COMMISSION DISTRICT B

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 1:57 a.m.

A pair of seasoned political leaders are vying for the Clark County Commission District B seat that was long held by Mary Kincaid-Chauncey, who was defeated in the Democratic primary.

Democrat Assemblyman Tom Collins will take on North Las Vegas Councilwoman Shari Buck in the district that has 10,200 more Democrats than Republicans.

Collins garnered 41.5 percent of the primary vote in a five-person race where Kincaid-Chauncey finished third. Buck collected seven of every 10 votes cast in a three-person GOP race.

Kincaid-Chauncey, 65, was indicted last year on political corruption charges stemming from a federal investigation into allegations that favors were granted by county commissioners for cash from strip clubs.

More parks and police, as well as growth and land use, are among the big issues in the district that includes North Las Vegas, western Las Vegas, areas around the Summerlin Parkway, Nellis Air Force Base, northern Mesquite, Moapa, Logandale and parts of Overton.

"I support a plan to put more cops on the streets, and once we get those cops, we need to make sure they're in our neighborhoods." said Collins, 54, an electrical contractor who was elected five times to the Assembly and served on the education, judiciary, transportation and labor and management committees.

"In my time in public service, I've built a reputation for standing up for residents and coming up with solutions to problems, particularly problems related to growth."

A former volunteer youth coach, Collins says District B has fallen behind in the construction of parks and needs more of them to serve area families.

Collins is a graduate of Western High School and attended UNLV. He also has received training from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

"Growth and how you manage it is a concern," Buck, 44, said. "In the rural areas, the citizens should have a say in how their community grows -- or doesn't grow. Rural guidelines should be in place to protect the unique community in which they live."

Buck, a Rancho High School graduate who earned a bachelor's degree in English from Brigham Young University and is a former substitute teacher, has served as a member of the Regional Transportation Commission, the Southern Nevada Water Authority and the Clark County Flood Control District.

She is the former chairwoman of the Regional Planning Commission and was a North Las Vegas planning commissioner.

"As a member of the North Las Vegas City Council I have had front-line experience ... in creating and maintaining a delicate balance between growth, economic prosperity and quality of life," Buck said.