Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Callister denies run against Christensen

Despite being angry about the county's handling of a beltway circling Las Vegas, City Councilman Matthew Callister says he won't run against his cousin, three-term Commissioner Paul Christensen.

Questions about Callister's political future arose when several Las Vegans reported that an automated phone service has been polling voters about whether they favor Callister or Christensen.

Christensen is running for a fourth term in District C, which includes constituents who live in Callister's northwest Las Vegas ward. Callister, a former assemblyman and state senator, has served on the City Council since last year.

Callister said he does not know who is behind the poll and denies he is contemplating a run against Christensen.

"I promised Paul a long time ago I wouldn't run against him," Callister said. "Does this beltway business make me angry enough to run against him? Probably not."

In recent weeks, Callister has criticized the county's plan to complete the southwestern leg of the beltway, which Callister calls a "road to nowhere." Callister has said the northwestern portion of the road should be completed first, because that area is growing faster than the southwest.

Callister also calls the southwestern leg an "asphalt invitation." He says completion of the leg will attract thousands of residents to that part of the Las Vegas Valley.

Money to fund the beltway became available with passage of Question 10, which voters approved in 1991 to raise $100 million a year for road construction.

Callister said 50 percent of that money comes from North Las Vegas and Las Vegas residents, and any decisions made about road projects should include residents of those areas.

However, each city in Clark County signed an agreement allowing the County Commission to control most of the funds.

As an assemblyman, Callister voted to approve Question 10. As a city councilman, Callister has said he wants more debate on how road money is spent.

Others say the deal is done and that detractors such as Callister have little room for argument.

"It's conceivable the county has some discretion (spending that money)," Commissioner Bruce Woodbury said. "But we've sold bonds against those revenues and entered numerous contracts with those beltway sections."

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