Washoe school tax measure dies without a vote

RENO — A proposal to raise money for Washoe County school repairs has gone down in defeat without a vote after a majority of county commissioners said they couldn’t support it.

After months of hearings and debate, AB46 passed by the 2013 Legislature died Tuesday night at the Washoe County Commission.

The bill sought to increase sales and property taxes in Washoe County to raise $20 million a year for needed repairs at aging schools. It authorized the county commission to approve the one-time tax increases, an authority typically reserved for state lawmakers.

But legislators could not muster the two-thirds majority needed to pass taxes and override a governor veto.

Some commissioners said the proposal should go to a public vote and resented the Legislature punting the tax-raising task to them.