New code would require property specifics

Erin Neff

Friday, Aug. 13, 1999 | 11:18 a.m.

Specific descriptions of property holdings would be required of public officials and candidates for office under a proposed change in the city's municipal code.

But questions that arose during the recent mayoral campaign regarding partners in land holdings are not addressed in the proposed ordinance being drafted by city attorneys for the Ethics Review Board.

During the board's meeting Thursday the first draft of proposed changes to the ordinance was unveiled.

Deputy City Attorney Larry Bettis still needs to work on some language in the proposal before the review board can approve the changes and recommend them to the City Council.

The resolution would require disclosure of real property by listing the county assessor's parcel number and street address or legal description if the property is in Nevada.

Property in adjacent state counties that border Clark County would require a specific legal description.

Property owned elsewhere would simply require the name of the county and state in which it is located.

"Before, our code merely stated that the specific location of the property needs to be located," Bettis said.

As a result, the general locations of property described when Oscar Goodman filed his financial disclosure statements prior to the mayoral election kept with city law but didn't provide much information.

Although not required, Goodman did amend his financial disclosure statement after he was elected to show his partners on 17 properties he owns.

Goodman said he would push for stricter requirements regarding disclosure of partners after becoming mayor.

The proposed change to the city's financial disclosure requirements also adds spouses and dependents to those included in the definition of household.