AMARGOSA VALLEY -- Nye County commissioners scheduled a public hearing on an ordinance to increase the sales tax a half-percent for 9:30 a.m., Dec. 18, at the Bob Ruud Community Center in Pahrump.

The commission approval would be the final step in implementing the increase in the Nye County sales tax from 6.75 percent to 7.25 percent following approval by Nye County voters Nov. 7 and by the Nevada Legislature June 4, 2008.

"Considering the bulk of the population, 75 to 80 percent, is in the Pahrump Valley, I'd like to have the bill proposed at the December meeting in Pahrump," Nye County Commissioner Butch Borasky said.

The bill would allocate the money to hire additional firefighters and sheriff's deputies as well as construct and equip public safety facilities.

The funds would be spent on a pro rata basis based on the population in the communities of Pahrump, Amargosa Valley, Beatty, Tonopah, Round Mountain, Manhattan, Gabbs and any other town created after Oct. 1. Half the funds would go to services provided by the sheriff's department in those areas, half to the local fire departments.

The governing body of those towns would be required to approve the expenditure of any funds.

Commissioners were given a Sept. 19 letter of opposition from Round Mountain Gold Corp. General Manager Bill Goodhard. He said the mine paid $5.1 million in sales tax based on the 6.75 percent rate from July 2006 through June 2007. Goodhard said the half-percent increase would have cost Round Mountain Gold another $378,045.

Smoky Valley residents would contribute another $87,850 in sales taxes, based on county estimates the average resident spends $10,000 annually on purchases, Goodhard wrote.

"Smoky Valley's citizens and RMGC would contribute over $543,000 to the county for additional services and can expect only 3.8 percent of the total collected or approximately $87,000 of the anticipated $2.3 million," Goodhard wrote. "We will be paying 23.6 percent of the total additional tax revenues collected by the county and receiving 3.8 percent back to the community."

Goodhard asked for a method to cap the mine's increase in sales tax payments or a method for refunds, similar to methods used by the state and federal government.