Voters to decide City Council size

The size of the Las Vegas City Council is now in the hands of voters.

A question on the June 8 general election ballot asking voters whether they want the council to expand by two seats will now be the final decision on the matter, which has been a state political battle for the past two years.

On Monday, the City Council agreed to make the voters' decision binding. Originally the ballot question was merely designed to advise the council on the electorate's wishes.

However, State Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, -- for the second time in two years -- introduced legislation that would have mandated the council expand.

In 1997, the Legislature passed a measure simply allowing the City Council to expand. Neal had asked for the expansion to be mandated, however, he did not have enough votes to pass such a bill in 1997.

This year, angered that the city has not yet taken any solid steps toward expansion, Neal reintroduced his original bill.

Immediately, the city responded by turning the advisory question into a proposal for a binding question. That measure passed unanimously Monday.

"Now this is subject to ratification by the voters of the city of Las Vegas," said Councilman Arnie Adamsen, who sponsored the bill to make the vote binding.

But mayoral candidate Tom McGowan labeled the move "politically expedient and motivated."

McGowan said he wanted the council itself to vote to expand in an effort to create more wards, and therefore in his opinion, more opportunity for minorities to get elected to what is now an all-white board.

"People have a right to see someone up here who looks like them," McGowan told the council.

But the council members said they did not want to authorize expansion -- and the $550,240 annual cost for such a move -- without voter approval.

"Let them decide whether the money should be spent," Adamsen said.

The council convened a committee last year to examine, among other things, whether the board should be expanded from four to six seats. The mayor currently makes up the fifth seat on the council.

That committee commissioned a survey, which found most residents are happy with the level of service they get from the council. However, the committee did recognize that adding more seats would reduce the number of board and committee assignments for each councilman and could lead to better representation.

The $550,240 expense to expand the council is only for annual salary and benefit costs. The expansion also would carry a $170,000 one-time bill for renovation of offices.

Arguments against passage of the ballot question include the cost and the increased demands on city resources as a result of having more council members.

Councilman Larry Brown said he will support whatever voters choose. However, he said he was disappointed that the entire issue had again been prompted by state action.

"I still raise some concern when our ability to make judgments are taken away from us," Brown said. "At least this one has been crafted the right way."

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