Ex-Sparks Mayor Breslow pays fine in dispute over telephone bills

Tuesday, June 13, 2000 | 11:15 a.m.

The commission ruled in February 1999 that Breslow willfully violated the code that bars elected officials from using government property for personal purposes.

The former mayor was found to have run up large bills from using his city-issued cellar telephone to make personal calls. The commission ordered him to pay $3,139 to cover his phone bill and pay a $1,000 civil penalty.

Breslow said at the time he did not realize he was doing anything wrong.

But the commission concluded, "It is common sense to realize that the taxpayers of this state should not be expected to pay for personal calls made on a government issued cell phone."

Ken Rohrs, executive director of the Nevada Ethics Commission, told the Sparks Tribune the commission is just now catching up on a backlog of cases.

The Breslow opinion, dated May 23, 2000, gave him until July 15 to pay his fine. Rohrs said Breslow's check arrived shortly after the opinion was mailed.

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