Neal: LV council blocking minorities

CARSON CITY -- Sen. Joe Neal, the ranking black member of the Nevada Legislature, said Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones and the City Council are trying to block minorities from being elected to the council.

But Jones and three council members told the Senate Government Affairs Committee Wednesday they want a public vote to decide whether the council should be expanded from four to six members.

"I have a strong belief the public has a right" to vote on this issue, Jones said.

Neal introduced Senate Bill 38 to permit the City Council to expand the number of seats, and it passed the Senate. But the Assembly made it mandatory, rather than discretionary, that the council be enlarged and sent the bill back to the Senate for agreement.

The Government Affairs Committee will decide Monday whether to recommend acceptance of the amendment. Committee Chairwoman Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, said she wants to give each side added time to lobby committee members on "this heated issue."

Jones and Councilmen Arnie Adamsen and Michael McDonald appeared before the committee and Councilman Gary Reese sent his support to the presentation. Jones said the council backed the original bill enabling the creation of two more wards.

But she said it opposes the mandatory requirement, saying it "takes away the rights of the citizens." Adding two seats would cost an extra $448,200 a year and there's no place for these officials in the current City Hall, the mayor said.

Adamsen said in his recent election campaign the voters impressed on him that they "wished to have a greater voice on major issues. I heard that loud and clear."

McDonald pushed for the issue to go to a public vote in 1998. "People have a right to be heard," he said.

But Neal called it a ploy to stop minorities from having a voice on the council. If the council was expanded, that would force re-districting, Neal said. It would mean at least one council seat for minorities and probably two, he said.

When minorities raised the issue last year of increasing council seats, they were told this had to be approved by the Legislature. Neal said city officials were apparently surprised the bill got through the Legislature.

After the bill passed the Senate, Neal said city officials changed their tune, calling for an election on the issue in the year 2000 after the census was taken. The added cost is another smoke screen, he said. He said there is plenty of room in the council chambers for additional seats.

"The city is using the fiscal argument to do nothing," Neal said. "They do not want minority members elected to the council. If you add members, you will get blacks and Hispanics on the council and that's the way it should be."

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