LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Nevada Supreme Court says Clark County illegally underfunded the Southern Nevada Health District and has ordered it to pay it a minimum $18 million more.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the ruling leaves county officials in the position of having raising taxes or reducing services.

Justices ruled Thursday that a 2005 state law requires the County Commission to adopt the health district's budget "without modification" if the amount requested does not exceed 3.5 cents per $100 of assessed value of the county's property tax revenue.

The health district sued the commission over underfunding its budget last year, arguing it should have received $22.5 million but instead got $5.69 million.

Over the last four years the county has cut one in five positions and $230 million from its budget.

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