Commission hopefuls debate
Two pairs of rival candidates had three things in common as they squared off Thursday in front of video cameras at the Vegas PBS studio:
• They're vying for seats on the Clark County Commission.
• They agree the ailing economy is the most pressing problem.
• They believe they come equipped with better solutions than their opponents.
Beyond that, it was a show of contrasts, even in the debates themselves.
District A contenders Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, and Brian Scroggins, a Republican, traded rancorous jabs as they questioned one another's abilities and character.
Valerie Weber, a Republican, and Larry Brown, a Democrat, who are competing in District C, were coolly dismissive of each other.
As part of the format, candidates could ask their opponents one question.
Sisolak asked Scroggins to explain why there were 10 liens against one of his companies. He argued that fiscal responsibility is important to taxpayers.
Scroggins denied slipping into debt. He said he was a registered agent, not a partner in the company Sisolak mentioned.
"My wife and I pay our bills," Scroggins said. "We believe he (Sisolak) is telling lies about my character."
Scroggins said Sisolak's telemarketing business had drawn cease-and-desist orders over the years.
He declined to ask Sisolak a question, saying that his opponent would simply spin a half-truth.
The contest between the two men has grown acrid in recent weeks, with each slinging insults and accusations while running negative TV ads.
They are competing for the seat that longtime Republican incumbent Bruce Woodbury will vacate in January.
In the other debate, Weber asked Brown, Las Vegas City Council member who is a former professional baseball player, why he has failed in his quest to lure a major league baseball or NBA team to Las Vegas. Fostering sports is supposed to be Brown's forte, and he has talked of bringing in a team since 1999, Weber said.
"So where is it?" the state assemblywoman asked.
Brown said he wasn't the only member of the City Council responsible for recruiting sports teams. Las Vegas, he said, is still too small of a market to be a shoo-in for a top-level franchise.
"Vegas will get a professional sports team when the people are ready for it," Brown said.
Brown touted the Regional Transportation Commission's accomplishments such as widening U.S. Highway 95 and building the Las Vegas Beltway ahead of schedule. He noted he was the current chairman.
The biggest hurdle to preventing traffic congestion is an estimated $4 billion shortfall in state funding for local roads, he said.
Weber argued that improving and expanding roads isn't enough. People must be encouraged to ride buses and trains to work instead of driving, she said.
Girding the weak economy is the top priority, she said, and that would include enticing more tourists to fly in and spend money.
The economy must be diversified to create jobs and bureaucracy must be streamlined so it doesn't hamper business growth, she said.
"If elected, the only special interest I will have is you," Weber said, speaking into the camera.
Scroggins agreed that visitors are the lifeblood of the local economy, and that offering them good roads on which to travel will encourage them to come back.
Both Sisolak and Scroggins expressed the need to create parity between what workers in the public and private sectors earn.
The first step is to take an objective look at county employees' wages, rather than depending on research from business groups or unions, Sisolak said.
Sisolak touted his experience as a university system regent, handling a $4 billion higher education budget.
"We've saved money, cut waste," he said. "I've been a strong advocate for transparency and openness in government."
Scroggins said that as the owner of a small sign company and the father of six children, he can empathize with struggling families.
"If you don't have a job and you can't feed your family, nothing else matters," Scroggins said.
Contact reporter Scott Wyland at swyland@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.
