A last-minute legal challenge to Nevada County’s sales tax increase proposal has been rejected, for the most part, by a local judge. And the decision means the county will make the deadline to print the measure in time for it to be placed on the November ballot, with some minor changes. It also means Measure V will still only need majority approval, instead of two-thirds. County Counsel Kit Elliott says even though they’ve been touting 12-million dollars in additional annual revenue for wildfire safety and prevention, it’s still a general tax increase and isn’t restricted to that benefit…

click to listen to Kit Elliott

The court also found that the ballot label, impartial analysis, and fiscal impact statement did not contains false, misleading, or argumentive statements. Elliott understands the concern about language that states the revenue can be used for other “essential government services”…

click to listen to Kit Elliott

But the court did say the county had to remove the phrase “to save lives”, in reference to wildfire mitigation. And the county must also change “half-cent” increase to a “half-percent” increase.