Indexing of gas tax for Carson City advocated

A Washoe County official urged the Carson Area Metropolitan Organization (CAMPO) Wednesday to embrace indexing of the gasoline tax.

Lee Gibson of the Washoe County Regional Transportation Commission said Washoe County realized $49.5 million in Fiscal Year 2013-14 because the Reno-dominated county used indexing and has for years, which means gasoline taxes are higher and combat inflation erosion of roadwork-related purchasing power.

“I encourage you to embrace indexing,” said Gibson, who appeared at the CAMPO session and was introduced by Carson City Transportation Manager Patrick Pittenger. The CAMPO unit has transportation representatives from city government and both Douglas and Lyon counties. All three of those jurisdictions can have a vote of the people on indexing thanks to action by the Nevada Legislature.

Gibson explained the indexing in Washoe County is based on and goes up from a base rate of about 10.5 cents per gallon, a base that’s higher than the nine cents a gallon in other areas, and also goes atop federal and state gas tax levels. Both Washoe and Clark counties use indexing. One result is gasoline costs more, but another is the increased revenue for road-related projects.

The CAMPO members on another matter were told a public meeting on future transportation plans to 2040 is set from 4-6 p.m. next Tuesday in the Carson City Community Center’s Bonanza Room to seek public input. There also is a survey available on that 2040 regional transportation plan at www.carsonareampo.com if people would rather provide input in that manner.

Also meeting after the CAMPO session was the city’s Regional Transportation Commission (RTC). which was made up of the city members from the CAMPO unit.

The RTC approved of a pact with the Nevada Department of Transportation for a Carson City Traffic Controller project that would bring in 66 new control devices and accepted work on a half dozen blocks project of Little Lane as completed, releasing final payment of about $11,560 to A&K Earth Movers, Inc.

Commission members were told the latter was the first city government street improvement project since Roop Street, which staff said was completed in 2011.