COUNTING THE DOLLARS
If leadership is poor, in a family or in government, money will be wasted no matter how much there is
BY HEIDI HARRIS

Heidi Harris is co-host of KXNT 840 AM's morning show with Alan Stock. Listen to her Monday through Friday from 5 to 9 a.m. Other stories by Heidi Harris

They say politics is the second oldest profession. That's certainly true here in Clark County, where our public officials combine the first and second oldest professions seamlessly. Graft is nothing new, but here in Las Vegas, I've lost track of whose bribes have gone into which pockets. 

Since I'm probably not alone in my confusion, I've got a great idea. Let's have the City Council and County Commission members wear sponsorship apparel, like the NASCAR drivers do. Each "contributor" to a politician's campaign would be allowed one "patch" on the elected official's clothing. Patch sizes would correspond to the size of the "donation." That way, when constituents appear before the Commission or Council, they'll know where the officials' loyalty lies, and there won't be any confusion.

Speaking of sponsorships, when the city of Las Vegas celebrated its Centennial in 2005, many companies stepped up to sponsor various events, expecting to benefit from the exposure. Some of those partnerships were profitable and some were not. It was a calculated risk, or as we prefer to say in Vegas, a financial crap shoot. That being said, as a taxpayer, I was happy to see private companies step up and pay for the festivities. Now there's talk of expanding these partnerships and allowing some companies to pay for the privilege of being the "official (fill in the blank) of Las Vegas." Insert your own Bombay Sapphire Gin joke here. 

I have no problem with corporate sponsorships, which have generated millions of dollars for some cities. In Las Vegas, the possibilities are endless. But at the risk of being a party pooper, where would the sponsorship money go? When I asked that question on my radio show, I was treated like a wasp at a picnic. Killjoy! How dare anyone question where the money actually goes! 

I have two words for you: New Orleans. What happened to the billions of dollars that were funneled down there? The taxpayers and private donors will never know, and therein lies the problem. 

Individual charities have the right to do as they please with their donations, and it's up to donors to decide whether or not their money is being used wisely. However, every cent that goes into government coffers, regardless of the source, is my business as a taxpayer. I have a right to know whether those funds are lining a politicians' pockets, creating unsustainable programs (i.e., Kenny Guinn's Millennium Scholarship fiasco), or partially funding buildings that are not otherwise in the city's budget. As we've seen time and again (i.e., Henderson "Richard Perkins" State College), once ground is broken on a building or program a politician wants, we taxpayers are asked to fund it in perpetuity, no matter how half-baked the idea was, or whether the voters wanted it. 

We've had the same problem when the lottery is discussed. Personally, I have no objection to a lottery, but, once again, where will the money go? We're told it will "fund education." What exactly does that mean? I want details. Anyone who runs a business understands budgeting. If you're going to have a one-time infusion of cash, as we did with the tobacco settlement money, you cannot behave as if that money will go on forever. One-time expenditures should be the order of the day. 

Recently, one of our listeners participating in our "Eight O'clock Flip Off" segment chided Nevada for not allowing the lottery to "give education the money it needs." Frankly, since the education establishment already balks at financial accountability, I'm not in favor of rewarding them with an endless source of funds from a lottery. Besides, a lottery would require an amendment to our constitution, and the backing of gaming lobbyists, so I don't see it happening anytime soon. 

Johnny Carson once said, "The only problem money solves is the problem of not having money." Money never has and never will solve all the problems of the world on a personal, local or national basis. If leadership is poor, in a family or in government, money will be wasted no matter how much there is. We the people have a right and responsibility to see to it that every dollar passing through government officials' hands is accounted for. Even if the money comes in Crown Royal bags. LW