Nevada Association of Counties

Presentation to the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs

February 6, 2013

1 NACO’s Mission Statement:

To encourage county government to provide services that will maximize efficiency and foster public trust in county government.

What we do:

C-2 •Represent counties on policy development and implementation

•Promote leadership development

•Provide information, training and technical assistance

•Serve as the forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices

•Tell the public about the role of county government

2 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013 OFFICERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES Board consists of County Commissioners unless (NACo) BOARD OF DIRECTORS otherwise noted President Nancy Boland Bonnie Weber, Washoe County Jim Shirk – Carson City Esmeralda County Jerrie Tipton, Mineral County Pete Olsen– Churchill County President Elect NACo WESTERN INTERSTATE REGION Tom Collins – Clark County Pat Irwin BOARD OF DIRECTORS Doug Johnson– Douglas County Pershing County Lroinda Wichman, Nye County Demar Dahl – Elko County Vice President Demar Dahl, Elko County Dominic Pappalardo – Esmeralda County Lorinda Wichman Nye County AFFILIATE MEMBERS Jim Ithurralde – Eureka County

Jim French– Humboldt County Past President County Fiscal Officers Association Jerrie Tipton Patsy Waits – Lander County Nevada Assessors Association Mineral County Ed Higbee – Lincoln County Nevada Association of County Clerks and Election C-3 Virgil Arellano /Vida Keller – Lyon County Executive Board Member Officials Tom Collins Jerrie Tipton – Mineral County Clark County Nevada Association of County Human Services Administrators Andrew Borasky – Nye County NACO Fiscal Officer Nevada Association of County Treasurers Pat Irwin – Pershing County Mike Rebaleati Bill Sjovangen – Storey County Eureka County Auditor/Recorder Recorders Association of Nevada

David Humke – Washoe County Nevada District Attorneys Association Laurie Carson – White Pine County Nevada Judges Association

Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association

NACO STAFF

Jeff Fontaine, Executive Director Vacant, Deputy Director Elyse Monroy, Office Manager Curtis Blackwell, WNC Intern 3 THE CREATION OF NEVADA’S COUNTIES

Nevada's counties were named for a variety of persons or other features. The following table summarizes the naming of Nevada's 17 counties, plus the former counties of Lake, Ormsby, and Roop. Other historical information is also included. Carson City Named by Frank M. Proctor, one of the founders of Carson City in 1858, directly or indirectly for Christopher "Kit" Carson, the famed explorer and guide who first entered western Nevada in the winter of 1843-44. Churchill Fort Churchill, Nevada, which had been named for General Sylvester Churchill, a Mexican War hero who was Inspector General of the U.S. Army in 1861. Clark William A. Clark, former United States Senator from Montana, and the builder of the railroad line through the area. Douglas Stephen A. Douglas, former United States Senator from Illinois. Douglas is best remembered for his debates with Abraham Lincoln. Douglas was re-elected United States Senator from Illinois over Lincoln in 1858, but was defeated by Lincoln for the Presidency in 1860. Elko Several explanations have been offered, including an Indian word meaning either "white woman" or "beautiful." Another explanation credits railroad owner Charles Crocker with the naming of a railroad station after elk roaming in the area and adding an "o" to form "Elko." Esmeralda Esmeralda is the Spanish word for emerald. An early Nevada miner, J. M. Corey, named the Esmeralda Mining District. It is believed that Corey may have named the district after the gypsy dancing girl, Esmeralda, from Victor Hugo's book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. C-4 Eureka The ancient Greek term, Eureka, meaning "I have found it." This term was used earlier in California and other locations. Humboldt Baron Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist, traveler and statesman. Lake Several lakes in the area, including Honey, Pyramid, and Winnemucca. Lander Fredrick W. Lander, chief engineer of a federal wagon route through the area. He later served as Special Indian Agent in the area, and died in the Civil War in Virginia in 1862 at the rank of brigadier general. Created in 1862, Lander County sprang forth as the result of a mining boom on the Reese River, taking a considerable portion of Churchill and Humboldt counties with it. Eventually, Lander would be known as the "mother of counties" because so many were carved out of it.

Lincoln Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. Lyon General Nathaniel Lyon who died in the Civil War in Missouri in 1861. Mineral The surrounding area, which is heavily mineralized. Nye James W. Nye, Governor of Nevada Territory and later United States Senator from Nevada. Ormsby Major William M. Ormsby, one of the original settlers of Carson City, who was killed in 1860 in the Pyramid Lake Indian War. Pershing General John J. Pershing, commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Force (1917-1919) in Europe during World War 1. Roop Isaac N. Roop, the Governor of the provisional territory of Nevada, 1859-61. Storey Captain Edward F. Storey, who was killed in 1860 in the Pyramid Lake Indian War. Washoe A small Indian tribe that inhabited the area. White Pine Heavy growth of pine trees in the area, thought to be white pine. 4 Source: Nevada State Library and Archives County County Seat Name Year Formed Total Sq. Miles Size of County 2011 Population Commission Board (State Demographer Est.)

Carson City Carson City 1861 155.66 5 56,066

Churchill County Fallon 1861 5,023.38 3 25,136

Clark County Las Vegas 1909 8,090.66 7 1,967,722

Douglas County Minden 1861 737.65 5 47,661

Elko County Elko 1869 17,202.94 5 49,861

Esmeralda County Goldfield 1861 3,589.00 3 825 C-5

Eureka County Eureka 1873 4,179.96 3 1,994

Humboldt County Winnemucca 1861 9,657.87 5 17,135

Lander County Battle Mountain 1862 5,519.47 5 5,988

Lincoln County Pioche 1866 10,636.77 5 5,284

Lyon County Yerington 1861 2,016.40 5 52,443

Mineral County Hawthorne 1911 3,812.97 3 4,601

Nye County Tonopah 1864 18,158.73 5 44,513

Pershing County Lovelock 1919 6,067.55 3 6,847

Storey County Virginia City 1861 263.80 3 4,123

Washoe County Reno 1861 6,551.32 5 421,593

White Pine County Ely 1869 8,896.60 5 10,002 5 2012 Annual County Unemployment Rates (Not seasonally adjusted)

County Percentage

Carson City 11.6

Churchill County 9.5

Clark County 11.8

Douglas County 12.5

Elko County 6.1

Esmeralda County 5.6 C-6

Eureka County 5.9

Humboldt County 6.3

Lander County 5.6

Lincoln County 12.9

Lyon County 15.2

Mineral County 12.9

Nye County 14.2

Pershing County 10.7

Storey County 11.4

Washoe County 11..3

White Pine County 7.1 Information provided by 6 C-7

7 $900,000,000

$800,000,000

$700,000,000

$600,000,000

$500,000,000

C-8 $400,000,000

$300,000,000

$200,000,000

$100,000,000

$- FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 COUNTY PROPERTY TAX REVENUES Pro forma Projections by the Department of Taxation 8 C-9

9 FEDERAL ISSUES

• National Debt

C-10 • Public Lands and Natural Resources

10 PUBLIC LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES

• Access and Multiple Uses

C-11 • Sage Grouse • Wild Horses • Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) • Renewable Energy

11 COUNTY ISSUES

• Unfunded Mandates and Cost Shifts

• C-12 Local Government Autonomy

• Economic Development and Tax Abatements

• Community Colleges and Cooperative Extension

12 NACO BILLS

• AB 6 Special Fuel (Diesel) Tax Allocation to Counties

• AB 2 State Land Use Planning Advisory Council C-13 • AB 32 Renewable Energy & Business Tax Abatements

• AB 49 County Funding for Indigent Defense

• SB 2 Functional Home Rule

13