Diesel tax workshop set for Wednesday in Pahrump

Some of the most common complaints among those in Nye County center on the condition of the county’s roadways, with both residents and visitors lamenting the abundance of potholes, cracks and crumbling edges but maintaining the thousands of miles of roads in the third largest county in the United States is no easy task and it comes with great cost.

Every year it seems that construction materials continue to rise in price as well and it can cost the county upward of a million dollars per mile to undertake rebuilding projects, leaving the county in a bit of a catch-22 situation. How can the county answer the people’s call for better road conditions without adequate funding?

The answer may lie in a new tax, with Nye County officials broaching the idea of establishing a local diesel tax to help address its constant road maintenance and repair needs. Before any formal action is taken in this direction, however, officials want to know what the public thinks and that is why they are inviting members of the community to head out to an upcoming workshop regarding this very topic.

“Nye County Public Works is hosting a public workshop to ask for public input regarding a possible diesel tax in Nye County,” a news release announced. It goes on to explain that currently, Nye County does not impose a diesel tax to help fund its road projects and this fact may have many scratching their heads in confusion and remarking that they do pay a diesel tax at the pumps located throughout Nye County.

While this may be true, all of the diesel tax dollars paid locally bypass Nye County entirely and instead end up in the coffers of the state of Nevada and the United States government. As such, Nye County officials are now looking into creating a local diesel tax that would help generate funds that could then be put to use in improving the county’s roads.

“We want to discuss some options for better funding our local road maintenance programs in Nye County. We are excited to have this discussion and encourage the public to come by to watch our presentation and ask questions,” the release stated. “Snack and beverages will be available.”

The Nye County Diesel Tax Workshop is set for Wednesday, July 14 at the Bob Ruud Community Center, 150 N. Highway 160 in Pahrump. The event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. that evening.

Other workshops on this topic are also in discussion for other communities throughout Nye County. Details on those workshops will be published once they are released.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com