Funding plan for Washoe schools fails

RENO -- A bill to help fund school construction and maintenance in Washoe County has died in the Nevada Senate.

The measure would have allowed the school district to place a measure on next year's general election ballot asking voters to approve increases in sales and real estate transfer taxes, as well as an impact fee on new home sales.

The bill was killed Tuesday on a 13-8 vote.

Washoe County is the only county in Nevada that does not get school funding from real estate transfer taxes.

District officials had asked the Legislature for that authorization, but the proposal was amended to include also a quarter-cent increase in sales tax and a $1,600 impact fee on new home sales.

Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks, was the only one of four Washoe County senators to vote against the measure.

"The reason I voted against it was because the school district did not articulate their case," said Washington, chairman of the Senate Human Resources and Education Committee.

Backers of the effort said they hoped it somehow could be revived in the Assembly.