Businessman, ex-city worker, activist vie for Ward 1 seat

Jace Radke

Friday, April 30, 1999 | 11:46 a.m.

A businessman, a former city employee and an activist are among the lesser-known candidates hoping to gain enough support to win the City Council seat representing Ward 1 in Las Vegas.

Here is a look at the candidates:

Paul Holder, who has 25 years of business experience in Las Vegas, is vowing to make the Ward 1 seat a full-time job.

"I am making myself available as a viable alternative to part-time city politics," the 56-year-old shoe store owner said.

Holder, a 35-year resident of Las Vegas, says he is interested in conducting studies on the feasibility of constructing a new centralized City Hall downtown and extending the Fremont Street Experience.

"Right now we seem to have a ubiquitous presence downtown, with government offices everywhere," Holder said. "Centralization could save the city millions and at the same time eliminate redundancy.

"The Fremont Street Experience was a good idea but it needs to be extended to Fifth and Seventh streets to benefit the businesses there."

Linda Gray has nine years of experience as a city of Las Vegas employee, mainly working in the Department of Parks and Leisure with at-risk youth.

Gray, 53, is currently on the board of directors of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce and lists a safer community, managed growth and traffic as areas she would concentrate on if elected.

"I feel that I can bring wisdom and common sense and even though it may sound funny, a feminine approach to things," Gray said. "Half of the valley's population is women and they need a voice."

The 35-year Las Vegas resident says she has seen a lot of changes in the valley and would like to bring her experience to bear on the city's problems.

"Years ago I was talking to the city manager and someone heard me talking and said, 'Wow, you should be the wife of a politician,' " Gray said. "Now the times have changed and instead of being married to the politician I can be the politician."

Chris Christoff is an activist who can often be found at City Council meetings giving his opinions on what the council is doing. Christoff would like to bring an east coast spin to the City Council by doing what he calls walking.

"On the East Coast the politicians walk through their constituents' neighborhoods and they know the people they are representing," Christoff said. "Here you don't see that happening and the citizens don't have a voice because of it."

Christoff, a 64-year-old New Hampshire transplant who moved to Las Vegas 14 years ago, is a retired Marine sergeant and says that he gets his "can do" attitude from the Corps.

His main issues include keeping contact with the communities of Ward 1, including veterans and senior citizens, as well as working to lower drug use and protecting property owners.

"I'm not going to be the type of politician who people only see during election time before disappearing," Christoff said.

"I don't have a big staff running my campaign because I'm effective without one. I'll give 110 percent and get something done for the people without the excuses."