ANGORA FIRE UPDATE
Fire officials announced the wildfire that destroyed at least 254 homes south of Lake Tahoe is 100 percent contained as of Monday, July 2. Hundreds of firefighters started heading home, with no more than 200 expected to remain by Monday night out of the 2,000 serving during the fires peak.
A U.S. Forest Service investigation identified the cause of the destructive blaze as an illegal campfire built in a campfire-restricted area, authorities said. Officials said there was no evidence it was deliberately set to spark the devastating wildfire that has displaced about 3,500 people.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT TAX BREAK REDUCTION BECOMES LAW
On Friday, June 15 without the signature of Governor Jim Gibbons, the bill (AB621) reducing and revising tax breaks for energy-efficient building construction became law. The legislation reduces the state's financial liability on tax abatements that were put in place during the 2005 legislative session for businesses constructing energy-efficient buildings.
A bill automatically becomes a law if the governor takes no action within 10 days of adjournment of the Nevada legislative session, The bill passed with a vote of 39-0 in the Assembly on May 26 and a 20-1 vote in the State Senate on June 1.
The law also reduces property tax deductions for buildings that qualify under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards approved by the Legislature in 2005.
HELLER INCREASES PILT FUNDING
Tuesday, Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) joined his western colleagues in a successful effort to increase the Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding by $20 million in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
Nearly 85% of Nevada is owned by the federal government; because of this, Nevada counties cannot asses or collect property taxes on federally controlled lands. Consequently, public lands counties struggle to pay for essential services such as law enforcement, health care, education, and infrastructure. The PILT program compensates counties for a portion of the lost revenues because of the high federal land ownership. The Bush Administration’s FY08 budget requested only $198 million for this program, which is more than $152 million less than the authorized level.
GOVERNORS ARE GRANTED ABILITY TO HONOR FALLEN SOLDIERS
Sunday, June 29, President Bush signed into law the Army Specialist Joseph P. Kicks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007. The bill gives state governors the power to issue proclamations ordering the National Flag to be flown at half-staff following the death of those serving on active duty in the United States armed forces.
