Sandoval signs bill to extend $620 million in taxes

Gov. Brian Sandoval on Friday signed a bill extending by two years about $620 million in taxes that had been set to expire July 1.

Assembly Bill 561 delays the expiration, or sunset, dates on portions of sales, payroll and car registration taxes.

Sandoval had promised to oppose extending the date but switched positions in the wake of a May 26 decision by the state Supreme Court that, by Sandoval's estimate, blew about a $650 million hole in his proposed state budget.

The decision said the state couldn't take about $62 million from the Clark County Clean Water Coalition to pay for statewide services.

But Sandoval, an attorney and former federal judge, said the decision could be read broadly to cover other money grabs that were in his original budget proposal.

After the decision he backtracked on the decision to let the "sunset" taxes expire and got enough Republicans to join Democrats to form the two-thirds bloc needed to retain the tax increases.

Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861.