When it comes to government taxes and fees, the law of gravity doesn't apply -- what goes up doesn't always come down, even for "temporary" fees.

The increase in the parcel fee from $18 to $30 to fund landfill costs was set to expire June 30. It has now been extended five more years to the year 2012.

The $12 surcharge brought $3.13 million into Nye County over the past five years, said Public Works Director Samson Yao in a recent report. The funds are to be used toward closure of the landfill on East Mesquite Avenue and construction of a new landfill north of the Last Chance Range.

The new facility will have to be lined, something the county wasn't required to do at the existing landfill, Yao wrote.

The county previously estimated $800,000 would be needed to close the existing landfill, $1.35 million for the post-closure stewardship of the property and $1.65 million annually for construction costs at the new landfill. The existing landfill is expected to be closed in three years, Yao reported, though Matt Shea, an employee with Pahrump Valley Disposal, said that life could be extended through policies like recycling and compacting waste.

In addition, Yao said the $18 parcel fee is about at the break-even point of paying for operation of the landfills. He said with that tight budget there's no ability to establish a reserve to expand waste services to outlying rural communities.

Yao noted other landfill rates -- the $6.50 per cubic yard charge for disposing of construction debris and medical waste and the $2 charged for car tires -- has remained unchanged since 1994.

The county could expect to collect $3.25 million by extending the present parcel fee for another five years, Yao estimated.

Yao wasn't present for the discussion county commissioners conducted.