School delay an issue in commission race debate

Adrienne Packer

Monday, Aug. 28, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.

Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone's platform thus far has focused on the parks and roadways he has brought his fast-growing District C.

But during a half-hour informal debate Friday, his Republican opponent in the Sept. 5 primary election emphasized trees and asphalt aren't the only elements Malone put into neighborhoods. Chip Maxfield noted his opponent welcomed a casino as well.

Maxfield also hammered the incumbent on what he said is not present enough in residential areas: schools.

He blamed Malone for delaying the construction of Leavitt Middle School in the northwest. Leavitt will eventually relieve the overcrowded Molasky Middle School.

"When push came to shove, we do not have a school. Who is commissioner? Mr. Malone," Maxfield said on the Las Vegas Sun's news discussion program "Point of View Vegas," which airs on Las Vegas ONE, Cox cable Channels 1 and 39. "Who voted for neighborhood casinos? Mr. Malone.

"Yes we have a park. We have parks, we don't have a school. They have a neighborhood casino; I'll bet they're happy about that."

Malone repeatedly tried to discredit Maxfield. He said his opponent doesn't know what a commissioner does. Malone also produced a chronology on how the school site was selected, emphasizing he had nothing to do with the delays.

The first-term commissioner said that when he took office, the northwest had only 11 miles of paved roads; today it has more than 60 miles. Malone listed the parks he and the city brought to the district.

"We have a working relationship with the city of Las Vegas that we have never had before," Malone said.

The relationship between Malone and the gaming industry, however, is foggy.

Malone was labeled untrustworthy after he went back on his word to Station Casinos that he would vote against a competing neighborhood casino. He was the target of a brutal flier campaign that informed residents of Malone's decision to renege on his commitment.

Although the commissioner was vindicated last week when the state Gaming Control Board levied six complaints related to the flier against a top Station executive, the fact that Malone voted for the casino continues to haunt him.

The commission vote was later overturned by the state Gaming Policy Committee. The committee's action has been challenged in court by Boyd Gaming Corp., which was to operate the neighborhood casino.

Malone said his vote against Station Casinos' wishes should prove to the public that he cannot be swayed by campaign contributions.

"This shows the public we have character; we stood up to the big conglomerate casino industry," Malone said. "They can't think just because they give you money you are going to vote their way every time. To them it was about competition, not good government."

Whether Malone was wrongly intimidated and blackmailed after his vote doesn't matter, Maxfield said.

"The bottom line is casinos don't belong in neighborhoods," he said. "I don't care what he says. The bottom line is he voted for a casino in a neighborhood, and that is not right. He calls it good government. That is not good government."

Perhaps the most heated topic during the debate was about the Metro Police bike patrol. Did Malone bring the team to the northwest or didn't he?

Malone has used the bike patrol as evidence that he has implemented programs to enhance public safety. But Maxfield claims the bike patrol has been in District C for six years.

"If Lance Malone wants to take credit for bike patrol -- we both know who did bike patrol and who is responsible -- but if he wants to take credit for it while he's in office because this is an election campaign, go for it," Maxfield said.

Malone contends Maxfield went public with his claims based on a rumor. Maxfield never said whether he talked to Metro officials.