MINUTES OF THE

      SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      February 24, 1993

 

 

 

The Senate Committee on Government Affairs was called to order by Chairman Ann O'Connell, at 2:00 p.m., on Wednesday, February 24, 1993, in Room 227 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Senator Ann O'Connell, Chairman

Senator Sue Lowden, Vice Chairman

Senator William J. Raggio

Senator Dean A. Rhoads

Senator Thomas J. Hickey

Senator Leonard V. Nevin

Senator Matthew Q. Callister

 

 

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Caren Jenkins, Principal Research Analyst

Tanya Morrison, Committee Secretary

 

 

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Jan Laverty-Jones, Mayor, Las Vegas, Nevada

Anita Laruy, City of North Las Vegas

Nancy Powers, City of North Las Vegas

John Pappageorge, Clark County

Bonnie James, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce

Keith Ashworth, Nevada Power Company

Charles Joerg, Nevada Manufactured Housing Association

 

 

 

Chairman O'Connell opened the meeting on Senate Bill (S.B.) 140.

 

S.B. 140:   Creates advisory committee to study consolidation of Clark County and Las Vegas.

 

 

 

 

Jan Laverty-Jones, Mayor, Las Vegas, Nevada, spoke in favor of S.B. 140.  She complimented the author, Senator Joe Neal, for his foresight in proposing the bill.  She explained this is an issue which needs to be addressed in order to structure a responsible government to take Nevada into the Twenty-first Century.  She stated, however, the commission put together by Commissioner J. Bingham and herself, they looked at the issue of consolidation whether it be consolidation of focus, integration of services or complete consolidation of government approximately 6 months ago.  She explained what they finally decided was the best course of action was to go into the private sector and they named a committee called the Government Efficiency Committee.  She stated the committee is composed of a variety of members from the private sector including gaming, business, labor, city representation and county representation.  Mayor Jones asked the committee if they would be willing to fund a study to bring together the data in order to make a responsible decision on the entire issue of consolidation.  She explained they have contracted with Ernst and Young who is a private consulting firm who has done quite a bit of work in this area and in Sacramento.  Mayor Jones told the committee this study costs approximately $150,000 and the money was raised in the private sector.  The committee asked Ernst and Young to compile their data by the middle of March and they were asked not to make specific recommendations, but to just provide the committee with the information on integration of some services, the question of urban versus world governments and all of the tax and revenue issues.  Mayor Jones asked the committee to hold consideration of S.B. 140 until all of the information is compiled by Ernst and Young and she will present that information to members of the legislature.  She explained they could then work together in coming up with recommendations based on the information from the study. 

 

Senator Hickey asked if the City of Henderson was included in the study of North Las Vegas.  Mayor Jones stated, considering the volatility of some of the issues, Henderson was appraised of the plans of the study.  They were told they could have any information they needed as the data was pulled together and they could have the opportunity to participate on any level they chose. 

 

Senator Hickey asked if Mayor Jones is talking about the consolidation of just the county and City of Las Vegas excluding Henderson, Boulder City and North Las Vegas.  Mayor Jones told the committee, at this point they asked the consultants to look at the consolidation of integration of the City of Las Vegas and Clark County.

 

Senator Raggio asked how it would be feasible to do a consolidation of city and county unless all of the political subdivisions would be included.  Mayor Jones stated they had asked the consultant to look at the questions of structure of governments as well as government.  She explained one of the simple analysis of representation would be a nine member board with a mayor at large, two council people at large for a somewhat longer period and six districted areas.  She explained with this now there would be representation to cover all of the unincorporated areas.  Mayor Jones told the committee they also asked the consultants to look at all of the revenue issues.  She pointed out she would have preferred to look at all of the areas, but as mentioned, the political environment is not conducive to that kind of open-minded thinking at this phase.  She stated when they asked for the study they very purposefully asked the consultants to not make recommendations and not to proceed under the opinion the committee was promoting or proposing consolidation.  She maintained they only asked for the information so they could come up with a structure of government which best suits the needs of the growing area of Clark County. 

 

Senator O'Connell asked if there were anyone in Las Vegas who wanted to testify as Senator Neal had specifically asked that this meeting be teleconferenced for those who wanted to testify in Las Vegas.  She was told there was no one to testify in Las Vegas.

 

Anita Laruy, City of North Las Vegas, spoke to the committee on S.B. 140.  She stated they were "kind of in support of the bill and kind of not."  She stated they would like to offer an amendment and she stated she spoke to Senator Neal about the amendment and he agreed to consider it.

 

Nancy Powers, City of North Las Vegas, was with Ms. Laruy and addressed the committee.  She presented the committee with written testimony including the proposed amendment, see Exhibit C. 

 

John Pappageorge, Clark County, spoke on S.B. 140.  He told the committee he neither supports or opposes the bill.  He stated it is somewhat redundant regarding the activities already occurring in Clark County.  Senator O'Connell asked if he would like the committee to hold the bill and he stated he would like the bill held.

 

Bonnie James, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, spoke on S.B. 140.  She told the committee the chamber has supported consolidation in the past and they have done a study which might be helpful to this committee.  She stated her concern was the cost.  Senator O'Connell told her there was a fiscal note with the bill of $7,200 and she suggested they meet with Senator Neal to find out exactly what that amount of money covers. 

 

Keith Ashworth, Nevada Power Company, spoke to the committee on S.B. 140.  He told the committee he did not feel they needed another study.  He explained he was on two committees which did studies on consolidation.  He stated they put it to a vote of the people and the city overwhelmingly voted in favor of consolidation, but the county did not vote in favor of consolidation.  He explained the total overall vote was overwhelmingly in support of consolidation, but it was not a dual majority between city and county so it just missed being passed.  Mr. Ashworth told the committee they probably could not carry this out without putting it to a vote of the people.

 

Senator O'Connell stated when she read the bill she did not feel the City of Las Vegas and Clark County really did not need input from the state.  She emphasized she did not really know why the legislature has the bill and perhaps Senator Neal can explain this at a later date. 

 

Senator O'Connell closed the meeting on S.B. 140.  She then introduced an Ex-legislator to speak to the committee regarding a bill he would like drafted.

 

Charlie Joerg, Nevada Manufactured Housing Association, addressed the committee to request a bill draft which has to do with Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 387.331 which has to do with impact fees in small counties.  He stated on behalf of the Nevada Association he requests a bill which repeals that section of the statutes.

 

      SENATOR RAGGIO MOVED TO APPROVE A BILL DRAFT AS STATED ABOVE.

 

      SENATOR NEVIN SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

      * * * * *

 

Senator O'Connell stated the county has requested a bill draft which will deal with the park district.  She explained they need some legislation on a bond issue which will be coming before the public shortly.

 

Senator Hickey explained in order for the park districts to set up their bonding they must add this legislation which will really go to a vote of the people.

 

      SENATOR HICKEY MOVED TO APPROVE A BILL DRAFT REQUEST AS STATED ABOVE.

 

      SENATOR RAGGIO SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

      * * * * *

 

 

 

 

 

Senator O'Connell opened the meeting on Bill Draft Request (BDR) 21-929.

 

Bill Draft Request 21-929:      Authorizes special assessments for cost of operating certain public improvements.

 

      SENATOR HICKEY MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF BDR 21-929.

 

      SENATOR CALLISTER SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

      * * * * *

 

There being no further business, Chairman O'Connell adjourned the meeting at 2:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                              RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

 

 

                                                      

                              Tanya Morrison,

                              Committee Secretary

 

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

 

                                

Senator Ann O'Connell, Chairman

 

 

DATE:                           

??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Committee on Government Affairs

February 24, 1993

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