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Councilman Steve Ross running for mayor
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Steve Ross
Las Vegas councilman wants to focus on remaking downtown
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross announced plans to run for mayor Thursday, making him the second confirmed candidate in what is likely to be a crowded race.
The candidates will be competing to replace Mayor Oscar Goodman, who cannot run again because of term limits.
Goodman still will cast an influential shadow on the race because the popular three-term mayor wants his successor to continue efforts to revitalize downtown Las Vegas, including a new city hall that is being built, the Mob Museum that is being put together and building support for a sports arena.
"In the next five to 10 years, the face of downtown is going to change dramatically," said Ross, 48. "I've made a commitment to Oscar Goodman and to others in this community that we will continue to focus our efforts on downtown redevelopment."
Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown, who announced his mayoral candidacy in September, also said he would focus on downtown.
In an e-mail announcement to supporters Thursday, Ross identified three priorities as creating jobs, cracking down on fraudulent loan modification businesses and pressuring banks to avoid foreclosing on homes.
Downtown should become a center of medical research, culture and finance, he said, which would boost employment. The city also needs to continue efforts to make licensing and development applications more efficient.
"We've got to have the upper edge on every other city and every other state in the country when it comes to drawing businesses," Ross said. "The key to helping our economy is people working."
The city's role in the other two goals is murkier. The state attorney general's office prosecutes fraud, and the city can serve as their "eyes and ears," Ross said, forwarding complaints about bad businesses that constituents bring to the city.
As for how the city can pressure banks, "that's a good question," Ross said.
The city has organized a foreclosure forum with lenders, consumer advocates and other interested parties Nov. 12.
"This is where everybody's going to get together and brainstorm," Ross said. "What has been done? Where do we go today?"
Ross, an electrician, grew up in Nevada, was first elected to the City Council in 2005 and was re-elected last year.
He works in labor-management relations for the District Council 15 Labor Management Cooperative Committee, which oversees a trust for member unions. Previously, he was secretary-treasurer of the Southern Nevada Building Trades Council, which represents construction unions.
Brown is a former pro baseball player who went on to work for the Las Vegas Valley Water District. He joined the Las Vegas City Council in 1997 and then was elected to the County Commission in 2008.
Goodman said Thursday that he expects at least 10 candidates to file for the race to replace him. He didn't reveal any names.
Candidates can file for next year's city elections from Jan. 25 to Feb. 4.
Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.
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Hello Las Vegans!
Please take a moment to read this short brief. Mr. Steve Ross, is without question, the finest gentleman I have ever met. He has the interests of Las Vegans and their families foremost in his mind. He is NOT you routine politician. Listen to what he says, analyse his words and you'll see that he is the REAL DEAL!! No BS factor here! He won't tell you what you want to hear like the "normal/regular politician. Steve will tell you what is REALLY necessary for the future of Las Vegas. He has been a concilman and accomplished great things but his real value and future worth to the city of Las Vegas is to elect him as the next Mayor. He will continue to improve on the policies and efforts of Mayor Goodman and will never let you down. I spent sometime with Steve this past Summer, fishing for Salmon in Oregon. And notwithstanding the great leisure experience and opportunity, Steve could not separate himself from talking about his dreams and future plans for Las Vegas. He is unquestionably the absolute number one choice for the next Mayor. Am I related to Steve? No! Do I have any family ties to Steve? No. I only know from meeting this gentleman that his integrity, honor, dedcation and loyalty to the city of Las Vegas is absolutely unquestionable. Don't miss your opportunity to play a key part in your community. Don't miss the opportunity to elect the best man for the position of Mayor. Don't forget to vote for Steve Ross. Then, upon his completion of his terms as Mayor, follow his success up the ladder to much bigger and higher positions. Who knows what 2016 and 2020 might yield. Thanks for reading this opinion, and hopefully you'll write to thank me after he is elected!
Keep in mind that LAS VEGAS IS A SMALL ENTITY OF CLARK COUNTY. The LV Strip isn't in Las Vegas, it's in Winchester. Goodman isn't mayor to the majority of 'Las Vegans' thank God!! lol
What we need is somebody that realizes that there's more to this town than friggin' downtown! There's more to this city than the god forsaken strip! Wait, I know...build another flippin' park!
You'd think Ross would take a hint from this last election...we're tired of the lip service!
Sorry but Mr. Ross is already just saying what people want to hear. There is nothing he can really do or the city can do about people losing their homes if they don't pay. The banks have a contract and they can try to work with the people if they want to but bottom line is, you have to pay for your house if you want to keep it. He might be able to help create jobs if he makes it easier for people to do business in the city. There really is not much he can do about fraudulent loan modification businesses either. That is the states business and the city does not have the money or man power to cover it. We don't need to hear pie in the sky dreams. Lets start talking about doing things for the city that are within the power of the city to do.
I believe Councilman Ricky Barlow should throw his hat in the ring. I as a Latino would support him. And we Latinos get out and vote now.
Councilman Barlow's office has always returned my calls and taken care of things that I requested, in my neighborhood. And, his people are very professional.
Muchos Gracias,
Elvis
Viva Las Vegas
Si se puede
Su Voto es su Voz
Mayor McCheese hasn't decided whether to annoint The Hamburglar, or Ronald McDonald, yet. HMMMMM.... A thief or a clown. Looks like business as usual at city hall.
Ross is a union thug and Brown carries the water bucket for developers....
Enough already time to elect a fireman, opps..
Wow, just the kind of resume we need for our new Mayor: Three ethics violations, a district with the highest foreclosure rate, a tavern approved and actively supported by Ross 150-feet from our family corridor, and a reputation for catering to special interests...I think Las Vegas is hoping for a more qualified full-time $120,000 per year executive for our next Mayor.
how about this? instead of a new mob museum, get the white trash to stop parking their trucks on their frontlawns. looks real asthetic. maybe they should fine homeowners who grow weeds in the lawn, and the poor neighbor has a perfectly maintained lawn?
No.