State of County address will be toned down

Adrienne Packer

Monday, Jan. 7, 2002 | 9:49 a.m.

State of City

The State of the City address tonight by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will be broadcast live on Las Vegas ONE, cable channels 1 and 39, beginning at 5:30 p.m., with a repeat at 8:30 p.m.

Don't expect any TelePrompTers or high-priced suits to accompany Clark County Commission Chairman Dario Herrera's State of the County speech this year.

And don't expect the young congressional candidate to dominate the floor as he did a year ago when he irked some of his colleagues by standing in front of the commission dais and speaking directly to the county's television cameras trying to reach the Channel 4 audience.

Instead, Herrera said he will speak briefly during the board's Jan. 15 meeting, then give his colleagues an opportunity to outline their goals for the upcoming year.

"I think it's important for the community to recognize that this commission as a whole is committed to furthering the interest of our constituents," Herrera said. "The most appropriate way to do that is provide equal time for everyone to discuss their goals."

As Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman prepared to deliver his State of the City address today, Herrera said the county is still working out the details of his speech.

Herrera insisted that the toning down of the speech has nothing to do with criticisms from last year's performance or potential accusations that he is using the stage -- and television time -- to further his bid for the 2002 congressional race.

He said a commissioner's first year as chairman is when more elaborate speeches are delivered. After that, the annual talk becomes more routine.

This year, however, is different than past years. The Sept. 11 terrorism attacks sent unemployment rates skyrocketing, tourism rates plummeting and put the health of the county's economy in doubt. Not only has the county had to shift funds from its coffers and plunge into its surplus to make up for shortfalls, but it has had to focus more heavily on security and emergency operations services.

Herrera said he will touch on the effect the attacks had on the county and how the government is working to recover.

"I'll address fiscal issues, some related to the aftermath of Sept. 11," Herrera said.

The chairman also will inform county voters that commissioners have accomplished or nearly completed each goal he outlined in his speech a year ago. Herrera vowed to fight the transportation of nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, clean up the air in Clark County, hire more police officers and introduce programs to improve Southern Nevada's literacy rate.

"We've made great strides in the fiscal strengths of the county," Herrera said. "Despite softening revenues nationally and locally, we've accomplished a lot since the state of the county address last year."