Letter: Goodman good for Las Vegas

Friday, Feb. 7, 2003 | 9:44 a.m.

Jon Ralston's Feb. 2 column regarding Mayor Oscar Goodman was one of the more venomous, factually incorrect, and irresponsible pieces of journalism that I have read in some time.

Why does Jon hate Oscar so much? Oscar is only the best cheerleader that this city has ever had. Downtown is rapidly changing from a rundown, scary place to one where parents can take their children and have fun. This is Oscar's doing. What is so bad about that?

Mr. Ralston's silly statement that the mayor "funneled money" to his wife is garbage. The mayor merely took money that was his and donated it to a private school. Would Jon have been happier if he spent it buying copies of the Sun?

The mayor has done a fantastic job doing what the mayor of Las Vegas should do: He keeps national interest on Las Vegas. His appearances on national television are free advertising for Las Vegas. Except for maybe the mayor of New York City, Oscar gets his mug, and Las Vegas' mug, on television more than any other mayor.

Oscar keeps Las Vegas in the news and always with a positive spin for Las Vegas. Let somebody else write a column. Anybody but Jon.

The fact is, Mayor Goodman has been good to the city and a welcome change. Oscar didn't need the job; however, the job needed him.

ROBERT MURDOCK