CLARK COUNTY COMMISSION C

The race for the Clark County Commission's District C has narrowed to two seasoned politicians, a business owner and one young Libertarian who did not return calls about her candidacy.

They're competing to replace Republican incumbent Chip Maxfield, who decided not to seek a third term.

Squaring off are Larry Brown, 51, a Democrat; Valerie Weber, 53, a Republican; and Warren Markowitz, 40, an Independent American. All three believe they bring the best ideas for leading the northwest valley.

Emily Klapproth, 22, who listed herself as a Libertarian candidate, did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.

Brown was elected to the Las Vegas City Council in 1997 and is serving his third and final term allowed under state law.

Weber has served three terms as a state assemblywoman.

Markowitz, an attorney and restaurateur, ran unsuccessfully against state Sen. Dennis Nolan in 2006.

Brown said his top priority will be whipping the county's budget into shape to make every dollar count.

"With the economy the way it is, it adds an urgency to get in and look at the operational inefficiencies," Brown said.

Echoing his platform during the primary race, Brown said he would use the city's systematic approach to budgeting as a model for the county.

He would help to form fiscal targets, then devise strategies to hit the targets, Brown said. One task will be to look at which departments might be consolidated and which jobs could be eliminated, just as the city does every year, he said.

The city's tax rate is lower than in 1997, he said, and its bond ratings are the highest in its history.

Brown said he would put the city's parks against any in the state. He also touted the time he served on regional water, transportation and flood-control boards.

"I have a proven track record," Brown said. "Not the things I'm going to do, but the things I've accomplished with the same commitment I'm going to bring to the county."

Weber said she wants to make government more friendly to businesses and people.

Efforts are made to lure employers to the county, but then these businesses get bogged down in red tape, especially when seeking permits and licenses, Weber said. The time it takes for a new business to open its doors should be cut in half, she added.

"If we bring businesses here, we need to make it easy for them," Weber said. "They're the ones that create jobs. That's what we need right now -- jobs, jobs, jobs. We're sitting with a 7 percent unemployment rate. That's the highest it's been in 23 years."

County leaders should look at how to diversify the economy, she said, so a greater variety of jobs can be cultivated.

Government should be made more accessible to citizens, partly by making it simpler for them to navigate the system, Weber said.

Technology should be installed that lets people take part in meetings via their computers, Weber said. The electronic link should be two-way, so residents can send instant messages to the commission and not simply watch a podcast, she said.

"I want to make it easier for people to participate," Weber said. "That makes government that much sharper and on its toes."

Markowitz said he believes the most pressing concern is water. He advocates piping in water from the north to shore up Lake Mead's diminishing supply and keep the problem from turning into a calamity.

If water becomes too scarce, people and businesses will leave the region, he said. "Las Vegas theoretically could become a ghost town."

Markowitz argued that the zero time he has spent in politics is an asset, not a liability. The system is in need of someone who isn't entrenched in party politics and attached to the old ways of thinking, he said.

"I'm coming in with a fresh perspective," Markowitz said. "I don't come with preconceived notions. I'm not part of the problem. I'm part of the solution."

Contact reporter Scott Wyland at swyland@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.