Tax Fairness Reform Initiative

TAX FAIRNESS REFORM INITIATIVE (Proposed Language and Form) "The commercial gaming tax shall be changed from a maximum of 6.75% on gross revenue to not less than the average gaming tax required in the other states where commercial gaming exists. Only casinos that do business outside Nevada will be required to pay the new tax rate. All Indian Casinos in the United States shall not be factored into this formula. Each year when the fiscal year begins, the Treasurer of Nevada shall determine what the maximum average gaming tax is in the other gaming states, and shall set aside the additional revenue generated by this amendment in a separate trust fund for the following: The obligation of paying real property taxes on residential homes is eliminated for homeowners who are living in homes that are their primary residence. The Treasurer of Nevada shall use the additional gaming taxes collected to reimburse each county for the revenue lost by the elimination of property taxes on owner occupied primary residential homes. All obligations on existing bonds on primary residential homes shall not be affected by this amendment. After the counties have been reimbursed for the property tax revenue on primary homes, any additional revenue collected shall be distributed as follows: The Treasurer of Nevada shall earmark and solely use the additional gaming taxes collected to be distributed as follows: Fifty percent of these funds shall be allocated to the various counties for road construction, highway improvements, infrastructure repair and other transportation improvements. The amount to be distributed to each county shall be in proportion to the number of vehicles registered with the state within that county. Fifteen percent shall be to increase the salaries of school teachers and on site personnel as set forth on the teacher's pay scale, working at a public school site, but no portion of such funds shall be allocated to administrative personnel, those working in administrative offices, nor any costs associated with the administrative office. The State Treasurer shall make a direct payment to each person receiving the salary increase at the end of the fiscal year and pro-rate the disbursements Five percent shall be to fund the millennium scholarship program at both campuses of the University of Nevada in Reno and in Las Vegas. Five percent shall be for the Supreme Court Administrative Office to fund the salaries, staffs, and office expenses of elected District Court Judges and elected Supreme Court Justices to relieve the counties from paying for and providing the staff and office expenses of the courts in Nevada. This will ensure that the court system remains independent of the legislative branch, and will ensure that the court system remains independent of the respective county commissions. Ten percent shall be to fund the future water needs of the state, by providing for the construction of aqueducts from sources outside of Nevada, or for the other costs associated with transporting, desalinating or purifying water, but, it shall be unlawful for any state or local entity to transfer water or water rights in Nevada from one Nevada county to another without being approved in a state-wide general election Ten percent for the future energy needs of the state to purchase and maintain solar and wind generators for electricity for citizen consumption and electricity for desalination plants.