TONOPAH -- Placing two local ballot questions on the Nov. 2 ballot -- authorizing an $8 per-parcel fee for the Nye County Water District and a 3-cent-per-gallon gas tax hike requested by the Regional Transportation Commission -- was postponed by Nye County commissioners Tuesday.

County officials scheduled a special conference call for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 13, to reconsider placing the fuel tax question on the ballot after tweaking the language in the resolution, but the water parcel fee isn't on the agenda.

The deadline for placing a question on the November ballot is July 15.

Nye County Commissioner Joni Eastley noticed so many changes in the resolution approving the ballot question on the water district parcel fee, she asked Deputy District Attorney Michelle Jones whether she had read it.

"I just want to say I'm absolutely shocked and appalled at the language and the argument against passage and the argument for passage. I'm just speechless, that's all I want to say," Eastley said.

The water board had used a $167,000 groundwater evaluation grant which was funded out of the Yucca Mountain program, but those funds have been cut off. The $8 parcel fee on 57,000 parcels would raise $456,000.

After county commissioners June 15 voted 3-2 against approving the parcel fee -- only Commissioners Eastley and Lorinda Wichman voted in favor -- the plan was to send it to the voters to decide.

The argument for passage mentions adequate and efficient water services as vital to the economic well-being of Nye County residents and protection of the environment.

"What would you be willing to spend to protect your water quality and resources?" the argument for passage reads. "Water is the most precious commodity we have. We are currently competing with federal agencies and neighboring counties and states for all available water resources in Nye County. Without it there can be no economic development, expansion of business, creation of new jobs and even sustainability of current population levels."

The shorter argument against passage, said: "I currently have my water and I am willing to risk that future development and weather conditions will not adversely affect my water. We don't need additional jobs; therefore additional business does not need to locate here. I don't believe that there is any threat from federal, state or other agencies outside of my county to take our water rights away."

Nye County Manager Rick Osborne said county officials attempted to contact George Benesch -- the county's attorney on water issues -- to no avail.

Eastley had similar concerns about language in the RTC request for a ballot question to increase the county gas tax option from the 4 cents levied in most rural counties to 7 cents. It would increase local gas tax revenues from $831,166 to $1.45 million annually to help pay for the chip seal program.

The resolution on behalf of the RTC, which approved the ballot request by a 2-1 vote on May 17, said the current revenue stream from motor vehicle fuel taxes can't keep up with needed road improvements. The resolution mentions the increased fuel economy of vehicles.

The resolution said Nye County has 2,690 miles of maintained roads, the second longest in Nevada. Gas sales dropped from 23.28 million gallons in 2005 to 20.9 million gallons in 2009. Without the increase, the resolution claims, road conditions will continue to deteriorate as maintenance will be delayed.

Wichman, who serves on the RTC, said she'd be willing to let voters decide the issue. But again, Eastley had questions. She said she felt arguments for and against passage were misleading.

Eastley in particular questioned an argument for passage that said the road improvements will improve the quality of life enough to counteract the detrimental effect of the increased cost of gas on the poor and people with fixed incomes.

The arguments against passage claim raising the fuel tax in the worst of economic times will be counterproductive, encouraging the public to drive less or fill up their tanks in Clark County where retail prices are typically lower.

"Nye County residents currently pay approximately 52 cents per gallon for all the existing federal, state and county fuel taxes collected," the argument against passage said.

The rebuttal in favor of passage said inaction to repair roads could put driver safety in peril. It notes visitors typically buy 40 percent of the fuel in Nye County.

After going over changes to the document, many involving simple typographical errors, Eastley said, "I didn't even look at the last three pages. I think this needs a lot of work."

Commissioners did approve an advisory question requested by the Nevada Association of Counties that would prohibit the state Legislature from grabbing county funds without the consent of the county.

NACO estimated since July 2008 the state Legislature took over $265 million in revenues from the 17 Nevada counties to balance the state's budget; Nye County will lose an estimated $2.5 million in revenues redirected to the state in the two-year period that ends June 30, 2011.

During a special session earlier this year, the Legislature took Indigent Accident Fund revenues from the counties. During a previous special session Nye County lost its 25 percent share of geothermal lease revenues.

"This question would send the message to the Nevada Legislature that the voters of this county want their local taxes to fund the provisions of services by their local government and that the state should balance its budget without taking revenue from local governments," the argument for passage said.