Tax extension to fund Las Vegas police jobs heads to governor’s desk

A property tax that funds hundreds of Metropolitan Police Department positions may be extended another 30 years after a key vote in the Nevada Legislature.

Senate Bill 451 would renew the 0.2 percent county property tax levy set to expire in 2027 that funds about 825 Metro officers.

The bill required a two-thirds vote of each house in the Legislature because it would extend a tax that was first approved by voters in 1996. It passed the Nevada Assembly 41-1 on Friday. It passed 17-4 in the Senate in April.

Assembly member Jill Dickman, R-Sparks, said she voted against the measure because she believed voters should get a say in the tax extension and that Clark County could consider allocating other funds that are currently budgeted for “wants rather than needs.”

“This tax was implemented by a vote of the people and it should be extended by a vote of the people,” she said before the floor vote.

But other lawmakers saw the extension as a necessity. Without it, the agency would have to budget for $158 million less annually. Additionally, the state’s property tax structure would make it so that the property owner would still pay the same rate, but the funds would be directed to Clark County instead of Metro. That is because of the 3 percent cap to annual tax bill growth. Taxes would likely be recaptured from the abated amount if the Metro officer tax ended.

The Metro property tax accounts for about $310 on a $3,100 tax bill on a house assessed at $500,000, Senate staff previously said.

“It represents a clear and necessary investment in public safety and the well-being our communities,” Assembly member Elaine Marzola, D-Henderson, said before the vote. “By passing this measure, we ensure that our neighborhoods and families remain safe and well-protected – not just today, but for future generations to come.”

The bill now heads to the governor’s office. A spokesperson for Gov. Joe Lombardo declined to comment. Lombardo, a Republican, previously served as Clark County sheriff until 2023 before taking office.

The Legislature adjourns on June 2.

Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.