Battling billboards: Soccer mom-turned-activist challenges powerful politicians

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2002 | 9:46 a.m.

But don't let the term fool you. She's also a political activist who recently challenged one of the most powerful of Southern Nevada's local politicians.

A mother of five who owns a small marketing company, Mayo-DeRiso has become a campaign issue in the congressional race pitting Democratic Clark County Commission Chairman Dario Herrera against Republican state Sen. Jon Porter after she filed an ethics complaint against Herrera.

Democrats have been whispering that she did it on the urging of Porter's campaign.

But Mayo-DeRiso, who says she is a Republican, says her complaint had nothing to do with Porter or politics; she says she did it because she thinks Herrera was wrong to vote on an issue she cares deeply about: billboards.

"I got involved with the billboard issue, because it's about the same thing I'm always concerned about: the quality-of-life issues," Mayo-DeRiso said.

Herrera's support was key to passing a billboard-industry backed ordinance that could allow new billboards along the Las Vegas Beltway and Las Vegas Boulevard, among other areas.

Mayo-DeRiso regularly attends the County Commission's zoning meetings. Some of her neighbors turn to her for advice when they are frustrated by land-use issues. But Mayo-DeRiso stresses that she isn't a lawyer.

But she is no naif. Mayo-DeRiso has a master's degree in economics from Pepperdine University. And she played a key role in successfully fighting another controversial land-use decision by the County Commission.

Two years ago, the commission approved a casino in a shopping mall largely surrounded by residential neighborhoods. A state board subsequently found that the approval wasn't valid because, contrary to state law, the casino would have had a negative impact on the surrounding community.

The vote and controversy over the approval is credited with derailing the political career of Commissioner Lance Malone, a Republican who switched sides to support the casino.

John Hiatt, a neighborhood activist, conservationist and chairman of the Enterprise Town Advisory Council, says politicians should take Mayo-DeRiso seriously.

"She's a pretty bright person with an amazing degree of savvy about the way things work," he said.

Mayo-DeRiso's newly minted notoriety is an outgrowth of political activism, but she has been active in the community for years.

Her husband and children take up much of her time. She is a board member of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, volunteers with the Lili Claire Foundation for children with birth defects and keeps her family busy with horseback riding and soccer practice.

She occasionally has time to read the latest political/military thriller by Tom Clancy.

But Mayo-DeRiso still typically devotes four to five hours a week working on land-use issues -- sometimes more when she's on a hot topic -- because she's a political junkie.

But as a parent, she fears what could go up on billboards throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

"Once a billboard is up, we have no control over what is on that billboard," Mayo-DeRiso said.

She says her fear is that she will be stuck at a traffic light with one of her children, ages 19 months through 16 years, looking up at a sign advertising escort services or sexually oriented telephone chat lines.

"I think billboards are ugly," Mayo-DeRiso said, noting that she has spent about two full work weeks fighting the billboard issue. "I think they ruin the landscape. I think 215 (the Beltway) is a beautiful drive, and it won't be beautiful if it is surrounded with billboards."

Mayo-DeRiso filed the complaint after Herrera, who had previously abstained from discussion over the controversial new billboard ordinance, voted. Herrera's wife works for the billboard industry and, despite a verbal go-ahead from county attorney Rob Warhola, Mayo-DeRiso believes the commissioner should have again abstained.

And Mayo-DeRiso wants Herrera to abstain when the same ordinance comes up again before the commission. On Feb. 6 the commission is scheduled to consider 19 separate amendments to the billboard rules.

Herrera said he will not bow out.

"I think it's a duty that I owe my constituents, to make decisions that continue to protect our residents," he said, "as long as the district attorney says that I can participate."

He said he supported the industry-backed ordinance because it gives the County Commission the final say for almost all new billboards in the unincorporated county.

He won't comment specifically on the ethics charge.

Mayo-DeRiso calls claims that she filed the ethics complaint for partisan political reasons ridiculous.

Mayo-DeRiso admits she is helping on the campaign of another potential rival to a sitting county commissioner -- Esther Quisenberry, who is running for the seat now held by Erin Kenny, a Democrat. She has met Porter, she said, but hasn't talked with him for years.

Mike Slanker, Porter's campaign chief, said he doesn't know who Mayo-DeRiso is.

"I've never met the woman, and we certainly didn't ask her to do this," he said. "I think they brought it on themselves. It's silly to point the finger at us."

Hiatt, of the Enterprise Town Board, also doesn't buy a scenario of Mayo-DeRiso as a political Mata Hari for Porter.

"Lisa was totally shocked at what happened at the County Commission hearing," Hiatt said. "This ethics complaint has to do with Dario's vote on the issue ... This is not a deal rigged by the Porter campaign."

Although Mayo-DeRiso said Herrera's participation in the billboard issue is morally and ethically wrong, she said she isn't interested in hurting his political future.

"What I do care about is me, as a citizen, and the public, having an even playing field," she said. "It has to do with allowing the public a fair and equitable opportunity."