Mayor calls Las Vegas ‘Greatest place on Earth to live’ in State of the City speech

Despite budgetary constraints, “our city is ready to go to the next level,” said Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley during her first State of the City address on Wednesday.

Berkley noted she’s been at the helm of the seven-member City Council, which represents about 670,000 residents, for 148 days.

Berkley, who spoke Wednesday evening at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, mentioned early on the recent resolution of lawsuits that will cost Las Vegas taxpayers $286 million.

“The Badlands is settled,” she said about the recent settlement over the defunct golf course. “The nine-and-a-half-year nightmare is over and the city can now move forward.”

The funds paid to developer Yohan Lowie’s EHB Cos., along with a decline in revenue from consolidated taxes and a higher-than-expected funding increase to public employees’ retirement benefits prompted the city to practice “belt-tightening.”

Berkley said the city is keeping an eye on “what is happening in Washington, D.C., and its impact on our local economy and the services that we provide to our citizens.”

She vowed that the city will not touch public safety funding.

Keeping an eye on D.C.

Asked at a news conference after the roughly 20-minute speech what concerns the city had over federal cuts, she mentioned slashes to AmeriCorps and the local “meals on wheels” program that feeds underserved seniors with food deliveries and checkups.

“That means that there are homebound seniors in the city of Las Vegas that depend on that meal every day who are not going to get that meal anymore,” said Berkley, adding that the cuts will “significantly hurt.”

Citing preliminary figures, Las Vegas projected a $24.9 million deficit to its general fund for the next fiscal year which begins this summer. The city said it will present a balanced budget to Nevada before voting on a final version.

Historic Westside developments

Berkley said officials have been talking about revitalizing the Historic Westside in Ward 5 for more than a half-century.

“I’m done talking,” she declared, adding she would work with Councilwoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong to “do everything in our power to bring new life and economic growth to a very important, neglected and historic part of our community.”

Berkley noted that a new library and an education and training center were opening in that community this year.

Berkley also addressed homelessness, animal abuse and pet overpopulation, and economic growth and development, highlighting new and approved projects.

“The city is spending a fortune on helping the homeless, and yet the problem is getting worse,” said Berkley, describing it as one of the top issues she ran on during her race against Councilwoman Victoria Seaman. “I am committed to finding solutions to this crisis. Human beings should not be living on the streets. It’s dangerous, it’s unhealthy, it’s filthy and it’s inhumane.”

She said the city would go after illegal animal breeding.

“Backyard breeding is against the law,” Berkley said. “The marshals will find them and we will prosecute them.”

‘Greatest place on Earth to live’

Berkley touted the growing medical district, museums, and housing projects that range from affordable living to high-rise apartments.

She spoke about the city’s tag as the “capital of the world” in various areas, such as gaming, entertainment and weddings and said Las Vegas could soon be the sports capital of the world. “Think NBA,” she said.

“We attract millions of tourists a year who think that Las Vegas is the greatest place on Earth to visit,” she said. “My goal is to make Las Vegas the greatest place on Earth to live, and with your help, that’s exactly our destiny and our future,” the mayor added.

The speech, typically held at City Hall, took place at the Smith Center for the first time. The event opened up with a prerecorded video of Berkley’s council colleagues highlighting their wards.

Singer Clint Holmes, a friend of Berkley’s, performed a couple of piano-driven cabaret numbers, including a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Holmes then received the key to the city.

After the speech, attendees packed the center’s lobby for refreshments.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.