Voting for the future

Sunday, April 10, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

The race to replace term-limited Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will be the marquee contest on the ballot in June, and it will garner significant attention over the next several weeks.

Voters will have an ample opportunity to evaluate the candidates’ experience and positions of the two candidates — Carolyn Goodman, the mayor’s wife and founder of the Meadows School who took the most votes in this past week’s primary, and Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani.

But the self-proclaimed “happiest mayor in the universe” will undoubtedly be a focal point of the campaign — and not just because his spouse is on the ballot. For the past dozen years, Oscar Goodman has largely driven the agenda in Las Vegas. Consider that he has carried the vision for downtown redevelopment. During the primary, his agenda and accomplishments were the subjects of considerable discussion.

Although Goodman has seemed to be the man in control, he actually has had limited power. In some cities, the mayor serves as the CEO and holds administrative control over the budget and city departments, including police and fire and, in some cases, schools. But Las Vegas’ mayor has none of those powers. The city has what’s called a weak-mayor system. Although the ceremonial head of the city, the mayor doesn’t control day-to-day operations — that’s left to the city manager, who reports to the entire council. The mayor runs council meetings, but is just one of seven votes on that board.

Despite the lack of official power, Goodman has commanded the stage with his larger-than-life personality — and often outrageous and controversial statements. In the process, he transformed the office of mayor, becoming a strong voice for the city and an ambassador for Southern Nevada. No matter what anyone thinks of him, Goodman masterfully exploited the power the mayor does have and used the bully pulpit to advance his causes.

When her term starts in July, the next mayor will have the opportunity to follow suit and advance her agenda as well — whether it falls within the role of the mayor or not.

This is a crucial time for Las Vegas, and people are looking for leadership and vision. There are a variety of issues to discuss during this campaign, such as:

• The city is facing the same budget problems as other governments, so how would the candidates handle it? How will they address the union contracts that compensate employees well beyond what workers in the private sector receive?

• During the boom years, the city invested in parks, recreation centers and other quality-of-life services. With the cutbacks, what will the candidates do to preserve them?

• There have been discussions about further consolidating government services between cities and the county. Some have suggested privatizing a variety of services. Should the city move toward either of those ideas?

• Economic development and job creation are major issues. Downtown redevelopment has also been a focus in Las Vegas, and there has been some success, yet there’s also the largely vacant Neonopolis. How should the city proceed?

The mayor won’t have a direct say in many of the concerns of Las Vegans, including education. But the mayor will inherit a large platform, so people should know where the candidates stand. Over the next few months, they should engage in a wide-ranging debate.

Voter turnout in the primary election was light, and we hope that changes. This is an important election. Las Vegas is still facing a difficult time and needs a creative mayor who can lead the city through it.