[Mike from back east]

If building codes required sprinkler systems in all residential units and commercials buildings there'd be less need for fire stations and firemen, not to mention possible reductions in homeowners and property insurance.

[Cold Warrior]

"Nevada has no state income tax. The average effective property tax rate for the state is much lower than the national average." Link here.

It is about the same as California.

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by Dom Cobb

Well, considering we spend 44% of our budget on law enforcement. The highest percentage in the largest 50 cities in the country, I’m betting we could roll the sofa in the police station and find a few bucks. Cops are some of the most overpaid people and yet we don’t hold them accountable for spending, poor performance or their union protections with the same fervor we demonize teachers.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usa.../amp/112004904

For the record, I’m not in favor of the increase in the sales tax.

Given this is Sin City, you need a number of vice squad officers on the Strip every day, every night, to make sure no sin is committed.

Remember? It happened when I lived there. 2 Vice Squad officers mistook a nurse from Michigan for a Hooker at Cosmos one night, detained her for 2 hours, she made 3 trips to Las Vegas to gain justice, and she won a $80k settlement against Metro.

I don't miss the over-policing in Las Vegas one bit. In Tucson, I relax more when driving a car, knowing it would be unheard of to get a speeding ticket for going 5 miles over the speed limit.

Tucson has one of the lowest ratio's of police to citizens and I'm loving every minute of it.

When I lived there, they were forever bumping up the sales tax, fractionally, to hire more and more cops.

It's time to cut the police force in Las Vegas!

[timothyaw]

Originally Posted by movin1

My cost of living here is much less than Illinois and even Florida, two other States I lived in. Overpaid cops? You gotta be kidding me. Do you want to risk your life every day?

Fraction of a per cent sales tax increase and people are complaining. Given how the pandemic has screwed the pooch for our tourist based tax income for this city, how does anyone propose we move forward and pay the bills without charging the people who live here a bit more? I'd rather see an increase in sales tax than property tax or God forbid, income tax. What would all the wealthy people here do? Move to California? Ha ha ha....
FYI, sales tax in Chicago is 10.25%. I paid more in property tax there than I do for my mortgage here!

It's the sales tax CREEP that's the issue. If you continue to be blind to it, the sales tax rate and other taxes will be up there with IL and other high tax states. Don't turn a blind eye to this. It may be low NOW, but the Democratic controlled commission and Executive branch are constantly looking to add new or increase existing taxes.

There are some of us that moved here to enjoy the lower tax environment, even if that means less services because of it. If you want high taxes, there are plenty of states that have that.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by timothyaw

It's the sales tax CREEP that's the issue. If you continue to be blind to it, the sales tax rate and other taxes will be up there with IL and other high tax states. Don't turn a blind eye to this. It may be low NOW, but the Democratic controlled commission and Executive branch are constantly looking to add new or increase existing taxes.

There are some of us that moved here to enjoy the lower tax environment, even if that means less services because of it. If you want high taxes, there are plenty of states that have that.

Did you get a guarantee taxes would always be low when you moved in? Low taxes seemed a birthright when the state had a gaming monopoly and Las Vegas had under a million residents. Things change, taxes should change too or else you get no choice but to tax the few things you can. The state can try to continue to make tourists pay for it as much as possible, but its getting more and more unrealistic to expect non-residents to take on the burden of costs. Rental car and room taxes are truly insane now, adding a bit of cost to the local population has to happen eventually.

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by Dom Cobb

Well, considering we spend 44% of our budget on law enforcement. The highest percentage in the largest 50 cities in the country, I’m betting we could roll the sofa in the police station and find a few bucks. Cops are some of the most overpaid people and yet we don’t hold them accountable for spending, poor performance or their union protections with the same fervor we demonize teachers.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usa.../amp/112004904

For the record, I’m not in favor of the increase in the sales tax.

Cops are not overpaid, but firemen are...

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

Do you believe that tourists don't pay sales tax?

Oh no, we do!

-- Sales tax
-- resort fees
-- parking garage fees
-- a "holiday fee" I paid on a buffet lunch at the Aria in November 2019, two days after Thanksgiving
-- and now they've saddled the tourists with paying for that stadium

Trust me...we got the "message" loud and clear.

Anything to gouge the tourist class and not pay for your own stuff. Time to put your big boy/big girl pants on and pay for your own stuff!

[TxCaNv]

Originally Posted by timothyaw

It's the sales tax CREEP that's the issue. If you continue to be blind to it, the sales tax rate and other taxes will be up there with IL and other high tax states. Don't turn a blind eye to this. It may be low NOW, but the Democratic controlled commission and Executive branch are constantly looking to add new or increase existing taxes.

There are some of us that moved here to enjoy the lower tax environment, even if that means less services because of it. If you want high taxes, there are plenty of states that have that.

This! Sell it as a temporary tax "for the children" and then make it permanent.

Rinse.

Repeat.

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by TxCaNv

This! Sell it as a temporary tax "for the children" and then make it permanent.

Rinse.

Repeat.

Easy solution: Then...quit building and quit growing!

Quit throwing up apartment complexes on every unpaved inch of desert. Quit building tacky tract housing. The more you do, the more the population grows and the more services (fire, police, schools) will be needed.

Problem is, Nevada and especially Clark County, is a "growth for the sake of growth" place. Too many hands in the cookie jar there. You've got planning commissioners who are connected to developers, who are connected to real estate agents, who are connected to the chamber of commerce, who are connected to state legislators, who sit on all kinds of powerful boards like LVCVA, etc. Their livelihoods and investments depend on growth. Every 10-15 years, they lobby the federal government to release more land around the outlying areas of the valley to keep building.

It's all very orgiastic in nature, and very cyclical. When you move to Las Vegas, you sort of sign up for all this...even if you do so unwittingly. Same is true in Phoenix / Maricopa County.

[JonathanLB]

Originally Posted by apple92680

Time for the people of Las Vegas and Nevada to start paying for the own services, rather than sticking it to tourists? What a concept!

Forget that, no way! The tourists need to pay our taxes. That's why I moved here. We should find a way to bilk them even more than we already do, and reduce our taxes. Like sales tax only applies to non-NV residents, that would be fantastic.