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Sep. 04, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Roster of proposed laws grows

The Associated Press

CARSON CITY -- Las Vegas police want to raise the sales tax, Gov. Jim Gibbons wants to limit anti-war demonstrations near military funerals and taxi regulators would like to bar cabbies from using cell phones while hauling passengers.

Those are three of more than 170 bills requested in the week leading up to a Monday deadline for state agencies and local governments to propose legislation for the 2009 session.

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    • Senate Taxation Chairman Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, said police in Las Vegas want to raise the sales tax by one-quarter cent to hire more officers. If approved by the Legislature, the tax increase still must be approved by the Clark County Commission.

    Clark County voters in 2004 approved a plan to boost the sales tax by one-half of a cent for more officers, and the 2005 Legislature increased the sales tax by a quarter point. McGinness said police now want the other half.

    Gibbons, a former military pilot, is concerned about disturbances created by protests at funerals or burials of military personnel and wants to restrict the location of those protests, says press secretary Ben Kieckhefer.

    However, courts in other states have ruled such legislation amounts to a constitutional violation of the right to free speech and expression.

    The Taxicab Authority in Clark County wants to stop drivers from using their cell phones while transporting passengers; and Washoe County says counties should be able to tack on a fuel surcharge on moving traffic violations. The money raised by the surcharge would pay for fuel used by law enforcement agencies.

    The Nevada Association of Counties wants an increase in the property tax above current limits of 3 percent for homeowners and 8 percent for businesses. Jeff Fontaine, executive director of the association, said the plan would let counties exceed the 3 percent and 8 percent limits for one year and then return to the old limits.

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    Mamamia wrote on September 04, 2008 08:38 PM: So raise the taxes to hire more cops!
    Do whatever it takes to cut down on crime, but at the same time, use some of that tax money to hire only the best, most qualified, most educated and most honest cops that money can buy, which will cut down on all the rogue cops who have less conscience than the criminals they lie about and plant evidence on and falsely accuse!


    Mamamia wrote on September 04, 2008 08:38 PM: So raise the taxes to hire more cops!


    Do whatever it takes to cut down on crime, but at the same time, use some of that tax money to hire only the best, most qualified, most educated and most honest cops that money can buy, which will cut down on all the rogue cops who have less conscience than the criminals they lie about and plant evidence on and falsely accuse!


    jb wrote on September 04, 2008 07:50 PM: increase, increase, increase. That is all that seems to be said. A fuel surcharge added onto moving violations?! That is ridiculous.

    Are these people forgetting that unemployment is up and economic growth is down? Now is not the time to increase fees, penalties and taxes.


    UNLVStud wrote on September 04, 2008 06:35 PM: The police do not need more money right now with a population that is seeing flat growth and decreasing crime.

    The Nevada Association of Counties doesn't play the political game very well. They're giving fodder to Angel's Prop 13 petition by wanting to charge struggling home owners higher property taxes above the statutory caps that are currently in place.

    The fuel surcharge on traffic tickets is just another way to get money into the hands of cops that don't need it. They also don't need an incentive to write more tickets.

    And Gibbons coming to the funeral protest issue way late demonstrates that he doesn't really have any legitimate issues to champion.

    If the Legislature has any backbone at all, they'll kill these bills early and not waste any time on them. (Except for the cabbie one.)


    Casey wrote on September 04, 2008 05:55 PM: Bill - shut the hell up.

    There is no protection of free speech if you harass people. The Constitution does not allow for verbal assault ... seriously, read it sometime.

    Besides, the Governor is just thinking about the safety of protesters. If you protest at my relative's funeral ... you're dead.


    Steve wrote on September 04, 2008 02:31 PM: The last tax increase Gillespie got went for exhorbitant pay raises. The next one will go for his new "headquarters". We do NOT need any more tax increases for ANY reason.


    dm99 wrote on September 04, 2008 02:23 PM: By raising the taxes on our properties it would amount to piracy.
    Has anyone received a rebate because of the plummeting property values?
    We are currently paying property taxes on overvalued property in the majority of cases.
    They want an increase on prices that no longer exist.


    AL wrote on September 04, 2008 11:45 AM: No more Property taxes.
    No more Sales taxes.
    No more taxes period.

    Time to repeal the taxes already in place. Time to Stop the steak dinners..


    William Bonzy wrote on September 04, 2008 05:52 AM: NO NEW TAXES! Stop waste and you'll find the money needed.


    Bill wrote on September 04, 2008 03:46 AM: So, our worst governor ever has no respect for the first amendment and will see to it out tax dollars are wasted while his bill is overturned in court. What a shock.


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