Job creation Steve Ross’ reason for running for mayor

By Delen Goldberg

Friday, March 11, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

Las Vegas mayoral candidate Steve Ross describes himself as the “working man” candidate. His singular focus: creating jobs.

A native Nevadan, Ross is an electrician and a former union leader. He and his wife, Kelli, started a small contracting business and ran it for 10 years before it collapsed because of the economy.

He is a Las Vegas councilman representing northwest neighborhoods and Centennial Hills. He was first elected in 2005.

How will you create jobs as mayor?

No. 1 is tax credits and incentives to businesses that are going to hire employees.

It’s also cutting red tape. Because I come from the private sector, I’ve experienced firsthand the frustration a customer goes through in that bureaucratic process. It stops people from wanting to do business in the city.

It’s also helping entrepreneurs get started. I want to see a business incubator in the city ... to help entrepreneurs put together a plan to put people to work and get their businesses up and running. It would cover office costs, technology costs, telephones and computers, at least until they get their feet planted well on the ground.

Why run for mayor? You have a vote on the City Council, which equals the power of the mayor.

Mayor Oscar Goodman did a wonderful job at a time when this economy was booming. But the days of the showgirls and martinis are over. That’s not the kind of mayor we need today. We need a mayor who is going to fight for every job he can get, who will cross state lines and grab businesses and drag them back to Las Vegas.

I’m less concerned about the title. I’m more concerned about getting the work done. Parks, budgets, nice neighborhoods — nothing else matters if people aren’t working.

Polls consistently show you in fourth place. How will you make it to the general election?

I’ve grown up here my entire life, and I’ve raised my children here. I am so deep into this community that people I went to elementary school with are calling me saying, “Steve, what can we do to help you?”

Plus I’m in the neighborhoods every day. I attend two or three homeowner associations meetings a month, and I have done that for six years.

You blamed Goodman for city job losses and dropping the ball on education. If there have been policy failures, aren’t you also to blame?

There are lots of things to criticize me about. I’m not perfect, but I’ve always been driven. It’s not about Oscar or Carolyn or any of my other opponents. It’s about the people. So if I can be criticized for doing the work of the people of this city, so be it.

My criticism of the mayor is that education hasn’t been on his agenda and there is no job plan right now.

Do you feel betrayed by Oscar and Carolyn Goodman?

I talked to the mayor nine months ago. I spoke with Councilman (Steve) Wolfson, Councilman (Gary) Reese, Commissioner (Larry) Brown, and none of them indicated to me that they were running. It was a shock to me certainly, but no surprise. I fully expected a whole lot of people to be running.

I’m used to hard campaigns, I’m used to tough fights. I take nothing for granted. I take things at face value, and I trust a person only so far. I imagine there will be more surprises.

You were found guilty by the state Ethics Commission for voting on the new city hall while serving as a union leader. Do you see a conflict of interest between your union membership and being mayor?

Last year I left the Building and Construction Trades Council. I was the secretary-treasurer, and I did not seek re-election. I’m still an (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) member as an electrician, and that’s not going to change.

There won’t be any conflict of interest unless the IBEW has a particular agenda item, which they have had in the past. I’d have to abstain because it’s my union. But I have never had to abstain from any votes on any construction projects.