Commission candidate Smith tells voters: 'I am not for sale'

Mark Smith had $75 in his pocket when he packed his bags and left a Youngstown, Ohio, suburb for California, where he dreamed of a better life in a better climate.

He and his friend drove across the country, chasing a dream. Smith, who is challenging Clark County District E incumbent Myrna Williams, wanted to be a disc jockey in Southern California.

"I knew there was more to the world than living in 4 feet of snow," Smith said. "I went there to attend broadcasting school."

Smith never looked back when he moved away from Struthers, Ohio, the town in which he grew up, the town in which his father, a steel worker, died at age 35 and the town in which his mother worked in a General Motors factory to support her six children.

He hadn't been in California long when he was lured away from radio work by a more popular, up-and-coming form of media -- television. After working his way through broadcasting school, Smith was hired in Las Vegas at KLRJ Channel 2. The station, then owned by Donald Reynolds, is now KVBC Channel 3.

"I was an announcer, I swept floors and I did the news," he said.

Smith said that, like many people, he left Las Vegas because he missed his home state, which at that time he considered to be California. And like many people, he returned because California wasn't all that he remembered it to be.

"Las Vegas is a funny town," Smith said. "When you wear out a pair of shoes, you want to stay."

Those were the days when the Las Vegas Strip was a two-lane street and the entire city had fewer than 100,000 people.

Smith spent more than 20 years as a station manager for KLAS Channel 8 and more than 15 years with the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

As president of the Chamber of Commerce, Smith tripled its membership, united businesses to help strengthen Las Vegas' economy and established the Leadership Las Vegas program.

He launched programs to build a better work force, including the first online business resource center. Smith retired from the chamber in 1997.

"When I retired from the chamber, I took off for a while," he said. "When I came back, I realized I had far too much energy to be totally retired. I had followed the saga of the ethically challenged commission. I have grandchildren here and I'm concerned about their future."

Smith said when he walks door to door in his district, people complain about ethics investigations that have plagued the County Commission. They also, according to Smith, tell him they are concerned about crime.

"We have a lot going on in this district," he said. "We have the highest graffiti rate and one of the highest crime rates, and Myrna's not doing anything about it.

"I get the feeling people are unhappy and they feel a change is in order."

Recently endorsed by his opponent in the primary -- Democrat Tony Badillo -- Smith is telling voters that party affiliation is not important. His motto is, "Focus on solutions, not politics."

Smith said he will punish absentee landlords and clean up neglected properties. He promises to introduce programs to end the growing crime rate and adhere to the master plan.

Smith said the county has the funds to put about 200 more police officers on the street and he would like to see that happen. He said he also wants to consolidate services offered by the city and the county to save tax dollars.

The businessman recognizes his name is attached to a controversial figure in this year's election -- Sheldon Adelson. Adelson has spent nearly $2 million on commercials and mail-outs that blast Williams and Commissioner Erin Kenny.

In the meantime, Adelson has thrown nearly $100,000 Smith's way. Smith said he wants to crack down on ethics problems and refuses to be influenced by the city's most powerful people.

"I am not for sale," he said plainly.

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