Review-Journal endorsement: Las Vegas mayor
Hard to believe that it’s been a quarter century since somebody not named “Goodman” held the title of Las Vegas mayor. But the political dynasty established when voters elected Oscar Goodman in 1999 and then his wife, Carolyn Goodman, in 2011 will soon come to a close.
Vying to start a new era in local politics are Victoria Seaman, who served one term in the state Assembly before winning a seat on the Las Vegas City Council in 2019, and Shelley Berkley, who has a 40-year history of public service that includes stints in the state Assembly, on the Board of Regents and in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Both candidates agree that the Badlands fiasco — in which the courts have ruled that the city is liable for millions in damages for preventing a developer from building on his own property — is a threat to taxpayers and must be quickly resolved. Ms. Seaman has been a lone voice for the past few years urging that the city back down or risk financial ruin. But she has failed to round up the necessary votes on the council to push a settlement. Ms. Berkley argues that she is better suited to reach a consensus and find common ground with the developer. She insists the city’s conduct in this matter has been “wrong” and vows to protect Las Vegas taxpayers “to the best of my ability.”
Ms. Berkley’s other priorities include public safety and homelessness. She believes the region needs a more coordinated approach to dealing with the latter and says she has the ability to bring all the boards and agencies in various jurisdictions together in a more unified manner. “My goal is to get them off the streets,” she said.
Ms. Berkley dismisses rent control as a panacea for high housing costs, recognizing that “this is a supply and demand issue.” She backs Gov. Joe Lombardo’s call for the federal government to release more land to facilitate the region’s continued economic prosperity. “If you’re not growing,” she said, “you’re dying.”
Ms. Seaman wants to ensure that the city has the services to entice the homeless to move off the streets. She favors the city’s controversial “camping ban” as essential to combating the problem. She also embraces the governor’s call for more developable land and points to federally funded, affordable housing projects in Las Vegas as evidence the city is moving forward on the issue.
Both Ms. Berkley and Ms. Seaman insist they would run a transparent City Hall to the benefit of local taxpayers.
While both candidates hold similar positions on various policies, Ms. Berkley’s commitment to public service runs broad and deep. Her 14 years in Congress give her a wealth of experience on a variety of issues that are vital to a growing municipality. She would be a strong, vocal, enthusiastic and influential ambassador for Las Vegas, and she has the relationships to build the bridges that will help get things done. “There is nobody more suited to take this city to the next level,” she said, “and that’s where I intend to take it.”
Las Vegas voters should elect Shelley Berkley as their next mayor.