Las Vegas Review-Journal
Opinion

http://m.reviewjournal.com/lvreview/db_269760/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=6I8wp5gh&full=true#display

Politically and economically, the city of North Las Vegas is a mess.

It’s not the fault of any current office holder that when the housing bubble collapsed, North Las Vegas – a bedroom community heavily dependent on residential property taxes – was hit harder than the rest of the valley. The total assessed taxable value of land within city limits plunged by more than 56 percent. Tax revenue dropped by 28.5 percent, from a peak of $53.7 million in 2006 to an estimated $38.4 million in 2012.

Consolidation, concessions and cutbacks – never designed to make office holders popular, especially with police and firefighter unions – would have been necessary, no matter who was in office.

But current North Las Vegas officials also chose the worst possible time to build a half-empty City Hall and a new sewage treatment plant – the latter without signed agreements either for wastewater discharge or to treat waste from Nellis Air Force Base, a customer without which the project makes little economic sense. And the city’s relationship with its bargaining units is beyond toxic.

Mayor Shari Buck and City Councilwoman Anita Wood – both standing for re-election this spring – mean well and have done their best. But North Las Vegas needs new direction, new energy and new leadership. It needs champions and cheerleaders.

Fortunately, three candidates who can provide that have stepped forward.

John Lee, 58, owns a plumbing supply company and served 14 years in the state Legislature before losing a low-turnout Democratic Senate primary to ultra-leftist Patricia Spearman last year. He has energy and enthusiasm to spare.

“You need vision on top,” Mr. Lee says. “Las Vegas is out of land, but North Las Vegas is asset rich. Fifty-seven percent of our land hasn’t been built on.” North Las Vegas needs to develop its open land, and in the meantime can trade access to its parks and ball fields for help with economic development, he urges.

Builders and developers can be attracted to that vacant land if the bureaucracy they face is streamlined and standardized, Mr. Lee says. For starters, permits should be available for a flat fee, he says, rather than a percentage of the estimated value of the job – a unique North Las Vegas requirement that leaves prospective builders pulling out their calculators and scratching their heads.

The police and firefighter unions?

“They’ll sit down and talk to me,” Mr. Lee says. “They won’t talk to her (Ms. Buck).”

John Lee, who attended Bridger Junior High and Rancho High School, denies he sees the mayor’s office as a political stepping stone. “Being mayor of North Las Vegas is not going to get you to Congress or (the governor’s mansion),” he says. What he does offer is vision, integrity, fresh ideas and enthusiasm. North Las Vegas needs John Lee for mayor.

In the sole competitive race for North Las Vegas City Council, Ms. Wood has drawn one viable challenger in Ward 3, substitute teacher and small businessman Tony Gales.

We don’t agree with Mr. Gales on every issue, including his opposition to allowing concealed-weapon permit holders to bear arms on college campuses, and his belief that money can be saved by having city firefighters handle all medical transports. But Mr. Gales, who has a master’s degree in business administration from UNLV, says he wants to streamline the process for opening businesses in the city. “They can’t understand the forms, the paperwork,” he says. “I want to volunteer my time to help them get their business license.”

Mr. Gales was planning a run for Assembly District 17 last year, but was elbowed aside by Democratic Party leaders to make room for Steven Brooks, whose mental-health meltdown has left thousands of North Las Vegas residents without a voice in Carson City. North Las Vegans finally have a chance to vote for him. The energetic Tony Gales is the best choice in Ward 3.

Finally, four candidates are running for the Ward 1 seat being vacated by North Las Vegas Councilman Robert Eliason, but only one – Issac Barron, a Rancho High graduate who now teaches there – is running an active, well-funded campaign. He has built an impressive base of support.

“I’m not a businessman, I’m not a developer, but I have a pretty good idea of what their needs are,” says Mr. Barron, who advocates streamlining regulations and vows to help heal rifts within the council and the rest of city government. “I want to be the one who asks the tough questions.” The Review-Journal endorses Isaac Barron in Ward 1.

Early voting in North Las Vegas started Wednesday. Primary election day is April 2.

http://ralstonreports.com/blog/las-vegas-chamber-endorsements-democrat-over-republican-union-guy-over-businesswoman-andno-one#.UTpRtlHmHrh

The Las Vegas Metro Chamber’s municipal endorsements released today snubbed a GOP mayor needing all the help she can get, embraced a union stalwart over a businesswoman backed by conservatives and ignored a Henderson mayor facing token opposition.

The stunning and strange chamber endorsements include:

Ex-Democratic state Sen. John Lee over Republican Mayor Shari Buck of North Las Vegas.

Former Building and Construction Trades Council President Steve Ross, the Las Vegas councilman, over Colliers Vice-President Suzette LaGrange

No endorsements in Henderson, including of Mayor Andy Hafen, who might as well be running unopposed.

Here’s what I think, followed by the chamber explanations:

—-North Las Vegas: My guess is the chamber has been friendly with Lee in Carson City and sees the disaster that is the city’s finances and can easily justify the Democratic endorsement in a nonpartisan race. Besides, maybe the business doyens think Lee will win.

Chamber spokeswoman Cara Roberts Clarke: “The endorsement of John Lee is based on his experience as a businessman as well as his understanding of local government issues. The Chamber found John Lee when he was in the State Assembly and Senate to be someone who worked collaboratively, reached out and engaged business in the conversation.”

Now about those taxes he supported in the Legislature….

—-Las Vegas: This is almost comical, the chamber embracing Ross, who wears a union label, over LaGrange, who has been endorsed by conservative leaders. If the chamber really wants business-friendly leaders in local government., how does it choose Ross over LaGrange?

She seems to think it’s “the power of incumbency,” as she said on Twitter. Maybe the chamber simply thinks the indomitable Ross will never lose.

Clarke: “Steve Ross has proven himself a councilman who serves his business constituents well and works hard on their behalf. He has shown a depth in policy understanding on issues impacting the business community. He was instrumental in streamlining the licensing process, which was a significant accomplishment to for businesses. And he has been proactive in his outreach to the Chamber and the business community and his door is always open.”

That is so beautiful; I almost want to cry.

—-Henderson: No endorsement for Hafen? The ONLY reason could be the land scandal and lawsuits, right?

Clarke: “As for the Henderson mayor race, given the controversy right now regarding the proposed Henderson arena and the number of questions that remain, we felt it was best to stay out of the race.”

Better safe than embarrassed by revelations to come?

The rest of the endorsements: Jared Hardy and Anita Wood in North Las Vegas, and incumbents Bob Beers and Stavros Anthony in Las Vegas.

At least some of them made….sense.

John Ralston www.ralstonreports.com

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By John Ralston, ralstonreports.com

Nugget No. 1 — So Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins’ effort to take over his turf in North Las Vegas by promoting his community liaison’s candidacy took a bizarre turn as he put out a piece — see it at right — paid for by his campaign to make sure everyone knows he has not endorsed incumbent Anita Wood.

Love the boldface words almost as much as the vitriol in the mail piece designed to help Janice Ridondo. I guess Collins really wants a voice on that city’s council.

Nugget No. 2 — My guess is none of the police union folks in North Las Vegas know anything about ex-state Sen. John Lee’s record on police matters. But they know one thing: He’s not Mayor Shari Buck, who antagonized the city’s labor folks during the budget nightmare. And now she is paying the price — from the Lee campaign Monday:

John Lee, candidate for North Las Vegas Mayor, has been officially endorsed by both the North Las Vegas Police Officers Association and the North Las Vegas Police Supervisors Associations. No candidate for North Las Vegas Mayor has ever been successful without the support of these two law enforcement organizations.

“We completely support John Lee because John is someone that can repair the relationships with businesses, employees and citizens to make North Las Vegas a great city.” said Leonard Cardinale, President of the NLVPSA. “He shares our vision for safe streets and safe families. We are committed to John’s victory in the Mayor’s race and a brighter future for our town.”
John Lee is God. Or Shari Buck is the devil. Take your pick.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/ex-sen-lee-two-others-challenge-buck-in-north-las-vegas-mayor-s-race-189471621.html

BY LAURA PHELPS
VIEW STAFF WRITER, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Concerned about the city’s current path, North Las Vegas mayoral candidate former state Sen. John Lee said he anticipates this campaign will be a “very hard-fought race.”

Lee, 57, is one of three challengers whom incumbent Mayor Shari Buck will face in the April 2 primary election. The general election will be June 4. The filing period closed Friday.

Lee and Buck will face Mike Hunter , a teacher at Mojave High School, and Sharon Belger , a self-employed consultant.

With the mayoral race, two City Council seats are up including Ward 1 and Ward 3. Each position is nonpartisan and lasts four years.

Ward 1 Councilman Robert Eliason reaches his 12th year on council this year, which means the seat is open.

Four candidates have filed to run for Ward 1, including Legacy High School teacher Jared Hardy, 38; Clark County School District support staff member Juan Martinez ; tow truck driver Jeffrey Eggeman ; and Rancho High School teacher Isaac Eloy Barron, 43.

Hardy’s father, Warren Brent Hardy, served on the City Council from 1986 to 1993.

Unlike her challengers, Ward 3 Councilwoman Anita Wood, 49, does not have an additional occupation and is a full-time council member.

Janice Ridondo, 52, is running against Wood. She is a liaison with Clark County and a town board liaison for Sunrise Manor, Moapa and Bunkerville.

The other candidate is Tony Gales , CEO of Skool Bandz.

The mayor earns $47,889.14 a year, and council members earn $41,826.98.

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Laura Phelps at lphelps@viewnews.com or 702-477-3839.

http://www.lvrj.com/view/former-state-sen-lee-runs-for-north-las-vegas-mayor-186244011.html
BY LAURA PHELPS
VIEW STAFF WRITER, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Former state Sen. John Lee officially launched his candidacy for mayor of North Las Vegas on Wednesday.

“Some doubt North Las Vegas can be turned around,” Lee said in his announcement, referring to budget cuts and many layoffs in recent years. “But my hometown, the city I chose to raise my children in, is worth saving. We pay more taxes than any other city, yet we have fewer police, fewer firefighters, decaying infrastructure, the list truly goes on and on.”

Lee, a Democrat, attacked Mayor Shari Buck, a Republican, for her financial management, citing the Craig Ranch Regional Park and City Hall projects. The position is nonpartisan.

Lee said he recognizes Craig Ranch park as a regional benefit and pledged to get the park open quickly and without charging an entrance fee.

“You say, ‘How are you going to do that, John?’ and I say I’ll find a way,” he said. The city plans to open the park by Labor Day.

Lee said he wants to take a regional approach to leadership. With concerns about the city’s police and fire department cutbacks and the city’s financial health, he said businesses and residents chose to operate and live in other areas in the valley, and North Las Vegas does not do enough to highlight its assets.

“The more Shari Buck does, the worse it gets,” Lee said. “I feel this is the last breath that North Las Vegas has.”

Buck has served on the City Council since 1999 and is the city’s first female mayor. She is expected to file for re-election by the end of the month.

Buck was not available for comment Wednesday.

Lee was first elected to the Assembly in 1997 and the Senate in 2004, serving as a committee chairman and majority whip in the upper house

“Working with cities throughout Nevada has given me a very broad understanding of what works,” Lee said.

While he has not sat down formally with any of the public unions, he said he has had informal breakfasts with police officers and firefighters. He expects to meet with the general bodies after the filing period closes.

The filing period runs from Jan. 26 through Feb. 1. The city clerk’s office will be open both Fridays to accommodate filings, though city offices are typically closed Fridays. The primary election will be April 2 and the general June 4.

Two other seats will be determined in the election: City Council Ward 1 and Ward 3.

Ward 1 Councilman Robert Eliason reached his term limit by serving the maximum of three terms or 12 years.

Isaac Barron, a Rancho High School teacher, announced Tuesday that he plans to run for the Ward 1 seat. Incumbent Ward 3 Councilwoman Anita Wood is expected to seek re-election.

“Most important to me is constituent service,” Barron said in his announcement. “I will dedicate a great deal of my time to being actively involved in meeting Ward 1 residents, listening to them, and responding to their ideas.”

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Laura Phelps at lphelps@viewnews.com or 702-477-3839.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/john-lee-considers-run-for-north-las-vegas-mayor-181017041.html

John Lee, a 15-year Nevada legislator, is contemplating a run for North Las Vegas mayor.

“There are a lot of intricacies in bringing that town back to life again,” Lee told the Review-Journal on Tuesday morning.

The city has undergone several rounds of budget cuts in recent years, trimming millions from its general fund budget and cutting or freezing hundreds of positions. Its budget issues have drawn the attention of state officials who have the power to take over the city’s finances.

But Lee, a Democrat, stopped short of announcing a campaign.

“I’ll be very soon making that decision,” Lee said.

Incumbent Mayor Shari Buck, a Republican, said she plans to run for re-election. Buck, who is the city’s first female mayor, has served on council since 1999.

Lee lost his bid for re-election to his state seat in June in the Senate District 1 primary to Patricia Spearman.

The mayoral primary is scheduled for April 2, and the general election is June 4. All municipal elections are open and nonpartisan, and candidate parties will not be shown on the ballot .

Lee said he is researching revenue challenges including finding money to reopen libraries, make sure senior centers stay open and to maintain parks.

Last year, the two city-run recreation centers faced closure when officials could not reach an agreement on concessions with its two police unions to make up for a then-$4.4 million shortfall in the city’s fiscal 2012 budget. An agreement was reached later to keep the centers open.

“People pay taxes for a particular reason, for the purpose of quality of life and safety . It’s been a real challenge for residents in this economic downturn.”

Lee said he has been approached by people with “a significant interest in this race.”

“There’s going to be some serious continuation for a little while longer with the problems we’re in, but I think with leadership there’s a brighter day,” Lee said.

BY KRISTI JOURDAN
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL