Columnist Jon Ralston: Here’s to the political players

Friday, Nov. 23, 2001 | 1:53 a.m.

Gov. Kenny Guinn: Thanks for giving me hope that the state's tax structure will be fixed by the end of your term. Your second term, that is.

Mayor Oscar Goodman: Thanks for sticking with that downtown redevelopment thing. A furniture warehouse and a dinky hockey arena aren't quite a professional sports stadium and a cultural arts center. But it's a start.

Senate Majority Whip Harry Reid: Thanks for meddling in all the Nevada races. That's quite a slate of Democratic candidates you have in place so far. Oh, and thanks for all that pork you got for the state -- even if you won't call a pig a pig.

Sen. John Ensign: Thanks for proving that opposites do attract. Perhaps you can be your new best friend Harry's next party-switcher -- that way you could be in the majority party, which was what your campaign was all about last year.

Rep. Shelley Berkley: Thanks for making every one of your races interesting. My guess is next year's will be, too.

Rep. Jim Gibbons: Thanks for nothing. No opponent, no interest in running against Reid in '04, no chance you might say something that could get you in trouble. A pundit's nightmare.

County Commissioner Erin Kenny: Thanks for making county government a constant source of entertainment. Have a safe holiday and don't talk on your cell phone while driving your kid to the children's hospital because he had a shopping bag dropped on him by one of those nonunion workers at Wal-Mart.

City Councilman Michael Mack: Thanks for keeping the city ethics panel in business. Maybe Michael McDonald will agree to be a character witness for you at your hearing next month.

County Commissioner/congressional candidate Dario Herrera: Thanks for all of your selfless, nonpolitical acts this past year. And thanks for driving Erin and Yvonne crazy -- now that is funny to watch.

State Sen./congressional candidate Jon Porter: Thanks for next-to-nothing. Nothing controversial, nothing substantive, nothing to see yet. You can't run if you're going to hide, though. Can you?

City Councilwoman/congressional candidate Lynette Boggs McDonald: Thanks for being so incredibly single-minded and aggressive in pursuit of your ambitions. And thanks for being so forgiving of His Honor for that Switzerland act that lasted only a few days.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio: Thanks for finally letting the South win one on redistricting this past session. Thanks for coming back one more time.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus: Thanks for driving the Establishment nuts. Thanks for adding all that heft to the energy issue.

County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury: Thanks for being there. Enough said.

State Supreme Court: Thanks for that decision to let a bill that never passed the Legislature become law. We now know that every day has two midnights and that 120-day sessions really last 121 days.

County Commissioner-elect (sort of) Rory Reid: Thanks for giving me one less race to worry about. Shoot high: You could be the next Chip Maxfield (Chip Who?).

State Sen. Mark James: Thanks for all your fortitude in talking about education funding and the state's tax structure last session. And thanks for being so brief in talking about it, too.

The gaming industry: Thanks for reinforcing my faith that enough is never enough for you guys -- an immaculately conceived Internet gaming bill, sensitivity to your employees in the post-Sept. 11 world and anointing candidates for almost every office. You never disappoint.

The chamber of commerce: Thanks for all of your sincerity and dedication on ensuring education and social services are well-funded in this state. How can we ever truly thank you enough?

Nevada State Education Association: Thanks for your commitment to finding a solution to the state's tax structure woes and not giving in for the pieces of silver Mark James got for you during the session. Luckily, no one got the impression that it's only about salaries for you.

Nevada political world: Thanks for being predictably unpredictable, always colorful and never dull. You may orbit the Strip, but you never go around twice in quite the same way.