Carson City Ballot Questions

Advisory Question 1

Shall the Carson City Board of Supervisors be authorized to ask the Nevada State legislature to amend Nevada state law to allow Carson City to impose up to 1/8th of a percent sales tax to support storm water operation and maintenance?

EXPLANATION TO QUESTION NO. CC1

The Carson City Board of Supervisors has placed this advisory question on the ballot in order to give the residents input as to whether the program should be funded through sales taxes.

A "YES" vote will indicate the voter's intent that the Carson City Board of Supervisors be authorized to ask the Nevada State legislature to fund the Storm Water Management Program through an increase in sales taxes.

A "NO" vote will indicate the voter's intent that the Carson City Board of Supervisors not be authorized to ask the Nevada State legislature to fund the Storm Water Management program through an increase in sales taxes.

FISCAL NOTE

The storm water program is anticipated to cost $1,200,000 per year when it is fully operational. During the initial start-up, the costs are budgeted at $660,000. The initial program is currently funded through user charges at $20.40 per residence per year. The full program would require the user charge to be increased to $40.80 per residence per year. The imposition of the 1/8% increase in sales tax would cost a consumer $6.25 per $5,000 of taxable spending and would generate approximately $1,000,000 per year. If approved, the sales tax would remain in effect for the life of the storm water program. The program could involve the issuance of revenue bonds backed by the full faith and credit of the assessed value of Carson City; and the tax would be used to pay for operation and maintenance of any or all facilities associated with the storm water program.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The result of the voting on the question does not place any legal requirement on the governing body, any member of the governing body or any officer of the political subdivision; and the City must comply with NRS 293.481(1)(a).

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

The storm water program is designed to improve surface water quality by educating the public about surface water quality issues; to reduce pollutant loads from construction sites; to identify and eliminate illicit discharges; to improve the functional capability of the storm water system to its design capacity and to, ultimately, improve the water quality of the Carson River and Clear Creek. The negative environmental impacts will be few and short-term, occurring mainly during construction of storm water facilities such as detention/retention basins and pipelines.

Arguments and Rebuttals were written by respective committees for this ballot question.

Advisory Question 2

Shall the Nevada Constitution be amended to add the following provisions?

1 The Nevada Legislature shall not, directly or indirectly, enact laws or authorize the adoption of regulations, requiring the counties and cities of the State to provide new services, expand existing services or conduct new or additional governmental functions without appropriating or designating state funding sources to support said new services, expansion of existing services and new or additional governmental functions.

2 The Nevada Legislature shall not enact legislation that would effectively reduce, eliminate or divert to the State revenue or revenue sources previously authorized to support county and city governmental services and functions.

EXPLANATION TO QUESTION NO. CC2

A "yes" vote on this question would be advising for a constitutional prohibition on unfunded mandates. A "no" vote on this question would be advising against a prohibition on unfunded mandates.

FISCAL NOTE

Unknown at this time

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is purely advisory in nature and does not place any legal requirement on the governing body or any officer of the political subdivision or the legislative or executive branches of state government.

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

None

Arguments and Rebuttals were written by respective committees for this ballot question.