Mack had 12 loans, owed $3.3 million

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2001 | 11:25 a.m.

Las Vegas City Councilman Michael Mack as of December 2000 owed about $3.3 million, which is about $300,000 more than he owed in June of that year, records released Tuesday show.

As of December Mack had 12 loans with an accumulated debt of $3.3 million. Mack said he used the money to help keep his struggling First Class Pawn & Jewelry store at 4635 W. Flamingo Road afloat.

Documents obtained by the Sun show that in June 2000 Mack was $3.09 million in debt.

Of the 12 loans reported on Mack's February financial disclosure form, the largest is a $1.3 million loan from Denny Mason, who owns Big Screen Furniture Showcase.

The other loans Mack revealed Tuesday are from: his grandmother, Helen Mack, $17,820; his parents, Ron and Judy Mack, $446,454; EZ Pawn, a family-owned pawn shop, $467,424; longtime resident May Mushkin, $300,000; Suzanne Kimmel, $100,000; Anthony Surritte, $46,201; LDM Enterprises, a family-owned corporation, $70,163; Peoples Real Estate Investment, owned by Joseph Scala, $57,000; First Security Leasing, $260,383; Nevada First Bank, $255,047; and Levebure Security, 65,000.

Mack released the documents two days before he is scheduled to appear before a District Court judge and the Las Vegas Ethics Commission to face a conflict of interest allegation that involves Scala, who owns Courtesy Automotive Group.

Mack in June voted to deny a car dealership proposed by John Staluppi Jr.

The dealership would have competed against Scala's dealership inside Town Center.

Attorney Anthony Sgro, who is representing Staluppi, plans to use details of Mack's debt to show he was indebted to Scala and changed his vote -- after initially saying he approved of the Staluppi dealership -- because of money he received from Scala.

Moreover, Sgro hopes to show that Mack used his position as a councilman to solicit money from investors to keep his pawn shop open.