Friday, Oct. 11, 2002 | 10:53 a.m.
The public power ballot initiative found its way into Thursday's televised debate for attorney general with Democrat John Hunt demanding his opponent take a stand on Question 14.
Republican Brian Sandoval, who is from Reno and not eligible to vote on the Clark County question, said only that he has concerns about the measure for a number of reasons.
But Hunt said the issue is critical to the office, because the Bureau of Consumer Protection within the office is responsible for serving as the consumer advocate in utility issues.
"The attorney general has to do what's in the best interest of the citizens," Hunt said during the debate on Las Vegas ONE in support of Question 14.
But Sandoval said the attorney general "has to be thoughtful and look at all of the information."
Sandoval argued that if Nevada Power is purchased by the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the utility company's money to fund the Bureau of Consumer Protection would go away.
Hunt also said the Nevada Power issue isn't isolated to Southern Nevada and said the proposed purchase would be a "win-win" for the state "by cutting off the cancer of Nevada Power in the South, you'll have a much stronger Sierra Pacific utility in the North."
Hunt also tried to link Sandoval to Nevada Power by referring to his past representation of the Utility Shareholders of Nevada.
Sandoval said the shareholders were a separate entity from Nevada Power, and that he "didn't step in lockstep" with the company.
Hunt argued that Sandoval was representing shareholders, while he would represent senior citizens. But Sandoval countered that a majority of the shareholders were senior citizens.
Hunt alleged that those seniors were wealthy and are not the same as the type of seniors Hunt would represent.
"The seniors I know are the seniors who need Social Security," Hunt said. "They're not someone who needs their dividends from Nevada Power which is supplemental to their vast wealth."
Sandoval, in his most animated answer of the debate, argued that Hunt "shouldn't speak out of ignorance and speculate." He then said the shareholders did need the dividends to survive.
The debate will be rebroadcast on Las Vegas ONE, a partnership of the Las Vegas Sun, KLAS-TV and Cox Cable. Las Vegas ONE is on Cox Cable Channels 1 and 39. Air time is 9 a.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday.
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