Look close to find difference in council race

Rachael Levy

Friday, May 30, 1997 | 11:44 a.m.

At first glance, Henderson's two contenders for the City Council are spitting images of each other.

Both are Metro Police officers. They advocate controlled growth and are strong on public safety. They oppose neighborhood casinos, but are warm on the idea of forming a Henderson school district. Even an independent poll reportedly ranked them neck and neck among voters.

When incumbent Jack Clark and challenger David Kallas appear to be two sides of the same coin, why not flip it?

Because if voters mark their ballots on the decision of "heads" or "tails," Henderson will suffer, the two agreed (again). Although the surface may reflect their similarities, Clark and Kallas said the other's commitment to the Nevada boomtown is skin deep.

Clark on Kallas: "He doesn't understand the issues that affect our city. He doesn't have any solutions."

Kallas on Clark: "He can't say he accomplished anything. He hasn't produced in the last four years on the issues."

The two are attacking each other's integrity because their differences on the issues appear minimal. In the final days of campaigning before Tuesday's election, voters' mailboxes are being stuffed with fliers and the hometown newspaper is heavy with political advertisements.

Few voters are expected to come to the polls. One prediction has just 7,500 people, or 5 percent of the city's population, turning out for the two-question ballot.

Besides the City Council race, voters must decide whether to raise their taxes to pay for a community theater. (Clark and Kallas happen to agree on that, too. They support it.)

But start with an issue that is much closer to home for these candidates: cops.

Clark has been a Metro Police patrol officer since 1987. When he was first elected and during this campaign he ran on the issue of public safety.

Four years ago Clark promised to double the Henderson Police Department and today 60 more cops are on the street -- 40 fewer than the promised amount. Clark is renewing his pledge, but said it is wrong to expand too rapidly because police training will suffer and office space will be lacking.

Kallas, an organized crime detective who has been with Metro for 18 years, said Clark's pledge is hollow. Kallas said Clark did not keep it because the ratio of police to residents has remained the same or dropped.

When Clark took office in 1994, the police department said it had 1.18 officers for every 1,000 residents. This year, there was 1.12. Clark said just keeping pace with Henderson's growth is an achievement.

"The fact is we have almost doubled the size of our police department," he said.

The attacks against integrity are just as harsh when the issue is growth and neighborhood casinos.

Clark voted in favor of a casino at the corner of Lake Mead Drive and Green Valley Parkway, the entrance to the Green Valley master-planned community. The 3-2 council decision angered some residents and Kallas pounced.

"By approving that casino there ... he set a terrible precedent for the city of Henderson," said Kallas, who advocates strict adherence to the city's master plan.

Clark defends his vote, explaining the area was approved for gaming business in 1989, and he believed he should honor that decision. But he said he wants to avoid such conflicts by developing "land swaps" with the companies so residents and business owners will be happy.

Clark

Kallas