Goodman hopes city will add to fund

Friday, April 5, 2002 | 9:56 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is looking for support from his colleagues to help fund the campaign against Yucca Mountain.

Goodman has asked City Manager Virginia Valentine to poll the six council members to see if they want to contribute additional funds toward the fight. The city has already provided $100,000 to the state's fund.

Nevada has a $6 million fund to cover lobbying and legal expenses related to fighting the proposed dump, but state leaders say they need more to fight the nuclear energy's powerful lobbying efforts.

Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev., have asked Gov. Kenny Guinn to call a special legislative session to appropriate $10 million for a television and grass-roots campaign.

Guinn has said he will instead ask an interim legislative committee for a portion of the money, and has called on local governments to pitch in.

Earlier this week, the Clark County Commission postponed contributing $3 million, because the members want to look at the budget and get a financial commitment from state legislators.

Clark County has already given $1 million to the state's fund.

Goodman said a preliminary look at the budget shows a $1 million shortfall next fiscal year, which begins July 1. But he said he would support putting more money toward the fight, even if it meant taking money from planned projects.

"You have to make choices and it's never easy," he said.