Save Red Rock attorney, ex-state senator to run for Clark County Commission
Save Red Rock attorney and former Nevada state Sen. Justin Jones announced Monday that he is running for the Clark County Commission.
The 42-year-old Democrat intends to file candidacy for District F to replace term-limited Susan Brager, a fellow Democrat, in 2018.
“I think Clark County needs people who are ready, willing and able to stand up for the people who live in this community and want to make it a more livable community,” Jones said. “One thing I think people know about me, I never give up. If there’s a challenge I never stop fighting, and I think that’s what we need at the county commission level.”
A county resident since 2001, Jones said he is concerned about “haphazard” development in the southwest Las Vegas Valley. He also wants to focus on working with the Regional Transportation Commission to improve public transportation.
“I think there’s an opportunity for better urban planning in the county,” he said.
Jones graduated from George Washington University Law School in 2001. He is a partner at the law firm Jones Lovelock, which he formed this month with attorney Nicole Lovelock.
A familiar face
Jones will likely be familiar to people who follow local and state government.
He was elected to the state Senate in 2012. During his one term in office, Jones sponsored the Nevada Homeowner’s Bill of Rights, which prohibited banks from “dual-tracking.” Dual-tracking is a practice where a bank forecloses on a home while it is also processing a homeowner’s submission for a loan modification to prevent foreclosure. The bill passed unanimously.
Recently, Jones has represented the environmental nonprofit Save Red Rock in its attempts to halt a developer’s plans to build about 5,000 homes on Blue Diamond Hill, near Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. He’s argued before the county commission that land-owner Gypsum Resources shouldn’t be granted a zoning change to build the community.
No zoning change has been granted. However, commissioners are allowing Gypsum Resources to submit detailed plans on what it wants to build.
“Obviously I was disappointed,” Jones said. “But I also feel that there’s a commitment by many of the commissioners to protect Red Rock, and I want to be a part of that.”
Republican candidates
Two Republican candidates, attorney Tisha Black and auto insurance claims adjuster Mitchell Tracy, have also announced plans to run in District F.
The county’s official filing period for candidates begins in March.
Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow @davidsonlvrj on Twitter.
