MICHAEL MONTANDON, NORTH LAS VEGAS MAYOR
Has the election-by-ward system had a tangible, measurable effect on the city? Grade the council and yourself on how well you all are balancing the city's super-fast growth and slowly building reputation as a good place to live with the real quality-of-life issues plaguing parts of the inner city.
The ward system is too new to have any measurable effect on the city. We have yet to hold an election under the system, but there have been a couple of comments by council members regarding issues in "their" ward. As far as balancing our efforts in the city, I would give us a good grade, better than we get credit or coverage for. We sometimes get complaints that we are only doing things in the newer areas, but the opposite is true. The developers are doing virtually everything in new areas. In the mature, fully developed areas we concentrate most of the cities financial resources.
Also on the issue of growth, do you foresee the council having to expand to seven members, much as the Las Vegas City Council has?
Growth to seven members—not yet. Our voter turnout is very apathetic. Now that we are in wards, if history holds true, we will have less than 2,000 voters turn out per ward. That is far too small a number to need additional representation.
As with the Henderson City Council, North Las Vegas' representatives have been in office for quite some time. Is this indicative of constituent happiness or a reflection of the generally uphill battle to unseat incumbents?
We would all love to think that our tenure is the result of satisfaction with the job we are doing. It is probably a combination of that and overall voter apathy. With term limits, the entire council will turn over between 2009 and 2011. I'm not sure that is a good thing.
CAROLYN EDWARDS, NEW CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE
Nevada continues to reside in the middle or at the back of the national pack in terms of academic achievement. Where should our emphasis be: getting students up to and beyond national standards, in other words, teaching to the test—which makes us look good in the federal government's eyes—or deploying resources to nurture students' ability to learn.I think emphasis needs to be on both. There are programs that other states have implemented that work with families prior to children entering schools. Just getting our kids to average is not what we want to do; we want to get them beyond that. Part of that factor is going to involve closing the achievement gap, which is the most significant at the Hispanic and black level.
You've mentioned in published reports that you'd like to see school board meetings broadcast. But a larger complaint has been that the board's chambers are too small and that the location makes it difficult for parents and interested parties in other parts of the Valley to get to. Any plans to address those issues?
I have actually asked for a board agenda item for this. I don't think the school district has a current plan to address those issues. At some point, I believe we should look at building a new building, if we don't purchase a building with the capabilities of a boardroom. We might need to look at tearing down the Greer building [headquarters] and build it higher or on a larger footprint. Then we can rent the Sahara building or sell the Sahara building. It's really only significantly crowded at the beginning of meetings. It usually clears out after the presentations, and we don't have a problem with space. Having sat in it for the last 10 years, I can tell you it's not the most comfortable room.
DINA TITUS, NEVADA STATE SENATOR
Having run a game but unsuccessful race to be governor of Nevada, and throwing out the idea of possibly pursuing one of the state's congressional seats in the future, how hard will it be to recalibrate your mind-set and focus on not only legislative issues that affect the state, but issues of concern in your Senate district?
As far as future opportunities go, I am certainly keeping all options open. With that said, I am completely focused on the coming legislative session and the many critical issues facing the state, including District 7. As minority leader and in committee work I always have that dual focus of looking at the state as a whole, as well as at the specific issues in my district. It's not really a question of "recalibrating" my mind-set at all, since so many of the issues brought up during the governor's race—all-day kindergarten, safer schools, better roads, enhanced sex-offender laws and more transparency in government, to name just a few—are of great concern to the residents of District 7.
You're a Southern Nevadan and a professor at UNLV, which competes for state funding with the University of Nevada, Reno. What do you say to the notion, and it's out there, that as the Sen. Bill Raggio goes, so goes the Senate? And that as long as he's in charge, will Northern Nevada's needs trump Southern Nevada's?
I think this should be of concern to Southern Nevadans, particularly with a Northern governor also added to the mix. I did serve on an equity committee that made some progress on addressing the disparity in funding between UNR and UNLV—which was a good start, but there is much more to be done. Many of the key issues before us will have a regional component—just look at the needs in transportation infrastructure, where the lion's share of the large projects and needs are here in the south. Southern Nevadans need to stay engaged and involved in these issues.
Some pundits have said this legislative session isn't so much about the 63 lawmakers who'll be deciding how the state is governed for the next two years, but is really a referendum on Gov. Jim Gibbons, that how well he works with folks such as you will determine whether Nevada goes forward, backward or runs in place. Thoughts?
While there is certainly more fodder for pundits in the interaction of personalities, this session should truly be about the big picture agenda for all Nevadans, where hard decisions will need to be made about priorities for the future. Do we want to make meaningful investments in education? Are we prepared to back up our stated commitment to renewable energy by creating incentives for business and accountability for utilities? If you look at the history, you'll see that the Legislature has operated on a largely nonpartisan basis on many key issues over the years. Just look at the property tax cap, or the Nevada sex-offender registry, which had broad support from both sides of the aisle. Our state is much better served by that big-picture approach than by focusing on partisanship, personalities and who is playing nice with whom.
CHRIS GIUNCHIGLIANI, NEW COUNTY COMMISSIONER
You were the lone commissioner to vote against a raise for airport chief Randy Walker. Were you sending a message to the board that you plan on bucking the status quo?
My vote was against the lack of a selection process for an open position. I've long believed that a transparent procedure is needed for government decision-making. Since the position was open, I felt we should have done an open selection. My sense is that the public is tired of the "go along" process and wants to hear constructive discussion and debate.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has largely succeeded in giving his office unprecedented control of the LA Unified School District. Oscar Goodman has floated a similar idea here. But it appears that the County Commission would be the better entity to explore such an undertaking. As a former special education teacher, would you support such a move?
Let's keep in mind that I am still a middle-school special-education teacher here in Clark County. We also have to remember that the City of Las Vegas—and its mayor—represent less than a third of the population served by the Clark County School District. I believe it is premature to talk about anyone taking over the school district. I have long been both the school district's critic and champion, and I don't know that any other bureaucracy could better serve the children. The school district can do a better job. With new leadership, the district now has an opportunity to show what they can do to improve the education of our children.
SUSAN BRAGER, NEW COUNTY COMMISSIONER
As the Valley grows, redistricting will remain a perennially incendiary issue. Your commission district could be carved up this year. You've said in published reports that you'd be willing to look at redistricting. Are you ready for those battles?The continued growth of our community will eventually make redistricting necessary. I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners on this and the many other issues facing our county. We are blessed with a great group of commissioners right now. Each one of us has many years of public service, and that experience will be extremely useful as we tackle the long list of challenging issues that come before us.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has largely succeeded in giving his office unprecedented control of the LA Unified School District.Oscar Goodman has floated a similar idea here. But it appears that the County Commission would be the better entity to explore such an undertaking. As a former school board trustee, would you support such a move?
The school district is full of hard-working and dedicated people who have the system headed in the right direction. The continued rapid growth of our community brings with it a multitude of issues that impact our schools and require much attention. The School Board is an important elected body dedicated to improving the education of children, and it is important for our citizens to have an elected body dedicated solely to this very important issue.
STEVEN HORSFORD, STATE SENATOR
You're the Democratic National Committeeman from Nevada, and Nevada is poised for its first-ever run as an early-caucus state for the 2008 presidential election. What types of things do state politicians have to do to get ready to not fumble this opportunity?This provides a unique opportunity for Nevadans from across the state to have a voice in the process and to meet and discuss issues of importance with candidates running for president. For the first time in more than 40 years, issues of importance to the West will be center-stage, including water conservation and water rights, land use and national security.
One important milestone for Nevada is that as one of the first early caucus states, several presidential debates will be conducted in both Southern and Northern Nevada. A debate sponsored by the Caucus of African American Nevadans and Impacto will ensure all communities have an opportunity to query presidential candidates, and several labor-sponsored forums will focus attention on increasing the minimum wage, developing a national health care agenda, and protecting American jobs in a global economy.
What are the biggest issues/problems, that can be addressed legislatively, facing Nevada, particularly as it relates to quality of life?
Education is one of the biggest issues and problems facing the state of Nevada. From early childhood, to full-day kindergarten and higher education, no issue is more defining concerning Nevada's quality of life. Nevada is currently second-to-last in the rate of students graduating from high school, we have one of the lowest rates of high school students who graduate and enter college and have poor ratings as it relates to literacy and student achievement.
Other key issues the 2007 Nevada Legislature will deal with include transportation. Water and water negotiations between Northern Nevada rural communities and Southern Nevada will be an important discussion this Legislative session. I also think this session will see renewed discussions on the judicial and correction system. It is estimated that Nevada's incarceration rate will double in the next 10 years unless sentencing guidelines and laws are revisited. It has become an economic imperative to look at this issue since it is so costly to incarcerate an inmate vs. alternatives that are more cost-effective.
You were the main proponent behind creating a state lottery whose funding would primarily be directed to education. Secondary education officials will likely to request hundreds of millions in additional funding this legislative session. Do you plan to champion this idea again?
I think this issue still makes a lot of sense because Nevada is one of only a few states with gaming that does NOT have a state lottery. When you look at the tremendous educational needs and the amount of money that is requested by local educators, you have to ask yourself, how are we going to pay for a quality education for Nevada's children? One way to give Nevada's children a good education is by allowing Nevada to participate in a lottery.
I think the details of how a lottery would operate is where more attention needs to be focused this session. I don't think the lottery should be state-run, it should be privately operated. I think licensed establishments who have a solid record before the Nevada Gaming Control Board should be allowed to sell lottery tickets first and that the majority of the revenues from the lottery should be dedicated to a fund to supplement not supplant educational funding for Nevada's children.
HENDERSON MAYOR JAMES GIBSON
Harry Reid essentially endorsed you in the governor's race. That means you're biding your time as mayor and looking to fry bigger political fish, right?
Actually, the senator did not endorse a candidate in the primary. I am not biding my time because the work at the city of Henderson is exciting and requires a lot of energy. I really enjoy serving as mayor. With respect to my political future, I have no announcement to make at this time, but I will use the next few months to weigh my options.
How important, in terms of Henderson's maturation as a municipality, was winning the fight with the county to control a portion of land that will likely extend the Strip further south? Part of the county's argument was that Henderson officials had never governed such a piece of property.
There was no fight with Clark County. In fact, we met and worked aggressively to resolve our differences on annexation so as to avoid a fight. We have a history of working very well with Clark County on matters that are of mutual importance. Our city has a history of success on projects of all sizes and uses. The development of the property to be annexed will present challenges, to be sure, but we are confident in our ability to meet those challenges.