Nye County commissioners may have some leeway on how to apportion the half-cent sales tax, should they choose to adopt it, County Manager Ron Williams said Tuesday.

The Pahrump town board passed a resolution requesting county commissioners consider passage of the sales tax, half the funding would go to hiring additional deputies for the Nye County Sheriff's Department, half to additional personnel for county fire departments. The item was tabled when County Commissioner Butch Borasky noted key officials, like Sheriff Tony DeMeo, Pahrump Fire Chief Scott Lewis and Brent Jones, director of emergency services, were absent.

"It will take a couple of meetings to get the thing adopted and through the process. It's also going to take some deliberation on what route you want to go because the legislature left that pretty wide open if it's (apportioned) by population or by area of collection," Williams said.

Nye County commissioners last July voted 3-2 to put the half-cent sales tax question on the Nov. 7 ballot, it passed by only 18 votes. It then went on to the Nevada Legislature, where it died in the Senate but was resurrected as an amendment to Assembly Bill 461 which passed in the final days of the session.

Nye County Commissioner Roberta "Midge" Carver, who was one of the two votes against putting the sales tax question on the ballot, asked if the county had the leeway to not use the whole half-cent increase.

Commissioner Joni Eastley, another opponent of the ballot question, said there was also a question about whether a supermajority vote of the county commission is required to enact the increase.

Given the split feelings about the sales tax increase, Carver predicted, "There's going to be a whole lot of deliberation and consideration, maybe yelling and screaming. This is obviously not going to be a one day consideration."

Williams suggested commissioners submit a list of concerns and possible options to county staff, and he would then compile a report.

"We acknowledge the resolution of the Pahrump town board and staff will move forward on drafting an ordinance," Eastley said.

Estimates last year projected the half-cent sales tax increase -- from 6.75 percent to 7.25 percent -- would generate $2.4 million annually. Pahrump would generate about $1.9 million of that based on its population.

Round Mountain Gold Company representatives opposed the half-cent sales tax increase. Government affairs representative Lorinda Wichman said the mine would pay an additional $200,000 per year in sales tax, while the Round Mountain area would only receive $19,000 in additional funding.