Incumbents get an early start in fund-raising game

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

Ten months before the general election, four Clark County Commission incumbents have already leaped ahead in the fund-raising game.

Commissioner Lance Malone started collecting money eight months ago and has raised about $370,800 on top of the $44,000 left over from his first bid for commissioner in 1996.

Malone's war chest, which includes $40,000 from Station Casinos, might have intimidated Democratic opponent and former FBI agent George Togliatti. Togliatti, who three years ago was tagged as a potential city manager for Las Vegas, has raised less than $60,000. He has said he might back out of the race.

Commissioner Mary Kincaid, who to date has no opponent, has collected $210,000. The bulk of Kincaid's money has come from developers and the gaming industry. She, like Malone, also received $10,000 from Wal-Mart. Kincaid and Malone both voted against an ordinance that was designed to keep Wal-Mart's large Supercenters out of the county.

Yvonne Atkinson Gates, who is also unopposed so far, has collected about $150,000. Bruce Woodbury, who will likely face former UNLV Professor Larry Paulson, has raised about $70,000.

Two commissioners who were elected to the board in 1998, Dario Herrera and Erin Kenny, have also started preparing for their next election. Herrera has collected about $25,000 and Kenny, who shattered contribution records in 1998, has raised about $63,000.

Other than developers and casinos, the most significant contributors to candidates are Silver State Disposal and Triple Five Nevada Development Corp., which won permission Wednesday to build a controversial hotel-casino in Spring Valley.