Proposal to support tax to hire 15 more officers in Henderson, 133 in Las Vegas
HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Chamber of Commerce Issues Committee and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors announced support for the More Cops Tax initiative in an Aug. 25 letter to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Sheriff Joe Lombardo.
The proposal would add .05 percent increase on the sales tax effective Jan. 1. The Henderson Chamber of Commerce believes this initiative would raise approximately $14 million in annual revenue for the LVMPD, allowing it to hire 133 additional officers. Henderson Police Chief Patrick Moers and Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen also support the initiative, as it would allow the Henderson Police Department to hire an additional 15 officers, according to the letter.
The tax would raise a total of $19 million for Clark County police departments.
Currently, the LVMPD and the Henderson Police Department are below the national average of 2.18 authorized police officers per 1,000 resident population. The proposal would raise the officer-to-resident ratio to an improved 1.83 per 1,000.
“We believe this 1-percent increase in police officers in our neighborhoods may reduce violent crime in our community by 3 to 4 percent, which will have a positive impact on our local economy,” the chamber states in the letter, signed by Stan Olsen, Henderson Chamber of Commerce executive committee issues chair, and Scott Muelrath, president and CEO of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce. “It’s crucial that the Clark County Commission approve the More Cops Tax initiative in order to provide the necessary protection for our businesses and citizens.”
The Clark County Commission voted on a similar initiative in 2013 and 2014, but it failed to pass over disagreements in the size of the increase as well as whether there should be an increase at all. The new proposed increase is less than the one authorized by the Legislature in 2013.
The Henderson Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit, professional organization committed to promoting and supporting member businesses.
For more information regarding the support of the initiative, call the Henderson Chamber of Commerce at 702-565-8951 or visit hendersonchamber.com.