Vote on new sales tax delayed by lawmakers

      CARSON CITY -- Chairman David Goldwater postponed a vote Monday on a bill to levy a sales tax increase in Clark County after two Assembly Infrastructure Committee members said they favor a statewide tax proposal.
      Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, also said he wants to schedule a hearing in Las Vegas before his committee votes on Assembly Bill 291.
      The proposal would give the Southern Nevada Water Authority a quarter-cent sales tax to pay for part of $1.7 billion in water and $1.2 billion in sewer system improvements.
      "I have the votes," Goldwater said after the meeting.
      He wants to amend the bill to allow the Clark County Commission to impose the sales tax, rather than having the Legislature impose it directly.
      The Infrastructure Committee has held six meetings on the sales tax request.
      Despite Goldwater's confidence, one legislator left the meeting speculating he might not have the votes to pass the bill.
      A poll earlier this month found that most committee members favor putting the issue before voters.
      Assemblymen Roy Neighbors, D-Tonopah, and Doug Bache, D-Las Vegas, said they favor amending the bill to allow counties across the state to impose the tax for needed infrastructure improvements.
      "I don't think any county is going to get a free ride but other counties have needs," Goldwater said.
      Neighbors favors stipulating that the tax increase in any county needs public backing.