Las Vegas Sun

May 20, 2024

sales tax:

Senate bill would spend $25,000 to audit Metro spending

CARSON CITY – The Senate has tentatively agreed to allocate $25,000 to conduct an audit to see how Metro Police spent its money from a sales tax increase approved by the voters.

Voters in Clark County in 2004 approved a ballot issue to increase the sales and use tax by one-half of a cent. The 2005 Legislature authorized the police department to spend one-quarter of a cent of the sales tax.

The department has hired 600 officers and Sheriff Doug Gillespie wanted the Legislature to allow the remaining one-quarter of a cent go into effect. Supporters said crime has decreased since the hiring of the additional officers.

But the Senate approved an amendment to Senate Bill 202 on Tuesday to permit the sales tax to be increased by one-eighth of one percent in 2011 and then by one-eighth of a cent in 2013.

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, said Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, wanted to take a “careful look” at the spending of the police department. The amendment includes an appropriation of $25,000.

The bill was then referred to the Senate Finance Committee for further study.

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