMBER BALLOT: Property tax petition advances

State official rejects teachers union's complaint

By SEAN WHALEY
REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU
More Info


Sharron Angle
Former assemblywoman wants tax limits in state constitution

CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Ross Miller on Thursday rejected a challenge to Sharron Angle's initiative petition to cap property tax rates, sending it to the November general election.

The constitutional amendment, which would limit annual property tax increases to 2 percent per year on all property, faced a challenge from the state teachers union aimed at keeping it off the ballot.

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    • After a review of the complaint and the response from Angle's attorney, the concerns over the affidavits filed by signature gatherers were rejected, said Matt Griffin, deputy secretary of state for elections.

    Barring a successful legal challenge by the Nevada State Education Association in the courts, the measure will be on the ballot, he said.

    It will have to pass twice, in November and again in 2010, before it can take effect.

    In a letter to Miller earlier this month, an attorney representing the teachers union challenged the legitimacy of some of the signatures collected in Clark County and Carson City because of the affidavits submitted by petition circulators who collected the signatures. The affidavits are required to prevent fraud.

    The letter said defects with some of the affidavits should disqualify the measure in those jurisdictions. Because the measure must qualify in all 17 counties, failure in any single county would make the petition invalid.

    But Griffin said the affidavits in question complied with state law.

    Angle needed 58,628 signatures; Miller found that 64,166 qualified.

    Neither Angle nor a teachers union official could be reached for comment Thursday night.

    Angle's proposed constitutional amendment would limit property tax increases to 2 percent per year until a property is sold. The current cap of 3 percent for owner-occupied homes, with a higher cap for commercial property, was approved by the Legislature in 2005.

    Angle has tried for years to get a California-style Proposition 13 property tax limit into the Nevada Constitution. She has argued the tax limits need constitutional protection because the Legislature could revoke its cap anytime.

    Angle said in previous interviews that if her measure gets on the ballot, the tax cap will pass. Polls have shown strong support, she said.

    Her petition did not initially qualify when signatures were turned in May 20. But she argued the deadline set by the Legislature was too early, and the Nevada Supreme Court agreed, giving her more time to collect signatures.

    With the additional names turned in to the county clerks, a check showed there were enough to meet the required number in all 17 counties.

    Miller's certification was the final step to put the measure on the ballot.

    Contact Capital Bureau reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.



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    Crasher wrote on August 16, 2008 03:04 PM: From the INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Friday, July 11, 2008 4:20 PM PT “Taxes: Thirty years ago, Californians took to the ballot box to save their homes and put some brakes on the growth of government. Now, even the government is reaping the benefits…Los Angeles County, for example, has seen its latest roll rise 6.9% to $1.1 trillion even as area home prices have depreciated 23%. Even nearby Riverside County, where the housing market has been swamped by foreclosures, assessments have gone up 1.45%...The key to this puzzle is, as the Los Angeles Times notes, the role of Proposition 13 "as an economic stabilizer." ... It does this by assessing homes at their sale prices and limiting annual increases to 2% after that…Prop. 13 also caps property tax rates (other than voter-approved bond issues or special levies) at 1% of assessed value. These limits produce a smooth, gradually rising, revenue stream. Without them, local governments would be lurching from boom to bust. " Sadly many people have embraced the mythology, assumptions and bias of the selfish "tax everybody more so I can get a higher salary" crowd not the facts. Hysteria is not good government.


    Vegas Vic wrote on August 15, 2008 07:01 PM: It's about time. Now, if the voters will just pull their heads out and accept this initiative for the next 2 elections, we'll have some tax protection. If this passes, it will give US, the taxpayers, control over whether the state legislature can raise our taxes because it will be US who chooses to accept or reject it.


    Vicky wrote on August 15, 2008 04:35 PM: Way to go Sharron!!! You have my vote. I'm a teacher. This will benefit me more than anything the useless union is doing.


    FF wrote on August 15, 2008 01:05 PM: If this measure only applies to the current land owners then this thing should go down in flames. California did this same thing and then when the property is sold, the sorry sucker that buys it gets clubbed to death with property taxes. Bad deal!


    DJ2 wrote on August 15, 2008 12:53 PM: But, what happens to the tax rate after the home has been sold? And then resold?


    SaynotoJose wrote on August 15, 2008 12:38 PM: There is one very important thing to remember. They can only take 100%. I vote for a tax on teachers License. It is property used in the course of making money. I say 4 percent of there gross.


    Harry Reid wrote on August 15, 2008 12:32 PM: This will be overwhelmingly passed in November. Just goes to show you can't expect taxpayers to keep throwing money at a continuing problem without results to show for it.

    POUND SAND TEACHERS. Maybe the union will pass an incentive for you to teach instead of trying to stall legislation. Better yet, stop paying dues to the union, because their clout in this town is LONG GONE.


    douglas wrote on August 15, 2008 12:06 PM: that the "teachers union" opposes any tax freeze is self-serving indeed.

    let those teachers pay extra on their property tax bills if they choose.


    young gun wrote on August 15, 2008 11:13 AM: I say there should be a 2% cap on the annual increase of the old people health insurance paid by the state(medicare), instead of the current and ongoing 54% a year!


    William D. Tomany wrote on August 15, 2008 10:13 AM: Congratulations We The People Organization

    Go pound sand Teacher's Union


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