Nevada

EDITORIAL: A gold star for Nevada’s property tax system

Published

3 weeks ago

March 15, 2026

EDITORIAL: A gold star for Nevada’s property tax system

Nevada has one of the lowest property tax rates in the country. That’s an achievement to celebrate, not a problem to fix.

WalletHub recently released a report on property tax rates throughout the country. It found that Nevada’s effective tax rate on property was 0.47 percent. It put the median home price in Nevada at around $435,000. At that 0.47 percent rate, the average annual taxes on a home that price would be just more than $2,000. The only states with lower rates are Hawaii at 0.27 percent and Alabama at 0.38 percent.

Most of Nevada’s neighbors also rank quite well. Arizona comes in fourth. Idaho is seventh, and Utah was ranked 10th. Thanks to California’s Proposition 13 — passed in 1978 to rein in the worst instincts of state politicians — even the Golden State ranks 17th in the country. Oregon ranks 27th.

No one likes paying property taxes, but Nevada’s low rates help families and those on fixed incomes afford their homes. Imagine living in New Jersey. It ranks last with an effective tax rate of 2.11 percent. The median home value in that state is around $455,000. That’s slightly higher than Nevada. But a New Jersey resident with a home of that value can expect to pay more than $9,500 annually in property taxes.

Yes, you read that correctly. A New Jersey resident who owns a median-priced home has to pay the government nearly $10,000 a year. That sounds more like renting from the government than homeownership.

Nevada’s property tax system, however, is subject to regular attacks in the Legislature. Last year, Assembly Democrats overwhelmingly voted for a constitutional amendment to increase property taxes on resold homes. The proposal died after not receiving a vote in the Senate. In 2021, the Nevada Association of Counties proposed a different bill to boost future property tax revenues. It didn’t receive a vote.

It’s true that Nevada’s property tax system is complicated. Determining how much someone pays involves terms such as “taxable value,” “depreciation” and “tax caps.” But the primary motivation of those wishing to change the system doesn’t appear to be simplicity. They clearly want more property tax dollars for governments to spend. Rather than raising taxes, they should promote the construction of more housing, which would drive additional property tax collections.

You don’t have to be able to articulate all the details to realize that Nevada’s property tax system works well. Property owners know there is a limit on how much their taxes can increase. The property tax caps provide government entities a stable source of funding. They even limit how much property tax collections will fall if housing prices drop.

Nevada is on top of a good list. Lawmakers should keep it that way.

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Nevada

Northern Nevada nonprofits lose thousands in missing donations after fundraising collapse

Published

2 hours ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Northern Nevada nonprofits lose thousands in missing donations after fundraising collapse

RENO, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — At least a dozen northern Nevada nonprofits are scrambling to recover after a nationwide fundraising platform failed to deliver thousands of dollars in donations, leaving critical community programs at risk.

Oakland-based Flipcause, a company that processed online donations for nonprofits, is accused of withholding funds before filing for bankruptcy in December. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has since issued a cease-and-desist order, halting the company’s charitable operations.

Officials say more than 3,200 nonprofits nationwide are affected, with over $29 million in donations unaccounted for.

At least 12 organizations in northern Nevada are among them — each now facing financial losses.

The Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada reports losing $33,602. Other impacted groups include:

JUSTin Hope Foundation — $8,463
Larena Smith Bengoa Run — $7,338
Nevada Hands & Voices — $6,283
Cancer Community Clubhouse — $5,672
Sustainable Tahoe — $1,487
Urban Cowgirl — $1,262
I School — $1,050
Reno Tahoe Athletics — $834
Transgender Allies Group — $500
Fire & Ice Horse Training — $201
Nevada Humanities — $142

Staff work with clients at the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada (News 4)

For the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada, the loss is immediate and deeply personal.

“We’ve lost about 30% of our operating budget for this year,” said Christina Ugalde, the Executive Director of the Down Syndrome Network of Northern Nevada.

The nonprofit provides support and programming for hundreds of families in northern Nevada through grants and community support.

“We are funded about 90% by individual donations,” Ugalde said. “So what’s happened to us has been absolutely devastating.”

The organization has served the region for nearly two decades, offering social programs, events and resources for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

“For our families, it is so important that they feel a part of the community,” Ugalde said. “Getting the diagnosis of Down syndrome can be a very isolating thing for a lot of families.”

Some of the now missing funds were raised during the group’s largest annual fundraiser in September, the Buddy Walk. Ugalde said the organization submitted a request for the money, which typically arrives within 10 business days.

“It didn’t,” she said.

Instead, she says Flipcause repeatedly assured her the funds were on the way.

“They came back with all sorts of responses the money was on its way,” Ugalde said.

Weeks turned into months. Then came the bankruptcy filing — with no warning to many nonprofits still waiting for their money.

“We’re out $33,602,” Ugalde said. “That affects all of our families and the individuals that have Down syndrome with the amount of events that we’re able to put on.”

Despite the financial strain, she says the organization is determined to continue serving families — even as uncertainty remains about whether any funds will be recovered.

“I would love for everyone to get their money back,” Ugalde said. “I hope that through the bankruptcy process, we get something back.”

The California Attorney General’s Office is urging affected nonprofits to file complaints as part of the ongoing investigation.

In the meantime, organizations across northern Nevada are turning to their communities for help — hoping to replace what was lost and keep essential programs running.

For families who rely on those services, the stakes are deeply personal.

“These programs mean connection, support and belonging,” Ugalde said. “We don’t want that to go away.”

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