Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018 | 2 a.m.
View more of the Sun's opinion section
View more of the Sun's opinion section
After joining my neighbors at the Las Vegas City Council special meeting Feb. 12, it became clear to me that the annexation move is purely about money. The council chooses not to attempt to raise city tax rates, so it has taken the easier route by simply trying to add 1,550 properties to the city tax rolls.
Property owners within so-called land islands pay the taxes they are supposed to pay. If the council believes it is due more money for unpaid services, then its issue is with whomever created these land islands. The property owners did not set the rules, create the land islands or create the taxation policies.
Annexation for the increased city revenue is not the way to fix a spending problem anymore than giving a heroin addict another fix is the way to get them off the junk. Discipline, honesty, planning and knowing the difference between “want” and “need” is the cure for a spending problem. Shame on the council for pitting neighborhood against neighborhood. Turning parts of a community against itself is underhanded and uncalled for.
