Sales tax hike to be discussed
Commissioners showed support to Legislature with December resolution
By early August, Clark County residents will know whether their sales tax rate is going up from the More Cops initiative.
If county commissioners approve the measure, the sales tax rate will increase from 8.1 percent to 8.25 percent, with the extra revenue going to help county police agencies — primarily the Metropolitan Police Department — with staffing costs for officers.
Commissioners will have an initial discussion about the matter at their July 2 meeting. The final vote is Aug. 6.
“We need that five-vote major- ity, and that’s what we’ll be looking for,” Sheriff Doug Gillespie said Monday after the department’s Fiscal Affairs Committee meeting.
Gillespie has said the increase would keep about 300 police officers on the job, along with filling a $30 million budget gap. He said the department would not be able to hire more than 100 additional police officers under the proposed sales tax increase. The money can cover salaries, benefits and equipment for officers.
“There will be people for it, and there will be people against it,”
attendees were still able to enter the festival.
Las Vegas police officer Pete Friday said attendees caught with small amounts of drugs were allowed to enter after their drugs were confiscated. Anyone caught with a large quantity with the intent to distribute was arrested.
But most attendees said the strategy was futile.
“Even if it really was no questions asked, I wouldn’t leave drugs there. The cops would get it,” said John-John Virela, 21.
Friday said the contents of the amnesty boxes were impounded and then destroyed by police.
By the end of the festival, it appeared most amnesty boxes were filled with empty bottles, gum packets and trash.
Event coordinators, through the EDC website, encouraged festival attendees to “stay healthy and stay hydrated” and provided free water at filling stations. Via Twitter, the coordinators reminded attendees not to walk on Las Vegas Boulevard before or after the festival, for safety reasons.
More than 600 medical calls were made, and nine people were taken to a hospital. The infirmary unit at the festival was was a “no questions asked” zone.
“They should have said that before because I’m sure people would have gone in before they got sicker,” said Brandon DeFort, 21. “There are cops that stand in front of the infirmary, and a lot of people are ‘rolling’ and don’t feel comfortable walking in.”
The last night at EDC had crowds singing and dancing at eight stages to more than 75 DJs, more weddings — real and fake — and a final fireworks spectacular.