LV election expenses set records

Final campaign expense reports filed Monday prove the recent municipal elections in Las Vegas were the most expensive ever.

If any lesson can be learned from the millions thrown at the mayoral race and two council seats, it's as Mayor Oscar Goodman put it Monday just before filing his report, "the one with the mostest does the bestest."

Although the two candidates squaring off in the mayoral general election spent a combined $2.4 million, when the entire field of candidates for that position is totaled a staggering $3.3 million was coughed up.

"I think the amount of money spent on this race is obscene," Goodman said. "There must be some type of election reform."

The third campaign contributions and expense reports filed Monday show Goodman won not just the election, but the fund-raising battle as well.

Goodman raised $335,910 after June 1 compared with $77,375 raised by second-place finisher Arnie Adamsen. Goodman's campaign coffers ended with a $160,000 surplus while Adamsen's failed bid left a $61,000 deficit in his warchest.

Although Adamsen spent $372,777 of his $1,085,950 total on television ads, his campaign didn't spend a dime on advertising after June 1 despite having a full week to go until the general election.

Goodman spent $431,028 on television advertising during the campaign -- roughly one-third of his $1.3 million total expenses.

Developer Mark Fine spent a total of $714,650 on the mayoral race -- nearly half of which, $350,216, went to television advertising.

Former Clark County Commission Chairman Jay Bingham, who dropped out of the race just days after declaring, raised more than $260,235 and spent $164,848.

Although Goodman cries for reform, he places that duty squarely on the shoulder of media outlets, claiming that newspapers and television stations need to "level the playing field" by lowering ad rates or eliminating the charges for air time or newsprint.

"The media has to pitch in as a social service," Goodman said. "Otherwise, we'll have to go back to the days of the Revolutionary War era when all you did was talk to people and shake hands."

The mayor's race, with a field of nine candidates making it to the May primary, was the costliest municipal election on record in Las Vegas. But the two City Council races also saw incredible expenditures.

Incumbent Gary Reese spent $532,784, including $103,836 after June 1. Although outspending his opponent Nevada Stupak by a 7-to-1 margin, Reese won the Ward 3 seat by just 139 votes.

However, Stupak's second report showed a remarkable increase in fund-raising. Stupak raised $11,000 during the first expense report period and $48,780 during the period from May 26 to June 1, after he had surprisingly made it to the general election by a strong showing in the May 4 primary.

In all, Stupak spent $73,673, the bulk of which went to direct mail, T-shirts and signs and a last-minute television ad.

Reese's campaign finished with a $15,000 deficit. Stupak reported almost even expenses to contributions.

In Ward 1, incumbent Michael McDonald won easy re-election in the primary, foregoing the need for a general election. He raised $615,124 and spent $483,662 compared to his nearest opponent Steve Miller's $25,650 in contributions and $22,926 in expenses, according to the second campaign report.

McDonald's and Miller's final reports were not available Monday. By law, the candidates must postmark such reports by 5 p.m. on the date due. As a result, some of the reports have not yet arrived at the city clerk's office.

Even the Municipal Court race in Department 4 saw an unprecedented amount of money spent by the two candidates who made it to the general election.

Jessie Walsh spent $144,644 in a losing effort. Bert Brown spent a staggering $262,209 in winning the bench. He raised $279,701.

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