sales tax

The Carson City Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 tonight to move forward with the $49 million Carson City Center/Nugget Project.

You can see the live blog coverage here.

The motion to proceed to the next step of this controversial development included a commitment by the city of $11.3 million in redevelopment funds, $12 million to come from recently increased landfill fees, and a one-time expenditure of $500,000 from the city's utility fund.

It's been almost two years since I first heard about the Nugget Project.

Back then, the plan was very vague, a public-private partnership that could add up to $90 million. The city's part of this project would be a 1/8th cent sales tax increase and money from the redevelopment fund equaling approximately $25 million.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday evening on whether to move forward with the revamped City Center/Nugget Project.

An evening session of their regular bi-monthly meeting is planned to discuss the $50 million project, of which $23.7 million would come from the city.

The agenda (attached below) makes reference to "a public commitment to the project of a 1/8th-cent sales tax

Nevada could take in $16 million less in tax dollars this year due to online sales, according to a new report by the Retail Association of Nevada (RAN).
Sales tax currently accounts for 28.3 percent of the state’s general fund revenue while gaming taxes bring in 23.6 percent. Nevada ranks 11th in the nation in terms of sales tax reliance, according to a Congressional Research Service report, while the state’s maximum sales tax rate, 8.1 percent in Clark County, ranks 20th.

Now that the new Carson City Center/Nugget Project plans have answered many of the concerns of critics, one of the last big issues is the 1/8th cent increase in the sales tax to help fund the project.

But that may also be going away, replaced by fees collected from those dumping trash at the Carson City Landfill.

Buoyed by double-digit performances in its three largest sales tax categories, Carson City's June taxable sales finished the fiscal year 8.3 percent ahead of fiscal 2010.June numbers alone were up ...

CARSON CITY – When Jeff Mohlenkamp decided to accept the job as Nevada’s newest budget director, he knew going in it was going to be a challenge.
The state’s economic slump continues to be a drag on funding government services, although gaming and sales tax revenues have shown some improvement in recent months.

With back-to-school buying stagnant but an uptick in sales expected this holiday season, the Retail Association of Nevada (RAN) is forecasting a mixed outlook for the state’s retailers.

I don't pay a lot of attention to the Reno Gazette-Journal for Carson City news. It's been years since they shut down their bureau here, and I haven't seen them do much original reporting about our city since then.

But I ran across this correction to their story on this week's Nugget Project meeting, and had to laugh. It's one thing to blow the original story, but the correction blows it, too.

Monday night's presentation of the new plan for the Carson City Center development to the Nugget Advisory Committee has put this much-criticized project back on track, even winning over some long-time opponents.

The new plan is different enough it needs a new name: Nugget Project 2.0.

Taking a look at the new plans for the Carson City Center/Nugget Project, there are several new things that stick out.

First, the announcement that partnership with P3 Development has been terminated because they could not come to an agreement. It was revealed earlier this summer that the the project partners switched architects because they weren't happy with what they were getting from P3. But now it seems P3 is out of the picture entirely. Not only was P3 slated to build the project, but it was supposed to handle the financing.

The Carson Nugget Development Advisory Committee will meet Aug. 8 for possible action to recommend a "simplified and restructured program plan" to the Carson City Board of Supervisors for the Carson City Center Project, AKA Nugget Project.

The new plan calls for the formation of a not-for-profit entity that would take over ownership of the project.

Following is the agenda item for the meeting:

The Carson City Board of Supervisors will be meeting today beginning at 8:30 a.m. On the agenda for the morning session are sales tax incentives provided through the city's Redevelopment Authority to Carson Quail Park Maintenance Association. In the afternoon session, City Manger Larry Werner will discuss the impacts of the state's budget on the city, and how the city will deal with the extra costs.

You can watch the live video and join in the discussion here, and the full agenda is here.

Carson City leaders addressed a packed banquet room at the Gold Dust West today to discuss the State of the City in a program put together by the Carson City Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Bob Crowell, Supervisor Shelly Aldean, Sheriff Kenny Furlong and School Board Chair Joanna Wilson each spoke to the crowd, and in general agreed that while these are challenging times, each made the case that things are going well and improving.

Some of the highest excise tax revenues among the states are collected in Nevada, a new report from the Mercatus Center shows.
Nevada is one of six states – along with Connecticut, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and West Virginia – that collect over $600 in excise revenues per capita.

CARSON CITY – On deadline day for Gov. Brian Sandoval to act on the remaining bills from the 2011 legislative session, measures extending existing taxes for two more years, authorizing the creation of a toll road around Boulder City and banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving were all approved.

Sales tax on coins and bullion in Nevada has been a sore spot for many dealers, collectors, and investors. Every state in the West, except Nevada, has exempted rare coins and bullion from sales tax...

CARSON CITY – While some critics may never be convinced that Gov. Brian Sandoval should have agreed to support new tax revenue to balance the budget, the collection of reforms approved as part of the deal finalized this morning cannot be ignored.
From changes to Nevada’s collective bargain law allowing the reopening of labor agreements in emergencies to limiting teacher tenure to eliminating health insurance for newly hired state employees upon retirement – the changes approved in the 120-day legislative session by Democrats and Republicans could have far reaching impacts.

As the Nevada Legislature struggles with a huge budget deficit in its final days, I wonder why lawmakers don't close a flagrant existing tax loophole by charging sales taxes on purchases made on th...

As the Nevada Legislature struggles with a huge budget deficit in its final days, I wonder why lawmakers don't close a flagrant existing tax loophole by charging sales taxes on purchases made on th...

"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable," John Kenneth GalbraithBeing the "father" of sales tax on services a far as Nevada is c...

CARSON CITY – The Sandoval administration is pursuing two paths in an effort to resolve a potentially massive budget shortfall, seeking clarification from the Nevada Supreme Court on the case that created the issue and working with lawmakers on potential additional revenues should they be necessary.
Dale Erquiaga, senior adviser to Gov. Brian Sandoval, briefed a number of interested parties on the developments since the state’s high court dropped the potential budget bombshell on the Legislature yesterday.

Carson City's Board of Supervisors finally approved on Thursday a 50 percent sales tax rebate for three companies looking to fill a combined 270,467 square feet of vacant commercial space. The larg...

The Carson City Board of Supervisors voted to extend sales tax incentives to the Carson Mall, Carson Tahoe Quail Center and to the new events center project planned for the old Kmart building on the north side of town.

(Go here for the agenda.)

The board turned down a similar request for Carson Quail Park, due to it not meeting minimum space requirement.

The board also voted to approve funding for special election for Nevada congressional district 2.

CARSON CITY – Democrats today voted to reject Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed budget cuts to Medicaid programs this morning.
The governor would have saved about $90 million in his budget through the reductions. Republicans on the Legislature’s money committees voted to cut the Medicaid budget in line with Sandoval’s recommendations.
The Medicaid funding would help reimburse hospitals and their staff for caring for Medicaid patients.

By Andrew Doughman
CARSON CITY – Legislators on money committees today approved on a party-line vote a 4.8 percent salary cut to state and higher education employees.
The proposal would include a 2.3 percent cut through furloughs – about six days per year – and a 2.5 percent salary reduction.
Gov. Brian Sandoval had proposed in his budget a 5 percent salary cut to state and higher education workers.

By Sean Whaley
CARSON CITY – Legislative Democrats unveiled the elements of their highly anticipated tax plan today, saying they will work every day until the end of the session to craft a proposal that restores many of the cuts in Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget without choking off a nascent economic recovery.

My fellow Nevadans, good evening.

Three months ago, I delivered a State of the State Address against the backdrop of record unemployment and sharply reduced state revenue. I believed then, as I do now, that by controlling state spending and changing the way we do business, we could bring about a sustained economic recovery that would get Nevada working again. And so tonight, I’m pleased to come before you with a second and more positive report on the state of Nevada’s economy.

By Sean Whaley
CARSON CITY – Work on closing Nevada’s two-year $6 billion general fund budget will begin in earnest tomorrow after the Economic Forum today finalized its tax revenue projections for the coming two years.
But legislative Democrats and Gov. Brian Sandoval remain far apart on an acceptable spending plan even with a $218 million general fund revenue increase.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Advocates for a tax hike on cigarettes and liquor made their case in the Nevada Legislature today, both to raise revenue and improve public health.
The proposal received a mixed reaction from lawmakers, and some lobbyist opposition, however, because of the negative consequences on business.