NEVADA STYLE PROP 13 REVIVAL

Are you ready to hear some exciting news for every Nevada citizen who supports stable, predictable property tax restraint? A Nevada style Prop 13 still lives!
The need for real property tax restraint is even more urgent now than it was in 2004 and 2006. Although property owners in Incline Village were indeed able to prove that the property tax structure in Nevada is inequitable, and with the Supreme Court ruling that they should have received property tax refunds in 2005, no one has yet received a check. The case continues to be mired in bureaucratic red-tape.

Furthermore, the unconstitutional split roll of a 3% annual cap for residential and an 8% cap for commercial property tax increases, which the legislature passed in 2005, remains in force. Needless to say, this is very unfair to commercial property owners and their tenants.

Property taxes continue to increase based not upon the purchase price of your home, but based upon the mercurial marketplace which leaves every homeowner at the mercy of arbitrary appraised values which are calculated by county tax assessors.

Several bills in the 2007 legislature attacked the very core of property rights with increased taxes. Perhaps the most glaring for Washoe County residents was SB141, introduced by Senator Bill Raggio, which doubles the real estate transfer tax. As you may remember, this tax would have been permanently capped by our initiative. Although it failed the Senate, it was revived and passed as SB154. An additional room tax was added and Washoe County residents will be asked to vote for these taxes in 2008.

Other 2007 legislation would limit our ability to petition the government to set permanent boundaries in the constitution on property taxes. Such bills have been sponsored by the same mining and union interests that were behind the 2003 largest tax increase in the history of the state. They do not want government spending or the ability to tax the people limited for two different reasons. First, mining, like gaming, wants government to look to the people – property tax payers in particular – for support for a gluttoness government rather than taxing their industries. And secondly, the unions want the taxpayers to pay for the salary increases for government employees and the wage increases for government contracts.

Speaking of the 2003, largest tax increase in the Nevada’s history, newspapers are reporting that further tax increases will be needed in 2009. We must send a message to the Legislature that they need to cut pork and spending instead of raising taxes. Passing our initiative will tell them we mean it!

Like the old saying goes, “The third time is the charm.” I have been asked many times by property owners across the state, “Are you going to try again for a Nevada style Prop 13? I’m being taxed out of my home.” The answer is, “Yes if you will help by sending a generous donation.”

YES! Please send us/me an Official State Voters' Petition to sign and circulate among friends and family. We/I want to help put the Nevada Property Tax Reform Initiative on the ballot for a vote of the people.