New rule impacts incumbents

Diana Sahagun

Tuesday, April 3, 2001 | 10:57 a.m.

The three Las Vegas City Council incumbents running for election are facing a new set of rules that govern how their campaigning coincides with city business.

New policies that went into effect this year changed the services the public information office can provide once council members and judges file for re-election.

The incumbents are almost ostracized by the department that supplies news releases to the media and information to residents about activities in their wards -- the public information department.

Council members who are routinely interviewed on the city's television station, KCLV Channel 2, are not allowed to have interviews aired during election season.

Incumbents are kept out of city publications or newsletters and are not featured individually by the public information office in news releases or advisories.

Some ward liaisons and other city employees go as far as to leave the room if the council members begin discussing campaign-oriented activities with others.

The policies were put in place, according to an April 2000 memo from City Manager Virginia Valentine, "not to create an encumbrance, but to create the integrity of the election process, the election laws, the candidates, and the city."

At least one candidate facing an incumbent, though, believes the council members still have an advantage and that the policies don't go far enough.

Clark County has heard similar complaints by candidates facing off against current-term officials.

In 1998 former Nevada Trooper Steve Harney, who was running against Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny, complained that the county's quarterly newsletter, "Sandstone," was misused, partly because pictures featuring Kenny were published.

Harney said newsletters that promote an incumbent's work shouldn't be distributed in the months leading up to an election.

Doug Bradford, county spokesman, said the county does not have any policies regulating commissioners' exposure during election season, because they have to continue their normal duties.

Although Bradford recommended the commissioners not be interviewed on the county's television station, most of them opted to continue their normal biweekly interviews on "Clark County Connection."

"You still have a responsibility to your constituents to provide them with information or take in their concerns about projects, programs or issues they have within their district," Bradford said. "And sometimes if you have Town Hall meetings during the election cycle, then you still have to do your job."

Mark Solomon, who is running against Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald in Ward 2, has complained that Town Hall meetings held during election season are unfair, because they give incumbents another opportunity to send their message to the voters for free.

He believes they should pay for the meetings out of campaign funds, not their city budgets.

The two incumbents who have held Town Hall meetings during the election season -- Boggs McDonald and Michael Mack -- say they scheduled their meetings a year in advance, not necessarily booking the meetings during the campaign.

Boggs McDonald said her job as a councilwoman never stops, even in the midst of a campaign, so her Town Hall meetings are routinely held so residents can speak their concerns.

"When I had the last round, there were issues brought to my attention that my staff was able to jump on and resolve," she said. "If we were to wait four months later, some of these problems we have resolved in a week may have festered."

At a recent Town Hall meeting to discuss a 100-plus-acre park in the northwest, Mack made only a quick reference to his bid for election.

A resident had asked how they could help the councilman bring the park to fruition, to which Mack replied, "Get me elected."

Mack, who is being challenged by community activist Louise Helton and two others, said Town Hall meetings should probably be paid for out of campaign funds if there is an outcry over whether they cross the line. He also said in the future, the incumbents should try to schedule them out of election season so there isn't an issue.