Poll: Carson Valley gas tax would drive customers north

The owners of Carson Valley's two AM/PM Mini-markets released the results of a poll that said the number of people who bought gas in Carson City would go from 34 percent to 57 percent if a nickel gas tax is approved.

Park Place AM/PM co-owner Greg Painter said the telephone poll conducted by Conquest Communications Group of 300 registered voters indicated that 34 percent of those polled purchase gas in Carson City.

"We knew it intuitively, but this gives us hard data," he said.

Painter said that by cross-tabbing the results of the poll, he determined that 57 percent of the sample would buy their gas in Carson City.

He said the poll was turned over to the county a day after they'd received the results.

"The poll was as balanced as we could make it," he said.

Another result, that voter reaction to the gas tax was split down the middle, changed when residents were asked about the possibility of losing tax dollars to Carson City. Then the opposition increased to 65 percent.

"Increasing the gas tax will cause even more gas tax dollars to leak to Carson City than the current 34 percent, which makes the problem worse, not better," Painter said. "The solution is not to spend $300,000 or $400,000 to receive $900,000, but instead to educate and market to the residents of Douglas County how critical it is to buy their gas here rather than Carson City. This can only be done if pricing in Douglas remains less than that in Carson City."

The two AM/PMs are responsible for about half the gasoline sold in Douglas County. They both charge 2 cents less per gallon than their Carson City counterparts.

Most of the other fuel sellers in Douglas County range from slightly higher than Carson City or considerably more expensive.

County commissioners approved a first reading of the gas tax at their July 7 meeting.

Painter said he was told the second reading of the gas tax would be at commissioners Aug. 18 meeting in Stateline.

County commissioners put the question of a gas tax on the ballot in 1994 after being presented with a petition. At the time commissioners were told the law required them to either put the tax on the ballot or repeal it. The gas tax was defeated in that primary election. The gas tax returned to the ballot again in 2002 when it was again defeated.

County Manager Steve Mokrohisky said the county has a legal opinion prepared by the district attorney's office that says commissioners may raise the gas tax without going to a popular vote.