Jones unveils proposal for 'smart' urban growth

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jan Laverty Jones unveiled an urban growth proposal Thursday that would give as much as a 75 percent property tax break for 10 years to businesses that opt to build in designated areas.

The plan calls for cities and counties to designate "smart growth areas" where they want businesses to build.

Jones' plan is designed to promote businesses to build within the existing developed areas of a city, where streets, sewers, water lines and other infrastructure already exist. Only small and medium-size businesses that create jobs would be eligible for the tax credit.

"As Nevada continues to break records for growth, I want to make sure that growth does not break Nevada," Jones said. "We need to protect our quality of life through a smart growth plan that considers our natural resources, land use and economic needs in the future."

Jones said the main reason for offering the tax credit is to encourage business to build in areas that have been skipped over as the city has grown.

"When you think about it, it makes sense. Because streets and other infrastructure already exist in those areas and they do not have to be created for that business."

But her Republican opponent, Kenny Guinn, said he sees real problems with this plan.

He said it is unfair to existing businesses to offer tax breaks to potential competitors that would be moving into their neighborhood.

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