Thursday, March 20, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
"The leadership is going to come from this end (the Legislature)," says Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas. "It was already happening."
"We pass the 60th day of the session Thursday," added Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas. "It is time to move forward. The Legislature will make the decisions."
They also said they aren't surprised at the Clark County Commission's failure to produce a plan to pay for growth needs in the Las Vegas Valley.
There has been speculation that local officials wouldn't propose funding mechanisms because they fear being labeled tax-hike supporters.
Clark County Commission Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates announced Tuesday that she asked Assistant County Manager Randy Walker to develop a funding plan. She and commissioners Myrna Williams and Mary Kincaid want $2.7 billion over 10 years to pay for water and sewer system expansions, school construction and buses.
Commissioner Erin Kenny seeks money for parks and Williams wants funds for inner-city problems.
"We don't need anything from them," said Assembly Infrastructure Chairman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, who has publicly feuded with Atkinson Gates. "We have waited for them, but now we are moving forward."
Goldwater added his committee won't consider funds for parks or roads - only tax proposals for school construction and water and sewer system improvements.
But it's apparent two months into the legislative session that not all lawmakers agree with Goldwater. And no consensus has been reached on tax hikes.
Some say southern Nevada road construction needs are critical. And like their local counterparts, few legislators want a tax-and-spend reputation.
Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany favors placing any infrastructure tax proposals before Clark County voters.
"The people should decide their priorities on funding for infrastructure needs," said Tiffany, R-Henderson.
Goldwater says he wants any bills from his committee crafted so the Clark
commissioners have to impose the taxes. The Legislature only would give them enabling authority to levy the increases.
However, his panel's long-awaited bill for a quarter-cent sales tax increase for water and sewer improvements, proposed Wednesday, does the opposite: the Legislature would be imposing the tax.
Senate Government Affairs Chairwoman Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, isn't convinced there are enough votes in the Legislature to get the quarter-cent tax increase approved.
Instead of the new tax, O'Connell questions whether money from an existing flood control sales tax could be shifted to water and sewer needs. That way, the sales tax rate wouldn't change.
For the past 10 years, revenue from a quarter-cent sales tax in Clark County has been earmarked for flood control improvements.
But Goldwater said shifting the flood tax money to water and sewer programs would leave planned flood control basins and programs in Clark County half-finished.
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