Neal says he will not seek re-election

Cy Ryan and Kirsten Searer

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 | 11:16 a.m.

Joe Neal announced today that he will not seek re-election to the state Senate seat he has held since 1972.

Neal, a Democrat who represents North Las Vegas, was the first black elected to the state Senate. Now 68 years old, Neal said he may try to continue representing North Las Vegas -- on the Clark County Commission.

"I'm not running (for the state Senate) but it doesn't mean I'm getting out of politics," Neal said.

He said he will not endorse anybody for his Senate seat until the filing period closes in mid-May.

But he implied that he is likely to endorse Linda Howard, a Democrat who currently is a member of the University and Community College System of Nevada's Board of Regents. Howard announced Tuesday that she will run for Neal's Senate District 4 seat. "We worked hard to help Linda get elected to the regents," Neal noted this morning.

Democrat Theresa Malone, a member of the state Board of Education, had previously announced her candidacy for Neal's seat. And Cedric Crear, former marketing manager for Station Casinos Inc., is expected to run for the position as well.

Neal is currently at the center of controversy surrounding the Equal Opportunity Board, the Las Vegas Valley's largest non-profit agency. Neal is a longtime member of that board and has lately been serving as its spokesman. Federal and state officials have launched several inquiries into problems at the agency including $2.1 million in public funds for which the agency can't account.

Neal didn't cite the EOB as a factor in his campaign decision, however. He said he just doesn't have the enthusiasm to return to Carson City for the 2005 Legislature because state government has lost "its humanistic approach."

He said those who advocate free enterprise and privatization of government services seem to be in charge. Neal championed the cause of minorities and poor people.

"It's time for me to walk away" from the state Senate, he said. He also said he announced four years ago that this would be his last term.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, called Neal a "dedicated legislator." They share the honor of being the longest serving senators. Raggio has not said whether he will run for re-election.

Raggio said when Neal and he arrived in the Senate, they were on opposite sides on many issues. "But we found ourselves more in agreement over the years," Raggio said.

He said Neal was "on of the best orators we have had" and he was an expert on parliamentary procedure.

Neal said one was a bill to require the major hotels to retrofit their properties to help prevent major fire disasters as occurred at two hotel-casinos in Las Vegas.

"They (the hotel-casinos) have been saved millions of dollars on their property and saved on the loss of life," he said. In addition, the hotels enjoyed reduced insurance costs.

He said he also was proud of his work in helping build the state library system. And he said he was one of the first advocates for the rights of ex-felons.

Howard, a 48-year-old Democrat who has been a regent since 2001, said Neal has been a political mentor to her.

She said she wants to be a state lawmaker because people in North Las Vegas have asked her for help on issues ranging from health care costs to utility bills. As a regent, however, she can help only on matters relating to education, she said.

Howard said she has received a positive response when floating her name for the Senate seat.

"I have been promised some money for whatever I run for," she said.