Former Mayor Goodman all in to oppose Question 3

Ballot Question 3, the business margin tax, continues to take a beating in the media.

The latest thumping comes courtesy of former Las Vegas Mayor and ex-mob lawyer Oscar Goodman in television spots that began this week.

With his legal background representing accused killers, Goodman should know all about putting the arm on an issue.

Appearing at the request of local car dealers, Goodman and ad man Tom Letizia are taking part in a fundraiser to fuel opposition to the ballot proposal, which these days appears to have businesses sweating but few friends.

A fundraiser to fight the margin tax is scheduled for 5 p.m., Monday at the Pullman Bar &Grille inside the Main Street Station. A wide cross section of the business community is set to appear. A few of the names that will be familiar: Jim Marsh; Bill Boyd; Bob Arum; Bob Beers; Tony Bonnici; Gino Ferraro; and Review-Journal Publisher Mark Ficarra.

The anti-tax crowd continues to raise funds to defeat the margin tax proposal, which would benefit education but critics claim would be too burdensome on businesses.

DEAD PEOPLE: It’s hard to know what to make of “Postmortem in Vegas,” the new reality show based inside Michael Murphy’s Clark County coroner’s office. The show premiered Wednesday evening on the Lifetime Movie Network.

In a county news release, Murphy remarked, “This project gives the public the opportunity to see the great work the members of our organization do on behalf of families as they work through an extremely difficult time in their lives.”

Coroner Murphy is a professional, and the stories are guaranteed to be compelling, but the show also runs the risk of being accused of exploiting the memories of people no longer around to defend themselves.

It will be worth watching to see how Murphy manages to balance the interests.

LAMB SUPPORT: Proving that some old cowboys are too tough to ride off into the sunset, Clark County Sheriff Ralph Lamb recently announced he’s endorsing Joe Lombardo for sheriff. Lamb joins former Sheriff Bill Young and current Sheriff Doug Gillespie in supporting Lombardo. Former Sheriff Jerry Keller has been an active supporter of Lombardo’s opponent, Larry Burns.

UNION MAN: Jack Jeffrey was a longtime Assemblyman who made sure organized labor’s voice was heard loud and clear at the Legislature. He died Oct. 10 at age 76 after a long illness.

A Democrat, Jeffrey rose to majority floor leader in nearly two decades in the Assembly. He returned to the Legislature as a lobbyist.

A funeral mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. today at St. Peters Catholic Church at 800 S. Boulder Highway in Henderson.

POLITICAL POP TARTS: If the thought of the campaign season doesn’t ruin your appetite, join a group of Review-Journal columnists at 7:30 a.m. Monday at Texas Station for our Hashtags &Headlines breakfast. Heaping helpings of politics will be served. Tickets are $35 and are available at reviewjournal.com/hashtagsandheadlines.

ON THE BOULEVARD: Caesars Entertainment is offering 15 percent off same-sex weddings and renewals through March 1, 2015. Not to be outdone, the Chapel of the Flowers is offering free same-sex wedding services this Sunday. ... Good to see Tom Rojas and Kelly Sheehan will be entertaining the masses and their clanking glasses at Kurt Wiesner’s Big Dog’s Draft House at 7 p.m. Oct. 23. Kurt’s late dad, Tom Wiesner, would be cheering on UNLV’s football team win or lose. ... Firefighters and other first responders are busy preparing for a challenge they hope they’ll never have to meet: battling a local outbreak of Ebola virus.

BOULEVARD II: Richard “Mac” MacDonald, who died Oct. 11 at age 93, was an absolutely ebullient fellow. With wife, Frances, at his side, Mac rarely missed a party and hosted more than his share. He was a man who could honestly say he tried his best to enjoy every day of his life.

Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? Email comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. Follow him on Twitter @jlnevadasmith.