Incumbent protection

Why is the re-election rate of incumbent politicians so high that voters in numerous states have found it necessary to impose term limits — to the extent that judges hand-picked by those same politicians allow them to do so?

It might be because voters are so wise and well-informed that virtually everyone they’ve ever chosen for public office is wiser, more honest and more competent than any challenger who ever steps forward.

Or maybe not. The number of former Clark County commissioners now going through daily bed checks at various institutions of federal correction are certainly contrary indicators.

No, there’s a reason why politicians are always happy to get appointed to fill a vacant seat, even if it’s only a few months before they’ll have to face the voters. It’s because they then get to run as “incumbents.”

Some advantages of incumbency are unavoidable. Politicians getting their pictures in the newspaper or on TV at some ribbon-cutting; being quoted on the issues of the day. In other cases, though, tax moneys that were supposed to be used “for the common good” are converted to uses that are barely distinguishable from campaigning.

The city of Las Vegas and Clark County each have tax-funded government television channels. It’s supposedly intended merely to “keep the citizens informed” about their government. Appearances for incumbents are, at least, restricted in the months immediately preceding their re-election bids. But you won’t see a lot of challengers getting free “face time” on that station. Why do you suppose that is?

And consider that over the past year and a half, Las Vegas City Council members have spent more than $190,000 in tax loot on “special events,” many of which looked suspiciously like re-election campaign rallies.

From July 2006 through October 2007, Councilman Steve Ross spent $59,312 on such shindigs. At the grand opening of the Centennial Hills Community Center, city staffers handed out beach balls emblazoned with Mr. Ross’ name. The souvenir playthings cost nearly $1,000. So far as we know, they did not disclose “Councilman Steve Ross wants to BLOW UP your taxes.”

Councilman Gary Reese spent $50,968 in taxpayer funds — $22,000 on two events at the East Las Vegas Community Center, a holiday dinner and a seniors Thanksgiving luncheon. He says he’s gotten a lot of thank-you letters and phone calls. Could they have somehow gotten the idea he funded the affairs out of his own pocket?

At another such event in his own ward, then-Councilman Lawrence Weekly handed out custom candy bars with wrappers reading, “Weekly Wonka.” So far as is known, the wrappers did not say, “Keep electing this guy, and expenditures like this will soon cause your municipal finances to MELT DOWN.”

At several events, Councilman Steve Wolfson distributed pencils and water bottles with his name on them. They cost taxpayers about $1,200.

At the Nevada Center for Public Ethics, Julie Tousa questions the propriety of such expenses, noting that state law prohibits a public official in most cases from using government time, property or equipment “to benefit his personal or financial interest.”

These expenditures may not quite meet the same standard of malfeasance as requesting municipal workers to pave the councilman’s driveway or repair his porch. But they’re close.