Commissioner Collins wants to run for North Las Vegas mayor

Tom Collins, Clark County’s “cowboy commissioner,” wants to run for mayor of North Las Vegas after his term is up.

He would be taking on Mayor John Lee, whom he describes as a longtime friend, although they don’t see eye to eye.

“He’s been over to my house a few times,” Collins said last week. “I’ve been in his office many times. I’ve lived in North Las Vegas over half my life. I’ve got an interest and roots in the community.”

Collins, who will be termed out of his current post in time for the 2017 election, said he will make his final decision next year on whether to challenge Lee, a former state senator in his first term as mayor. It will depend partly on Collins’ health, he said, and on whether he thinks he can win and save the city from financial disaster.

“If I decide to run he’s going to have to look over his shoulder,” Collins said. “And start doing a better job.”

Elected in 2013, Lee took over a city that was in financial distress and near receivership, with the state close to taking control. It took Gov. Brian Sandoval’s intervention with unions to negotiate a deal to keep the city solvent.

Lee, in his Jan. 27 State of the City address, promoted the progress the city had made under his leadership in cutting its long-term deficit in half, from $152 million to $78 million.

A plumber, Lee said he’s running the city like a business and has a seven-year plan to turn things around, although he has set a goal of accomplishing that in five years.

“I’m satisfied with what I’m doing,” Lee said Friday. “I’m happy with the progress we’ve made. I’m not the least bit drained of any energy. … The people of North Las Vegas didn’t really hire me to be mayor. They hired me to solve problems.”

A few weeks ago, Lee testified before the Legislature’s Senate Government Affairs Committee to update lawmakers on North Las Vegas’ status. He argued that the city needs more power and should be able to rewrite its governing charter through a supermajority vote of the City Council.

His argument was met with skepticism from lawmakers and from Collins, who listened to Lee’s testimony, too. Lawmakers balked at giving the city more power to raise taxes, make election changes and other major reforms.

Collins said he wonders if North Las Vegas can survive or whether it will one day be unchartered and become a part of Clark County.

“There’s a strong possibility, financially, that the city won’t exist,” Collins said, accusing Lee of telling lawmakers “a pack of lies.”

Lee sighs when he hears that Collins is thinking about challenging him at the ballot box, even as he dismisses the cowboy commissioner as not serious.

“He’s just trying to start a rumor. He’s trying to stay relevant,” Lee said. “It’s very hard in your last couple of years.”

In the small world of Nevada politics there likely will be a game of political musical chairs no matter what.

Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross already is telling people he plans to run for Collins’ county seat. Collins also has mentioned the possibility of running for a North Las Vegas City Council seat instead of for mayor, according to Lee.

“Some of my options are wide open,” Collins said.

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Find her on Twitter: @lmyerslvrj.