Square one for Henderson lobbyists

By Mike Trask (contact)

Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Terri Barber will have her hands full over the next three months.

She’s preparing to lead Henderson’s lobbying efforts in Carson City. And between now and February, she’ll have to build some important new relationships.

From president on down the ticket, Election Day brought changes to the elective offices representing Henderson. Most relevant to Barber: Three new state Assembly members and one new state senator. That’s in addition to the new congresswoman and the new Clark County commissioner.

The dynamics of political play and coincidence led to nearly every federal, state and county seat up for grabs changing hands.

For the same reasons as Barber, Alice Martz, chief executive of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, is busy updating her contact lists.

“I think everybody is cautiously waiting,” she said of the 2009 Legislature and its new roster of players. “Everything is on the table with the economy at the forefront of all the issues.”

At the top of the list: staying solvent.

These are trying times for Henderson, a city with more than 275,000 residents, as it faces a $28 million budget shortfall. It will surely turn to the state for help. But the state itself is in a financial crisis.

Also on the city’s legislative agenda: a request for a bill that would allow alternative sentencing guidelines in some felony court cases.

Barber said she already knows the new state legislators and meets candidates as soon as they file. But she hasn’t met with them since the election.

She will over the next 10 weeks.

The biggest new name in the evolving Rolodexes of important politicians is Democrat Dina Titus, who replaces Republican Jon Porter, the three-term incumbent in the 3rd Congressional District.

At the county level, Democrat Steve Sisolak, a member of the Board of Regents, defeated Republican Brian Scroggins to replace Republican Bruce Woodbury on the Clark County Commission.

In the state Senate, Democrat Shirley Breeden, a newcomer, defeated Republican incumbent Joe Heck.

In the four Assembly districts that carve up Henderson, three seats did not have incumbents seeking reelection.

The lone incumbent running for reelection — Republican Lynn Stewart — easily defeated a pair of little-known challengers.

In races for the three other Henderson-area Assembly seats, winners were Melissa Woodbury, a Republican and the daughter of Bruce Woodbury, and Democrats Ellen Spiegel and April Mastroluca.

The newly minted officials say they have met with Barber and other local leaders to work on issues important to Nevada’s second-largest city.

There will also be big changes on the five-member City Council. Mayor James Gibson, who has seen the city’s population grow to 270,000 from 144,000 when he was elected in 1997, will be forced by term limits to leave office. Councilman Jack Clark also faces a term limit, meaning there will be at least two new council members.

It could be three if Councilman Andy Hafen successfully runs for mayor. If Hafen does not become mayor, term limits will force him to step down from his council post in 2011.

Given all the changes, this would be a good Christmas to buy your favorite Henderson bureaucrat a new Rolodex.