County rethinks request for police funding study

Sales tax bill was OK’d during special session

Clark County commissioners are considering rescinding their request that state lawmakers order a study of the Metropolitan Police Department’s funding formula at the 2017 legislative session.

At their Tuesday meeting, commissioners will consider deleting a bill draft request they sent to the state’s Legislative Counsel Bureau in September to request the study.

Commissioners sought the study because they think Metro, which both the county and Las Vegas fund, does not assign enough officers to neighborhoods and high-profile areas of the county such as the Strip.

But during last month’s special session, Nevada lawmakers approved a bill authorizing the commission to raise local sales tax for funds to hire and equip more than 300 Metro officers, including 66 who should be stationed on the Strip.

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo has also committed another 68 officers to combat crime on the Strip.

“What once was a critical need, over the last few months, Metro has addressed the immediate need,” Commissioner Larry Brown said.

“That satisfied my concern that the Strip was getting short-changed,” said Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak, who suggested the study but now endorses rescinding the request.

At their Tuesday meeting, commissioners will hold a public hearing on raising the sales tax by one-tenth of a percentage point beginning April 1. A two-thirds vote of the commission is required for approval.

The sales tax increase would generate about $39 million, with $7.9 million going to the Las Vegas resort corridor for 66 new officers; $31.3 million would be budgeted countywide for 245 new officers.