Editorial: Officials shouldn’t shirk responsibilities

Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2001 | 9:45 a.m.

The 2001 Legislature did the right thing when it passed legislation that prohibits a city council or a county government from taking action unless a majority of the whole board -- not just a majority of the board members present -- cast their votes. In the past few years a number of controversial decisions have been made by local governments in Southern Nevada with less than a majority of the board voting. In one of the worst cases, only one of five Las Vegas City Council members voted, passing 1-0 a request to rezone downtown property in 1998. In that instance, four said they had potential conflicts of interest that prevented them from voting.

When Gov. Kenny Guinn signed the bill into law in May it seemed as if the matter finally had been settled, but Las Vegas City Attorney Brad Jerbic, on behalf of the Nevada League of Cities, is now asking a District Court judge to determine if all the sections of the new law are valid, arguing that some language in the law was omitted from the statutes dealing with ethics. But a research analyst for the Legislature notes that the new law supercedes all the old provisions, which would mean that the new legislation would apply in all instances, including to the ethics laws.

Citizens expect that a majority of their elected representatives will decide the government's business. It's evident that the Nevada League of Cities, including the city of Las Vegas, is unhappy with the new law. But they should give it up. It's a good law, it's good government, and it should stand.