Where I stand—Mike O’Callaghan: Smoke from Carson City

Thursday, April 5, 2001 | 9:35 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

THE SAD PART of Nevada's legislative history appears to repeat itself every two years. If Assemblyman Bob Price, D-North Las Vegas, finally gets the opportunity to have annual meetings, it will give a few of the clowns an opportunity to put on a show every year. Until now the wiser legislators and the majority of voters have mentioned that once every two years is enough. Some critics would say that it's more than enough.

"Outsiders" always appear to be safe targets for a few single issue groups and weak legislators. A good example is the abuse Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, is dishing out on newly selected Clark County School District Superintendent Carlos Garcia. New ideas from new people always appear to threaten legislators who have their own agenda and aren't willing or intelligent enough to understand new concepts.

Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, has been taken in by constant critic Ed Gobel, who has yet to see anything done for veterans to be satisfactory. Gobel has made Jon Sias his "outsider" to attack this session. A frustrated Gobel has been rejected by Clark County voters several times but continues to make enough noise to stir up unnecessary anger aimed at the man chosen to get the new Southern Nevada Veterans Home up and running.

Have there been some problems getting the new facility ready for action? Sure, and it has been written about in several articles. There have been budget problems created by the 1999 Legislature and there have been construction and Public Works problems that have been in the system for at least a decade. Despite these problems, Jon Sias has been working night and day to move the project forward.

Also noteworthy is the attempt by Assemblyman Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, and David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, to shift the motor vehicle revenues from the county to the state. Assembly Bill 457 would shift about $65 million annually from Clark County to be used by the state for education. This is a no-guts bill that shifts a burden that should be carried by the state to be carried by the county. It was the 1981 Legislature that helped create this shortcoming in its well-known tax "shaft" that lowered the property tax to be one of the lowest in the country. At the same time it raised the regressive sales tax. Rather than raise the property tax or any other substantial action in 2001, they now want to take dollars from a rapidly growing county needing additional services.

Finally, there's another Goldwater joint-sponsored bill, Senate Bill 268, which requires current public officials to resign before running for a different public office. Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, took this bill apart piece by piece. I recognize the fact that people in the middle of their term use the threat of, "I'll still be around if I win or lose." This can be a real threat coming from a county commissioner or state legislator when raising campaign funds to run for a higher office.

Despite this possible abuse the opportunity for Nevada voters shouldn't be thwarted by a law. Let the officeholder grasp for a higher rung, and then the voters will make the decision about his ability to grasp that next rung.

If legislators want to take a close look at what is happening in government, they should ask how the State Pharmacy Board qualifies to oversee people who make orthotic and prosthetic appliances. These appliances are known to the public as wooden legs and arms.

Evidently the Nevada Association of Medical Product Supplies and a lady from Medicaid requested this role by the pharmacist. Rapidly, without participation by the O & P people, it was pushed through as a regulation.

Is a state law being misused? Why the rush without O & P input? Is this oversight by the pharmacists even needed?

Time for some questions and answers if our busybody legislators, who are so busy attacking individuals and writing silly bills, can find time.