Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Bill would give Clark County supermajority on state Transportation Board

CARSON CITY — A Senate committee has passed a bill to remove the governor and three other elected officials from the state Transportation Board and give Clark County a supermajority on the panel.

The Senate Transportation Committee voted unanimously to reorganize and enlarge the board, giving Clark County eight of 11 appointed members.

Committee Chairman Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, said Senate Bill 322 is “where the state is going” and called transportation a vital issue for Southern Nevada.

The board is now made up of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, controller and three members appointed by the governor — one each from Clark County, Washoe County and a rural county.

Under the proposed bill, the board would have two members each from unincorporated Clark County, Las Vegas and Washoe County and one member each from North Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, Mesquite and rural Nevada.

Members would be appointed by the governor.

Representatives of Clark County have complained that it contributes the lions share of tax revenue for the state highway construction budget but is shortchanged when it comes to financing projects in Southern Nevada.

The state Transportation Department, which opposes the bill, released figures to show Clark County received 80 percent of $357 million for new projects and 80 percent of $160 million for other projects this fiscal year.

The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee to consider funding the expanded board.

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