Poll shows lagging support for tax hike

The new poll shows 39 percent of 447 Clark County voters support the quarter-cent sales tax hike while 44 percent oppose it, with 17 percent undecided. The poll was taken for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KTNV-TV Channel 13.

"The proponents would have to spend one heck of a lot of money for this to pass," said Del Ali, senior vice president of Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Inc., which conducted the poll. "It's probably not feasible."

A similar poll in late August found 41 percent in favor of the tax hike and 49 percent opposed.

Ali said most proposals that are opposed by more than half the voters a month before the election end up failing nine out of 10 times.

A well-financed, well-organized show of support could save the tax proposal, Ali said.

The group Nevadans for Solutions plans to spend more than $300,000 on television, radio and print advertising in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 3 election.

"I'm not sure this (poll) is a foreshadowing of what's to come," said Kara Kelley, senior vice president of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. "We have found consistently that when people are educated about the (tax hike), they favor it."

Revenue from the quarter-cent sales tax hike would be used to pay for $3.1 billion in improvements to the Las Vegas Valley's water delivery system.

Southern Nevada has spent or has committed to spend more than $700 million on the project.

Supporters of the tax argue that without the increase, water and sewer rates and connection charges for new homes will increase dramatically.

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