2012 Voter Guide: Clark County Commission District C

In the past four years, Clark County has cut one in five positions and shaved $230 million from its budget.

That's been necessary considering the Las Vegas Valley's epic economic meltdown, but it's given county officials "the best opportunity we've had to change the face of government," Commissioner Larry Brown said.

That's one of the top issues the county faces in the next several years, according to Brown, a former Las Vegas city councilman elected to the commission four years ago.

"We have to stop trying to be all things to all people, and focus those resources on the public services our citizens want," Brown said. "And that's a significant shift."

But two challengers - Craig Lake, who owns a lighting company, and Brad Lee Barnhill, a paralegal - feel it's time for a change.

Lake said he's disagreed with some of Brown's decisions and doesn't feel the county has done enough to cut its budget.

He also feels that his background in business is an asset that's missing from the County Commission.

"I think it's very important to have somebody who knows what businesses go through every day," Lake said.

He's also critical of the board's handling of University Medical Center, which has lost tens of millions of dollars each year for the past few years. The board is considering handing over governance of the county hospital to a separate board that might include commissioners, doctors and other officials.

Lake said the board has taken too long to make a decision about what to do with the hospital.

"I'm going to do what's best for the city," Lake said. "I'm not going to kick the can down the road."

Barnhill said dealing with illegal immigrants would solve the county's fiscal problems.

"If we could deal with the one in 11 people here illegally, there would be enough money for the rest of us - the people who belong here," he said.

He also wants to see the county get rid of its requirement that handguns be registered. He said that would also save taxpayers money.

"If you simply allow people to protect themselves without being hassled, that alleviates the need for response," he said. "I'd rather have a pistol than call 911 and wait."

Brown said he's proud of his accomplishments in his four years, which include successfully getting $62 million back from state government coffers as the head of the Clark County Clean Water Coalition, which was supposed to build a wastewater pipeline to Lake Mead. The agency closed shop last year.

Brown said he thinks county government needs to be conservative in its spending over the next four years, as the economy improves. He said it should focus on what he thinks should be its core values: public safety, infrastructure such as flood control channels, parks and as a health care safety net for the valley. He has expressed support for changing UMC's governance structure.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781.