Editorial: Merging shouldn’t be taboo

Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002 | 8:58 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon have talked to each other about the feasibility of the two cities merging. Analysts for Las Vegas city government have done a preliminary review to see how a merger might affect the property tax rates of Las Vegas residents, but it looks like that's about as far as this will go. The discussions so far have been informal, and the likelihood of both cities joining their operations anytime soon is remote, especially with the members of the North Las Vegas City Council strongly opposed to the prospect.

Still, it is encouraging to see both mayors talk about consolidation, an idea that unfortunately has fallen on disfavor among many politicians who are unwilling to cede power. Montandon himself says he would be willing to step aside as mayor if consolidation meant improved services. North Las Vegas Councilwoman Shari Buck has a decidedly different view. Montandon is entitled to his own opinion about his job, Buck said, "but I'm not willing to abdicate my responsibility to serve the citizens of North Las Vegas to someone else." But Buck is missing the point. If the citizens of North Las Vegas ultimately are better served by merging the two entities, then why shouldn't that option be pursued?

North Las Vegas isn't the only place where consolidation recently has been greeted coldly. A land use agreement plan approved in January between the city of Las Vegas and the Clark County Commission contained a county-sponsored provision that, for the next five years, prevents the city and the county from actively pursuing legislation that would result in further consolidation of services between Las Vegas and Clark County. Merging of some limited government services, such as animal control, could still be allowed through interlocal agreements, but a more sweeping consolidation of government services effectively is nixed for the time being.

Despite the recent setbacks to an expansion of government consolidation, the merging of government services actually has improved the delivery of government services in the Las Vegas Valley. The Regional Flood Control District, the Las Vegas Valley Water District and the Metropolitan Police Department all are examples of local governments pooling their resources to provide better services and more efficiency, something that benefits all taxpayers. That is why local government officials should be looking for ways to expand consolidation, not retreat from what has been a success story for local government.