Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas City Council Ward 4 candidates

    • StavrosAnthony

      Stavros S. Anthony

      Age: 56

      Occupation: Las Vegas City Council

      Other experience: 29 years with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, retired as a captain. Elected two terms to the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents. Adjunct faculty with the College of Southern Nevada. Master’s and Ph.D. graduate from UNLV. Board member with Goodwill of Southern Nevada.

      Questions:

      1.) As the city continues to struggle with budget deficits, what are your best one or two ideas to help balance the budget?

      One way is to ensure that the city of Las Vegas is business-friendly. This will open new businesses, assist current business and create jobs. This will increase the revenue to the city.

      Privatization and consolidation of public services must be strategically studied to determine areas where a better service can be found at a less expensive cost.

      Continually look at the city budget to ensure monies are spent wisely.

      2.) What are one or two specific issues or projects in your ward you’d address as a city council member?

      I would ensure empty, foreclosed homes do not deteriorate to such a degree that they cause public nuisances in a neighborhood. The Broken Windows Theory states that if I take care of small things in a neighborhood, crime will not increase and families will be able to enjoy a better quality of life.

      I will work on public safety issues such as crime, transportation, graffiti abatement and having great parks where people can safely raise their kids, walk their dogs, and be proud of Las Vegas.

      I will continue to sponsor community events such as shredding events, hazardous materials pickup, prescription drop-off for destruction, movies in the park, Feature a Teacher and others to ensure I connect with Ward 4 residents and create a spirit of community.

      3.) Do you support Metro Police’s request to levy a quarter-cent sales tax increase to hire new officers? Is Las Vegas being asked to pay an equitable share of Metro’s budget?

      The Las Vegas City Council, with my support, passed a resolution in support of the sales tax increase. I based my support on the fact that the voters approved this increase, and we need more police officers on the street protecting our neighborhoods, businesses, arresting criminals and preventing crime.

      As of today, yes.

      4.) Have you differed with any positions or votes taken by the city council in the past several years? If so, please give specific examples.

      As I promised when elected four years ago, I voted no on the new City Hall and Mob Museum. I was the only no vote.

      I was one of two no votes in creating a new redevelopment area and funding it with $1 million from the general fund.

    • FrankGeary

      Frank Geary

      Age: 49

      Occupation: Investigative journalist (23 years in the newspaper business)

      Other experience: Lone Mountain Little League baseball coach

      Questions:

      1.) As the city continues to struggle with budget deficits, what are your best one or two ideas to help balance the budget?

      Stop wasting taxpayer money on downtown clubs, bars and tourist attractions, and redirect some public money to private projects that will turn a profit for the city, such as recruiting anchor tenants to the five or so dormant shopping centers in or near Ward 4.

      Either privatize the city of Las Vegas’ television station or close it down. The city could compel the operator to provide more entertaining, educational and useful programming. The station would be self-sustaining, with revenue goals to be met as part of an initial short-term contract.

      2.) What are one or two specific issues or projects in your ward you’d address as a city council member?

      The No. 1 issue is the decline in home values, and the quality-of-life issues that have taken root in its wake. Crime, litter, graffiti and the number of burnt-out lawns, junked cars and boarded-up homes are on the rise. Foreclosures and the sudden, steep increase in investor-owned properties have hurt neighborhoods that once boasted some of the nicest homes in the Las Vegas Valley.

      Tourist gateways feature expensive art and landscaping, but commercial corridors in Ward 4 do not. Improvements on Cheyenne Avenue, Craig Road, Rainbow Boulevard, Tenaya Way and other major roads would improve residential and commercial property values and give residents renewed pride in their neighborhoods.

      3.) Do you support Metro Police’s request to levy a quarter-cent sales tax increase to hire new officers? Is Las Vegas being asked to pay an equitable share of Metro’s budget?

      No, I do not support the proposed quarter-cent sales tax increase. Las Vegas does pay an equitable share of Metro’s budget.

      4.) Have you differed with any positions or votes taken by the city council in the past several years? If so, please give specific examples.

      Opposed public funding for the Mob Museum. Opposed construction of the new City Hall. Opposed giving public money to Krave, the gay nightclub, despite its ongoing financial troubles. Opposed offering former city council members public money for a housing development. Opposed deals the city made with a golf-course developer who ultimately pushed the city to develop public land at a great profit for himself and great expense to taxpayers. Oppose the city’s foot-dragging on recycling. Instead, the city should compel Republic Services to provide a truly user-friendly recycling program, like those mandated by state law in California for more than 20 years.

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