Top mayoral candidates steal the show

Although designed to offer a level playing field among the nine candidates for Las Vegas mayor, a candidates forum Monday night largely focused on the three men considered by some the front-runners.

The two-hour forum, broadcast live on cable television and sponsored by the Charleston Preservation Group, offered the audience a chance to ask any candidate any question.

But only one question was directed to a candidate not sitting behind the nameplate Arnie Adamsen, Mark Fine or Oscar Goodman.

In fact, when the candidates had a chance to question each other, Tom McGowan asked Frank LaSpina how he would change the process to create a more level race between people with varying degrees of financial support.

"This has been shameless," answered LaSpina, a talk radio host. "Being in this race has been the single worst event of my life. Let me amend. NOT being in this race has been the single worst event of my life."

And when Goodman announced he would use his allotted question on McGowan, McGowan said, "Thank God."

In the first -- and perhaps only -- forum offering all candidates a voice, many distinct ideas emerged.

Hillary Michael Milko, a stockbroker, said he would bring an NFL exhibition game to the city and lobby for a city-sponsored lottery to offset tax disparity with the county.

Cruz Olague, a former mayor of Henderson, said he would work to create a "double-penalty zone" for crimes committed within a four-block radius of schools.

McGowan vowed to expand the City Council by two seats. LaSpina said he would offer a weekly "Talk to the Mayor" radio show, and Anthony Snowden said he would change City Council meetings to nighttime to "encourage people to participate."

Several of the audience questions to Fine involved his connections to and work for 25 years as a developer.

"I don't believe I'm beholden to anybody," Fine said when asked if developers are funding his campaign.

In response to another question Fine did not give his position on Senate Bill 286, the construction-defect legislation sponsored by developers, saying only "I have not read the details."

One resident asked Goodman his views on abortion, which at first drew moans and then applause when the criminal defense attorney answered "It's a private matter that in no way should be involved in the mayor's race."

Adamsen, who has been on City Council for 12 years, cited his experience as his biggest asset. However, his years on the board also led to attacks from other candidates and tough questions about redevelopment projects downtown.

"If we hadn't done something downtown, it would have been empty," Adamsen said, defending his votes to fund private projects with millions of city dollars. "Downtown would have looked like downtown Beirut. I think that's a pretty good investment."

Fine, whose own polls show him trailing both Goodman and Adamsen, asked Goodman why after 34 years in town did he decide to run.

"What possible insight can you bring to this?" Fine asked.

Goodman said he waited to enter political life after his children were grown and he was "financially secure." He also said "I'm not indebted to anybody. I'm not owned by anyone."

When Adamsen had the chance to ask a question next, he said "I'm not going to say anything negative, unless I'm attacked first."

In his opening statement, Olague said "I would put one year of my record against Adamsen." And referring to his two years as Henderson mayor when Green Valley development was authorized, Olague said, "Mark Fine developed it, but I'm the one who got it for him."

One resident asked Goodman how many City Council meetings he has attended.

Goodman answered three. "And they were for the birds."

Only Milko, Olague, McGowan and Fine raised hands when asked if they would become a full-time mayor, without outside jobs or influences.

Goodman, who did not raise his hand, instead said: "How 'bout guilty with an explanation?"

He has previously stated he will keep his law practice if elected mayor.

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