News-rack ordinance up in air

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998 | 10:48 a.m.

A Las Vegas City Council recommending committee has delayed for a third straight time action on a proposed ordinance that could impose a $25-a-year permit fee on news racks.

City councilmen Michael McDonald and Larry Brown voted to hold the recommendation for two more weeks.

A study is being conducted on an old news rack ordinance to determine if it can be combined with the proposed measure to curtail the number of illegal racks yet not violate First Amendment free press laws.

It is estimated that there are 450 illegal news racks on Las Vegas Boulevard between City Hall and Sahara Avenue. A number of them feature publications offering adult sex services, which city fathers and area businessmen would like to see eliminated.

However charging all news agencies $25 per rack, per year may be too great a financial burden to some companies that publish materials that inform the public about events of community interest.

Currently Clark County has a $25 fee in effect along the Strip and other resort-zoned areas. The areas that would be affected if the measure passes are downtown arteries, including parts of Fremont Street, Las Vegas Boulevard, Charleston Boulevard, and Sahara as well some residential roads.

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