RENO, Nev. (AP) — Washoe County voters have agreed to raise the local sales tax a half a penny to raise $780 million for school improvements in the Reno-Sparks area over the next 10 years.
Backers of the bond measure approved Tuesday say it'll help alleviate classroom overcrowding and a $1.1 billion backlog in capital needs at schools in northern Nevada.
Washoe County voters had rejected every previous school bond proposal during the past 12 years.
But this time, the Coalition to Save Our Schools mounted a $1 million campaign in support of the tax, and a district judge rejected a late legal challenge aimed at keeping it off the ballot.
Washoe Question 1 permanently raises the local sales tax from 7.725 percent to 8.265 percent.
That's the highest rate in the state.
