Senate of the Associated
Students of the University of
Nevada
84th Session, 2016-2017
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF WASHOE COUNTY QUESTION ONE
Resolution Number: 48
Authored By: 2016-2017 Student Government Assembly
Sponsored By: 2016-2017 Student Government Assembly
Whereas, the Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno have a vested interest in
the safety and quality of education for all students in Washoe County;
Whereas, one in five Washoe County Schools are currently operating significantly over capacity;
Whereas, Washoe County schools currently use over two hundred and thirty portable classrooms
to accommodate for the severe overcrowding;
Whereas, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees passed a measure that would
require double-sessions for schools that are functioning twenty percent over capacity;
Whereas, double-sessions would require two student populations to function daily on the same
campus; forcing some students to be at bus stops as early as 4:30 a.m. and others to arrive home as
late as 7:00 p.m.;
Whereas, the failure of Washoe County Question One would result in eight Washoe County
Schools to go into double-sessions with more to follow;
Whereas, fifteen elementary schools, five middle schools, and five high schools in the Washoe
County School District have unfulfilled asbestos abatement requests due to lack of capital funding;
Whereas, twenty elementary schools and four middle schools lack modernized fire safety
infrastructure;
Whereas, one-third of Washoe County Schools have not been renovated in more than a
generation, needing basic repairs to fix leaking roofs and failing ventilation;
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Whereas, requests to fix many safety concerns remain unfulfilled due to lack of capital funding;
Whereas, the Public Schools Overcrowding and Repair Needs Committee was created pursuant
to Senate Bill No. 411 of the 2015 Legislative Session to prepare and submit recommendations to the
Washoe County Board of County Commissioners for the imposition of one or more taxes in the
County to provide funding for capital projects for the school district;
Whereas, the Public Schools Overcrowding and Repair Needs Committee on March 4, 2016
requested that the Board of County Commissioners adopt an ordinance imposing the tax if a
majority of voters of the County vote “yes” on the following question: “Shall the Board of County
Commissioners of Washoe County be authorized to impose a sales and use tax of 0.54% in the
County to fund only capital projects of Washoe County School District for the acquisition,
constructions, repair, and renovation of school facilities?”;
Whereas, a sales tax provides a shared responsibility between tourists, residents, and
businesses in Washoe County;
Whereas, consumable necessities like food and medicine are exempt from the tax;
Whereas, the funds from the tax will be only used for the purposes set forth in NRS 387.328 and
NRS 387.335(1), which require that capital project funds be used for the acquisition, construction,
repair, and renovation of District facilities or debt service for capital projects;
Whereas, the funds from the tax will only be used for capital as opposed to operational needs of
the Washoe County Schools, meaning that the money acquired from the tax will only be allocated
towards improving infrastructure on current schools and building new schools;
Whereas, a volunteer Community Oversight Committee will ensure that the money acquired
from the tax is spent properly and transparently;
Whereas, Carson City, Clark County, and the fourteen rural Nevada counties use additional tax
revenues to fund the capital needs of schools;
Whereas, the Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno have a vested interest in
the building new schools in Washoe County, as well as improving the infrastructure of current
schools;
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Be it resolved that, The Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno support Washoe
County Question One.
Be it further resolved that, a copy of this resolution be sent to University President Marc
Johnson, and ASUN Director of Legislative Affairs Michael Ausbun.
Adopted in Senate on June 22nd, 2016
Attest:
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Andrea Godoy, Secretary of the Senate
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Noah Teixeira, Speaker of the Senate