Three Clark County Charter amendments on the November ballot will help smooth the processes of county government to better serve the people. The Columbian’s Editorial Board recommends “yes” votes on amendments Nos. 16, 17 and 18.
As always, this is merely a recommendation designed to provide information and generate discussion. The Columbian trusts that voters will study the issues before casting an informed vote.
Since voters approved the adoption of a county charter in 2014, a series of adjustments have been passed to improve local government. The three measures on this year’s ballot were referred by the Clark County Council, providing sensible and necessary tweaks:
- Amendment No. 16 – The Editorial Board recommends that the measure be approved. This item would adjust the Clark County sheriff’s salary to 8 percent higher than the top step of the undersheriff salary range.
According to the statement in favor of the amendment in the Voters’ Pamphlet: “The sheriff’s 2024 salary is 30 percent less than the undersheriff’s and an average of 25 percent less for all the sheriff’s command staff, including chief deputies and commanders. The current sheriff, formerly the chief criminal deputy, has taken a 27 percent pay cut from his former position.”
Increasing the sheriff’s salary is essential for attracting and retaining excellent leadership atop Clark County’s second-largest law enforcement agency.
- Amendment No. 17 – The Editorial Board recommends approving the measure. This item would adjust the process for remaking Clark County Council districts.
Following each decennial census, the five council districts are reconfigured to ensure that they are approximately equal in population. Amendment No. 17 “would increase the redistricting committee to seven nonpartisan members, instead of members selected from lists provided by political parties; require county council to appoint a qualified redistricting master; provide criteria for the redistricting plan; and would require adoption of the redistricting masters plan unless five members amend it.”
The redistricting chaos that followed the 2020 census demonstrates the need for a change. Then, partisan bickering delayed the process and ignored common sense. It is unlikely that any proposal can remove partisanship from the process; that is unavoidable in any political process. But Amendment No. 16 is a reasonable attempt to serve the people of Clark County rather than the interests of the political parties.
- Amendment No. 18 – The Editorial Board recommends that the measure be approved. This item would slightly alter the process for landing initiatives on the county ballot, providing additional information for voters.
If Amendment No. 18 is approved, “a petitioner must obtain a statement from the county of estimated increased expenditures … Signatures required for petitions only affecting unincorporated areas would be calculated using the same method as petitions for the entire county.”
The amendment would provide clarity for voters and for those seeking to land an initiative on the county ballot. It would strengthen the process and improve the public’s access to the political process.
