Titus pushes amendment to lower residential property taxes for owners

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, proposed Monday a constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to set a lower property tax rate for owner-occupied, single-family homes.

SJR7 was referred to the Senate Taxation Committee for study.

The proposed amendment gives the Legislature the power to provide an abatement of the tax on an owner-occupied, single-family home or an exemption on part of the assessed value of such a home.

Existing constitutional language requires that property taxes have "a uniform and equal rate of assessment and taxation." That means lawmakers can't give homeowners a break without doing the same for businesses and major land owners.

The proposal doesn't distinguish between low- and middle-income homeowners and the rich.

Titus has said in several hearings that businesses already have an avenue to get tax relief because they can appeal to lower their assessed valuation based on their bottom line in a weak business year.

To become part of Nevada's Constitution, the resolution would have to get through the Legislature and then be approved by a vote of the people in two successive general elections.

n Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.