Two more contenders vie for Las Vegas City Council Ward 2 seat

The field of candidates seeking to replace departing Las Vegas Ward 2 City Councilman Steve Wolfson shifted yet again on Monday, with two more people looking to get in and one getting out.

Both new potential candidates have significant law enforcement experience. Bob Chinn, 53, is a retired Metropolitan Police Department captain, and Anthony Ruggiero, 47, is a former attorney general investigator. Currently, Ruggiero is a special assistant to Mayor Pro Tem and Ward 4 Councilman Stavros Anthony.

Also relatively new to the field is Ron Futrell, 55, a former television journalist who once served as spokesman for the Clark County Republican Party.

While Chinn, Ruggiero and Futrell were looking to get into the race, former Ward 6 Councilman Michael Mack, 48, backed out after saying he was interested in the seat.

Mack, a pawnshop owner, said he will support Planning Commissioner Ric Truesdell, 57, one of the first people to declare an interest in filling the remainder of Wolfson's term, which expires in June 2013.

Also in the running is Donna Toussaint, 65, a community activist known for co-founding with her husband The Lakes Festival of Lights.

Wolfson, an attorney, was tapped by the Clark County Commission to fill the remainder of the term of District Attorney David Roger, who resigned to take a job with the Police Protective Association.

Wolfson's last day on the council will be Feb. 20, after which the council has 30 days to make an appointment or call a special election.

No matter what the council does, it is destined to ruffle feathers. An appointment could be interpreted as giving a favored candidate a leg up in the next election. The council could try to blunt criticism by extracting a promise that the appointee won't seek another term, but such a promise wouldn't be binding.

A special election could be viewed as more democratic but would be open to criticism from people who say the city shouldn't spend the estimated $65,000 it would cost to hold the election.

The position has a salary of $72,742.

Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@gmail.com or 702-229-6435.