Nevada View Endorses Chris Giunchigliani for Mayor

Early voting has begun and Las Vegas residents are finally getting their chance to determine which candidate will succeed Oscar Goodman as the next mayor.

Many people consider the Mayor’s job to be largely ceremonial, with no real power. While actual issues may be debated in the city council, the mayor has one extremely important duty and that is to promote the city in a positive way. Such promotion influences the opinion others hold of him/her and that of the city. Influence and perception is tantamount to success and therein lays the power of the mayor’s job.

Las Vegas is an international city and our economy relies heavily on tourism. With business expansion, redevelopment, and job growth being the buzz words of the day it is critical that we have a mayor who can represent the city well.

Carolyn Goodman’s involvement in the Las Vegas community is primarily that of founding the Meadows School, a private college preparatory school. Her role with the school has been as chief fundraiser.  With a current tuition of slightly over $22,000 per year for a high school age student, we’re not really sure why they’re a non-profit organization or soliciting private donors. She does not have any public service work in her background but insists that successfully raising four children proves her ability to be a consensus builder and sleeping next to the current mayor for the past 12 years makes her better qualified to complete his vision than anyone else. She believes it so strongly that she criticized Giunchigliani for not having children of her own.

Goodman has declined the majority of debate invitations against Giunchigliani. Some debates were accepted only to be pulled out of at the last minutes. Many of her supporter groups require approval for membership and most all of them moderate comments and only publish the ones that portray her in the most flattering light. Critical comments are promptly deleted. She does not list her personal email address or cell phone number on any of her campaign materials and all attempts to contact her must go through a bevy of staff personnel. It remains unknown whether this is to protect her from the public, if she has a lack of energy or enthusiasm, or some other reason altogether.

When Carolyn Goodman has responded to questions about current issues and public policy her answers have been vague and at times, even offensive. Here she said she supported collective bargaining and later she said she didn’t. Journalists routinely state that even after listening to her answers multiple times, they still aren’t really sure what she said.  As Jon Ralston of the Las Vegas Sun put it, “Carolyn Goodman has said close to nothing of substance the entire campaign,” and later, “So, yes, it’s shameless, but you also can’t help but be struck how vacuous Carolyn Goodman has seemed.”

Chris Giunchigliani has an extensive and well-documented background of public service. As a teacher and an educator, she worked with the public education system for 30 years. She was elected eight times to the Nevada Legislature where she served for sixteen years  as a Nevada Assemblywoman. During those times, she received the vote of Carolyn Goodman. For the past four years, she has served on the Clark County Commission. And as pointed out last month, she already has downtown credibility.

Giunchigliani’s resume includes membership in the NAACP and the Clark County Black Caucus. She is a former recipient of the Luz Community Coalition Spirit of Cesar Chavez Award for community action, the Human Rights Campaign Community Ally Award, the Freedom Fighter Award from the Martin Luther King Committee, the Urban Chamber of Commerce Community Enrichment Award, and “A Fighter and Advocate for the Little Guy” Proclamation by Governor Bob Miller, among others.

Goodman has been criticized for pandering to minority groups.

Giunchigliani lists her personal email address and cell phone number on all of her campaign materials and encourages constituents to contact her directly if they have questions.

The Nevada View endorses Chris Giunchigliani for mayor of Las Vegas. She has an exceptional understanding of the issues, a solid plan for revitalizing the city and a seemingly limitless energy that is matched by few.

Voters should be questioning Carolyn Goodman’s lack of serious credentials and experience. Her interest in this position seems limited to finishing the work her husband started and/or keeping her opponent from winning the race.

Las Vegas needs a mayor with demonstrated leadership skills; someone with a solid plan for revitalizing the community and spurring economic recovery. We believe Chris Giunchigliani is the only real choice in this election. Giunchigliani is the one with the proven track record and a demonstrated commitment of service to the community. Goodman is the one with the grudge against her opponent.