NRS354.723. Severe financial emergency: Procedure for disincorporation or dissolution of local government in certain circumstances.

      1.  If the Executive Director determines that a severe financial emergency which exists in a local government under management by the Department is unlikely to cease to exist within 3 years, the Executive Director shall determine:

      (a) The amount any tax or mandatory assessment levied by the local government must be raised to ensure a balanced budget for the local government; and

      (b) The manner in which the services provided by the local government must be limited to ensure a balanced budget for the local government,

Ê and submit his or her findings to the Committee.

      2.  The Committee shall review the findings submitted by the Executive Director pursuant to subsection 1. If the Committee determines that the severe financial emergency which exists in the local government is unlikely to cease to exist within 3 years and that the findings made by the Executive Director are appropriate, the Committee shall submit its recommendation to the Nevada Tax Commission. If the Committee determines that the financial emergency is likely to cease to exist within 3 years, that decision is not subject to review by the Nevada Tax Commission.

      3.  The Nevada Tax Commission shall schedule a public hearing within 30 days after the Committee submits its recommendation. The Nevada Tax Commission shall provide public notice of the hearing at least 10 days before the date on which the hearing will be held. The Executive Director shall provide copies of all documents relevant to the recommendation of the Committee to the governing body of the local government in severe financial emergency.

      4.  If, after the public hearing, the Nevada Tax Commission determines that the recommendation of the Committee is appropriate, a question must be submitted to the electors of the local government at the next primary or general municipal election or primary or general state election, as applicable, asking whether the local government should be disincorporated or dissolved. If the electors of the local government do not approve the disincorporation or dissolution of the local government:

      (a) The maximum ad valorem tax levied within the local government, if any, must be raised to $5 on each $100 of assessed valuation;

      (b) Any other taxes or mandatory assessments levied in the local government, notwithstanding any limitation on those taxes or assessments provided by statute, must be raised in an amount the Nevada Tax Commission determines is necessary to ensure a balanced budget for the local government; and

      (c) The services provided by the local government must be limited in a manner the Nevada Tax Commission determines is necessary to ensure a balanced budget for the local government.

      5.  If the electors of the local government approve the disincorporation or dissolution of a local government that is:

      (a) Created by another local government, it must be disincorporated or dissolved:

             (1) Pursuant to the applicable provisions of law; or

             (2) If there are no specific provisions of law providing for the disincorporation or dissolution of the local government, by the entity that created the local government. If, at the time of the disincorporation or dissolution of the local government pursuant to this paragraph, there are any outstanding loans or bonded indebtedness of the local government, including, without limitation, loans made to the local government by the county in which the local government is located, the taxes for the payment of the bonds or other indebtedness must continue to be levied and collected in the same manner as if the local government had not been disincorporated or dissolved until all outstanding indebtedness is repaid, but for all other purposes the local government shall be deemed disincorporated or dissolved at the time that the entity which created the local government disincorporates or dissolves the local government. Any other liabilities and any remaining assets shall revert to the entity that created the local government which is being disincorporated or dissolved.

      (b) Created by a special or local act of the Legislature, it may only be disincorporated or dissolved by the Legislature. The Executive Director shall submit notification of the vote approving the disincorporation or dissolution of the local government to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the Legislature. At the first opportunity, the Legislature shall consider the question of whether the special or local act will be repealed.

      (c) Created in any other manner, it must be disincorporated or dissolved:

             (1) Pursuant to the applicable provisions of law; or

             (2) If there are no specific provisions of law providing for the disincorporation or dissolution of the local government, by the governing body of that local government. If, at the time of the disincorporation or dissolution of the local government pursuant to this paragraph, there are any outstanding loans or bonded indebtedness of the local government, including, without limitation, loans made to the local government by the county or counties in which the local government is located, the taxes for the payment of the bonds or other indebtedness must continue to be levied and collected in the same manner as if the local government had not been disincorporated or dissolved until all outstanding indebtedness is repaid, but for all other purposes the local government shall be deemed disincorporated or dissolved at the time that the governing body of the local government disincorporates or dissolves the local government. Except as otherwise provided in this subparagraph, any other liabilities and any remaining assets of the local government shall revert to the board of county commissioners of the county in which the local government is located. If the local government is located in more than one county, the governing body of the local government shall apportion the remaining liabilities and assets among the boards of county commissioners of the counties in which the local government is located.

      6.  Within 10 days after the Nevada Tax Commission makes a determination pursuant to subsection 4, the Executive Director shall notify:

      (a) The city clerk, if the local government is a city; or

      (b) The county clerk in all other cases,

Ê and provide the clerk with the amount any tax or mandatory assessment levied by the local government must be raised and a description of the manner in which the services provided by the local government must be limited to ensure a balanced budget for the local government.

      7.  After the Executive Director notifies the city clerk or the county clerk, as applicable, pursuant to subsection 6, the clerk shall cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation that is printed in the local government a notice of the election once in each calendar week for 2 successive calendar weeks by two weekly insertions a week apart, the first publication to be not more than 30 days nor less than 22 days next preceding the date of the election. If no newspaper is printed in the local government, publication of the notice of election must be made in a newspaper printed in this State and having a general circulation in the local government.

      8.  The notice required pursuant to subsection 7 must contain the following information:

      (a) That the Nevada Tax Commission has determined that the severe financial emergency which exists in the local government is unlikely to cease to exist within 3 years;

      (b) That the question of whether the local government should be disincorporated or dissolved will be submitted to the electors of the local government at the next primary or general municipal election or the next primary or general state election, as applicable; and

      (c) That if the electors do not approve the disincorporation or dissolution:

             (1) The maximum ad valorem tax levied within the local government, if any, will be raised to $5 on each $100 of assessed valuation;

             (2) Any taxes or mandatory assessment levied in the local government will be raised to ensure a balanced budget for the local government and the amount by which those taxes or mandatory assessments will be raised; and

             (3) The services the local government provides will be limited to ensure a balanced budget for the local government and the manner in which those services will be limited.

      9.  If any provisions providing generally for the disincorporation or dissolution of the local government require that the question of disincorporating or dissolving be published or submitted to a vote of the electors of the local government, the publication required by subsection 3 and the election required by subsection 4 satisfy those requirements. If:

      (a) There is any other conflict between the provisions of this section and any provisions providing generally for the disincorporation or dissolution of a local government; or

      (b) The provisions providing generally for the disincorporation or dissolution of a local government provide additional rights to protest the disincorporation or dissolution of a local government not provided by this section,

Ê the provisions of this section control a disincorporation or dissolution pursuant to this section and any person wishing to protest such a disincorporation or dissolution must proceed in accordance with the provisions of this section.

      10.  As used in this section, “local government” does not include a county, a school district or any agency or department of a county or city which prepares a budget separate from that of the parent political subdivision.

      (Added to NRS by 1999, 2534)