LOOKING IN ON: CITY HALL

Monday, Oct. 23, 2006 | 7:35 a.m.

Las Vegas City Council members unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday clarifying the city's position regarding the use of eminent domain. But they didn't vote on a resolution to oppose a broader statewide ballot initiative on the issue.

Citing significant public concerns raised by the state issue, members spelled out the city's stance on the seizure of private property. The new ruling states:

"The policy of the City is not to use eminent domain to take private property, without the consent of the owner, for purposes of transfer or lease to another for private commercial enterprise."

While the written policy is new, the principle behind it has been in place for some time.

"That's been the rule for as long as I've been here," Mayor Oscar Goodman said Thursday.

City officials felt it was necessary to put their views on paper, however, to distinguish between the city's policy and Question 2, the so-called PISTOL ballot question facing voters in November.

PISTOL, which stands for People's Initiative to Stop the Taking of Our Land, is the property owners bill of rights that would restrict the state's ability to seize land through eminent domain.

Initially, the council agenda included a resolution to oppose Question 2, stating that the initiative, if enacted, could have a detrimental effect on residents and businesses. But the item was removed from consideration.

Officials felt the local resolution was important to assure residents that the ballot initiative would have no effect on the city's policy.

"There is a certain comfort level when you put it in writing," Goodman said.

Council members voted to broaden the Home Ownership for Educators Program in an effort to attract more teachers to the area.

The city started the program last year, setting aside $500,000 in redevelopment funds to assist teachers in attaining affordable housing, but there were few takers.

The council started to revise the plan in April in the hope that more teachers would take advantage of it, and formalized those changes on Wednesday.

Under the original plan, only teachers in math, science and special education at at-risk schools were eligible. Now, teachers in any subject are eligible if they meet these requirements: They must live within Las Vegas city limits, teach at a Clark County School District school and their income also cannot exceed 80 percent of the area's median income of about $35,000.

Originally, teachers could only receive down-payment assistance to buy a home. Now, qualifying teachers can choose between applying for up to $30,000 in down-payment assistance for a home, or up to $500 per month in rental assistance, with a maximum benefit of $6,000.

Teachers who purchase a home but sell it within five years have to repay the down-payment assistance in full. After five years, a prorated repayment schedule kicks in. If the teachers stay 10 years, they don't have to repay the assistance.

Interested teachers should contact the Clark County School District's Human Resources Department.