LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas is less than a month away from choosing its first mayor not named Goodman in 25 years.
The mayoral candidates, former Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and current Ward 2 Councilwoman Victoria Seaman, sat down with Senior Political Reporter Steve Sebelius to share their views on the issues important to Las Vegas voters.
To start off the debate, Steve asked the candidates their views on the Badlands case and the city's part in it.
Watch below to see how they answered:
They also shared their perspectives on how the Badlands settlement would impact the city's budget and where cuts would need to be made.
Next, Berkley and Seaman answered a question on how they would tackle affordable housing, including the issues of investors outside of the city buying up housing and what to do when residents oppose nearby development.
On a related note, Steve asked the candidates how they would address homelessness in the city of Las Vegas.
In Las Vegas, public education is handled by the Clark County School District. However, the city did open a public charter school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve asked Berkley and Seaman why the city should be involved in education, given that it's not listed in the city charter and the city is facing a raft of other issues.
Over the past few decades, the position of mayor has evolved to more than just a municipal leader, Steve said, and has almost become a celebrity representative of the entire valley. Berkley and Seaman were asked how they would be able to handle that aspect of the job if elected.
Las Vegas is now home to multiple major sports teams, with more possibly on the way. Steve asked the candidates their views on using public funds to lure sports teams to Las Vegas.
Lastly, while the two candidates both have extensive experience in politics, Steve wanted to know if they felt their backgrounds, from Berkley's time in Congress and Seaman's time on the city council, better prepared them to become the next mayor of Las Vegas.
Early voting begins Oct. 19, and election day is set for Nov. 5
If you have a question about politics, elections or government, or you have seen an ad you'd like us to check, you can Ask Steve at ktnv.com/asksteve. He will endeavor to answer your questions on air or online.
