Clark County has escaped budgetary cuts during the first six months of 2009 only because county commissioners extended the temporary one-half percent addition to the permanent one percent tax levy. According to Clark County Auditor George Sodders, revenue from the one percent permanent tax is down more than 5.5 percent compared to the same time last year.

“Sales tax collections from the permanent levy totaled just over $6.2 million for the first half of 2009 compared to over $6.6 million for the same period last year,” Sodders said.

“Additional revenue from the permissive one-half percent tax approved by commissioners has generated just over $3 million dollars through June of this year,” according to Sodders. “Without that added revenue, Clark County would have no choice but to make severe cuts in personnel and related services,” Sodders said.

“With unemployment above state and national levels and personal income below state and national levels, county government must come to grips with a shrinking local economy that cannot sustain the status quo of local government finances,” Sodders said.

“I am convinced that the county is at a crossroad where it must either ask citizens to approve a permanent increase in the local sales tax rate or begin trimming expenses before the current temporary tax rate increase expires,” Sodders concluded.

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