COMMISSION DISTRICT F

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

In one of the more hotly contested Clark County Commission races, incumbent Republican Lynette Boggs McDonald attempts to keep her job in District F as she faces Democratic Assemblyman David Goldwater.

Boggs McDonald, 41, was appointed to her position in March by Gov. Kenny Guinn after Commissioner Mark James resigned just 15 months into his term. The former Las Vegas councilwoman, who served from 1999 until her county appointment, got 63.8 percent of the vote in the two-person GOP primary.

Goldwater, 34, who was first elected to Assembly in 1994, garnered 72.1 percent of the vote in the two-person Democratic primary.

The candidates have opposing views on growth and how it can affect their district.

Boggs McDonald says the solution is greater adherence to the county's master plan. She says the current commission has instituted changes to the way master plan and zoning changes are handled.

"I believe through responsible growth, businesses and neighborhoods can continue to thrive and grow, and we as citizens and entrepreneurs can continue to enjoy our quality of life," she said.

Goldwater says the region's infrastructure cannot handle the rapid growth that is now permitted. He says air quality and water availability are threatened.

"Growth brings crime (and) drains our police and fire protection," he said. "Our vibrant economy has been tied to growth. Now, however, we need to slow it down or we'll eventually ruin our special quality of life."

Boggs McDonald, a former Miss Oregon who competed in the 1989 Miss America pageant, is a business graduate from Notre Dame and has a master's degree in public administration from UNLV.

Before being appointed to the Las Vegas City Council, she served as assistant Las Vegas city manager from 1994 to 1997. She retained the council post in 2001, garnering 70 percent of the vote.

She is a member of the Southern Nevada Water Authority and the Metro Police Fiscal Affairs Board.

Her platform includes holding developers to their agreements with the county to build schools and provide other services, maintaining fiscal accountability and developing solutions to water and safety issues.

Goldwater, a Bishop Gorman High School graduate who has a bachelor's degree in finance from UNLV, wants to put more police on the streets, improve traffic conditions and ensure a sustainable water supply for the valley.

He was associate vice president at First Union Securities and currently works for the Marco Consulting Group as a financial consultant.

As a legislator, Goldwater addressed Nevada's enforcement of securities sales, which led to passage of tougher securities fraud laws that have benefited Nevada investors and seniors.

He is a former chairman of the Assembly's commerce, taxation and infrastructure committees.

The district that includes Western and Southwestern Las Vegas, Blue Diamond, Mountain Springs, Sloan, Goodsprings, Jean, Sandy Valley and Primm has about 8,500 more Democrats than Republicans.

But that might not be as much of a factor as it is in other races because Boggs McDonald is a former Democrat who could attract crossover votes from fellow blacks and women, according to political observers.