Councilmen accused of voting on interests

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, June 21, 2001 | 11:24 a.m.

A Las Vegas businessman has accused Las Vegas Councilmen Michael Mack and Larry Brown of basing their votes on personal interests.

John Staluppi, who on Monday filed a formal complaint in District Court, argues that the City Council was "arbitrary and capricious" in denying his application to build a Nissan dealership in the northwest part of the city.

The complaint names the city, as well as council members who voted against the project. Mayor Oscar Goodman and Councilman Michael McDonald were not included in the complaint because, citing a conflict of interest, they abstained when the vote was taken June 6.

The council's decision to deny the dealership, which proprietors were trying to open on Rancho Drive near Santa Fe Station, apparently was the impetus for the complaint.

The complaint alleges Mack and Brown accepted campaign contributions from Joe Scala, who owns land in Town Center at the proposed site of an auto village. Staluppi tried to broker a deal with Scala, but the price for land was too high, according to the complaint. Staluppi then wanted to open in another location.

Attorney Anthony Sgro alleges that Scala paid off Mack and Brown to ensure all owners of car dealerships interested in building on the land would have to go through Scala and, consequently, pay a high price for the property.

During this year's campaign season Mack received $10,000 from Courtesy Pontiac, the dealership Scala owns in Town Center. Mack also received $2,000 from Staluppi.

Mack, who raised almost $500,000 for his election bid this year, said he considers what he believes to be the best interest of the community each time he votes.

Staluppi said Mack sent him a formal letter -- which stated that the councilman was in support of the project -- months before the dealership item was heard by the council.

However, when the routine site plan review came before the council, the dealership became a symbol of the type of operation that could ruin what planners intended for Town Center.

Mack said this morning that he stands by his decision to deny the project. Although he may have been in support of the project when he wrote the letter, Mack said he later changed his mind.

"(When I wrote the letter) I didn't have a good chance to think it through, and I changed my mind," Mack said. "I thought one car dealership would not hurt the integrity of Town Center ... but I changed my mind and I have that ability."

Both Mack and Brown said they voted against the project because it violated the integrity of the Town Center plan.

When adopted in 1996, the plan called for all commercial business to be located near Centennial Parkway and U.S. 95. Still, nothing prohibited new car dealerships from locating in other commercial areas.