Editorial: Western views not monolithic

Monday, April 2, 2001 | 9:33 a.m.

The Western Governors' Association has tried, when possible, to speak with one voice on issues that affect those states. But an Associated Press story last week showed that lately this voice has been off-key, with disagreements splintering the group that seeks to present a unified voice to Washington on federal issues affecting the region.

The fissure among Western governors probably was best displayed during a recent conference they held to discuss ways to help stem the energy crisis that has taken its toll on that region. The governors representing states from the West Coast -- California, Oregon and Washington -- all wanted federal regulators to take a more active role in halting skyrocketing energy prices. But their brethren in the Rocky Mountain states stood firm with the Bush administration, arguing that price controls would actually make the situation worse.

One explanation for the split on the energy crisis is that there were partisan differences, with the West Coast Democratic governors seeking government intervention while their Republican colleagues in the Rocky Mountain region believing in a free-market approach. But it also should be noted that the West itself can't be thought of any longer as a monolithic region. For instance, not only is the West Coast's economy much different than that in the Rocky Mountain West, but the West Coast states also are more urban and usually place a premium on protecting the environment. Even within the Rocky Mountain West, the stereotype of ranchers and miners spearheading those economies is more myth than reality. Right here in Nevada, despite our sweeping vistas and mile after mile of desolate land, roughly 9 out of every 10 residents live in an urban area. This translates into profound differences, as Las Vegas and Reno residents typically have vastly different views about the economy and ! the environment.

Some may worry that the West's influence on important matters in Washington may be diluted by policy rifts, but papering over these differences doesn't make sense. The West is changing. As the population continues to expand significantly in the region, with more people moving here from other parts of the nation and settling in metropolitan areas, the old notions of what issues Westerners care about will change, too.