TRPA looks to impose gas tax for environmental improvements

At a time when Northern Nevadans are paying near-record prices at the gas pump, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is asking local governments, including Carson City, to support a federal gas tax to pay for environmental improvements at the lake.

The lake agency will present the idea to Carson City supervisors Thursday and ask for support.

"The timing is unfortunate," said Pam Drum, spokeswoman for the agency. "We have been working on this proposal for several years now and gas prices have been up and down like a yo-yo during that time."

TRPA will ask the board to sign a resolution of support at a future meeting if they agree with the idea, asking Congress to take federal action and impose a 1-cent gas tax hike in Carson.

The idea for the tax is to raise revenue to help counties pay to maintain environmental improvement projects in the Lake Tahoe basin, like erosion control and storm water treatment projects, that the agency believes improves water clarity in the lake.

Also under consideration is another 1-cent-per-gallon tax to pay for transit.

The Tahoe agency's local government committee estimates the basin counties need $2 million per year in revenue to pay for operation and maintenance of environmental improvement projects. In 20 years, the agency projects the region will need $7 million per year.

Imposing a gas tax was the best alternative to fund the program, the agency said in a memo to Carson supervisors.

The agency is asking all counties with land in the Lake Tahoe basin to support the tax, including Douglas, Washoe, El Dorado, Placer and Carson City. However, while other counties have completed environmental improvement projects during the past 20 years that they need to maintain, Carson City has none.

"It is true that Carson City doesn't have any of its own (environmental improvement) projects in the Tahoe Basin to maintain," Drum said. "The feeling was that perhaps Carson City residents feel strongly enough about the importance of preserving the lake that they would be willing to contribute."

Drum said the Tahoe planning agency and local government representatives have held public meetings about the idea and have met with several public-interest groups, like chambers of commerce, Realtor groups and the League to Save Lake Tahoe.

The Carson Area Chamber of Commerce has not been contacted by the TRPA or local governments about the proposed tax, said Chief Executive Officer Larry Osborne. Chamber officers have heard through their Washington D.C. contacts that it will be next to impossible at this time to pass the tax in Congress, he said.

"No one has approached the Carson Chamber to support it and we would not be inclined to support it at this time," Osborne said. "It's going to be a tough sell to voters.

"Right now the timing is terrible, of course, when people are paying $2 or more for gas," he said.

Gasoline prices in Nevada soared 17 percent in the past month, boosting the statewide average to $1.97 a gallon and making the state the third highest in the nation for gas costs, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Automobile Association of America.

Carson City reported an average of $1.99 a gallon, up 32 cents in the past month.

Carson Mayor Ray Masayko said he sees Thursday's discussion with TRPA as a chance to publicly discuss the idea and allow supervisors to comment and ask questions.

"We'll certainly listen to what their strategies are," Masayko said. "This is the right setting for that kind of debate."

Supervisor Shelly Aldean, who was recently named to sit on the TRPA Governing Board, said the board may be asked for their support at the meeting but there are still many questions unanswered about the details of the tax.

"Obviously, it's an important resource from a tourism standpoint and an ecological standpoint," Aldean said. The question is whether Carson City wants to participate, she said.

IF YOU GO

What: Carson City Board of Supervisors

When: 8:30 a.m. Thursday

Where: Sierra Room, Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.