Financially-strapped Nevada city declared disaster

**Richard** · June-23-12, 12:16 PM

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. - [[AP) -- There are no signs of rioters, wind-damaged homes or flooding. The brand new City Hall features gleaming marble floors and the public recreation centers offer Zumba, karate and Pilates classes.
Despite all of its suburban trimmings, North Las Vegas is officially a disaster area.

After five years of declining property taxes, massive layoffs and questionable spending, leaders of the blue-collar, family-oriented city outside Las Vegas declared a state of emergency, invoking a rarely used state law crafted for unforeseen disasters.

http://www.newsday.com/financially-s...ster-1.3799021

This is going to be interesting to watch and see if it plays out.

**JBMcB** · June-23-12, 12:25 PM

Hmmm... time for a study linking brand new municipal buildings to the financial collapse of cities. Seems like every city teetering on the brink of bankruptcy has really nice, brand-spanking new city halls, or courts buildings, or swimming pools. Coincidence? I think not.

**Gannon** · June-23-12, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Hmmm... time for a study linking brand new municipal buildings to the financial collapse of cities. Seems like every city teetering on the brink of bankruptcy has really nice, brand-spanking new city halls, or courts buildings, or swimming pools. Coincidence? I think not.

Well, to paraphrase the Good Book, civic pride goes before a fall. My elaboration is the bigger the evidence of pride, the stronger and longer the fall.

Heck, here it was all creamed by corruption, so the pride is in evidence the way the creamers are living...at least until the Feds catch up with them!

No cheers on this, it was inevitable for anyone who jumped onto the false real estate boom in any way, shape, or form.

**Wesley Mouch** · June-23-12, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Hmmm... time for a study linking brand new municipal buildings to the financial collapse of cities. Seems like every city teetering on the brink of bankruptcy has really nice, brand-spanking new city halls, or courts buildings, or swimming pools. Coincidence? I think not.

That would be interesting.

Although I'll bet that much of that link is created by the media.

Building nice, brand-spanking new city halls, libraries, etc. is pretty much a universal feature of our municipal governments. Heaven forbid they work in a normal office building like everyone else.

**iheartthed** · June-23-12, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Hmmm... time for a study linking brand new municipal buildings to the financial collapse of cities. Seems like every city teetering on the brink of bankruptcy has really nice, brand-spanking new city halls, or courts buildings, or swimming pools. Coincidence? I think not.

Detroit doesn't have any of that...

But Vegas's economy was built on peddling sprawl developments. No surprise that everything is brand new or that they are bankrupt since the real estate market crashed.

**Meddle** · June-23-12, 02:15 PM

How many failed banks have brand new buildings?

Story sounds like a PR gimmick though. I know FEMA won't be getting involved and I'm not sure if the State will either. Declaring a State of Emergency is one thing as it sets things in motion to allow sweeping changes temporarily. Declaring a Disaster Area is another matter altogether.

This is not 'Discuss Detroit' either. It's a 'Non-Detroit Issue'.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · June-23-12, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

How many failed banks have brand new buildings?

Story sounds like a PR gimmick though. I know FEMA won't be getting involved and I'm not sure if the State will either. Declaring a State of Emergency is one thing as it sets things in motion to allow sweeping changes temporarily. Declaring a Disaster Area is another matter altogether.

This is not 'Discuss Detroit' either. It's a 'Non-Detroit Issue'.

Are you a moderator now?? Just askin. Maybe Ray1936 can chime in on this.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-24-12, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Hmmm... time for a study linking brand new municipal buildings to the financial collapse of cities. Seems like every city teetering on the brink of bankruptcy has really nice, brand-spanking new city halls, or courts buildings, or swimming pools. Coincidence? I think not.

I could not agree more. I don't understand how Ann Arbor had the money to double the size of city hall, spend a million on some rusted i-beam seen as 'representational art', is planning to double the size of its library, yet has some of the worst roads in the state and has laid off countless employees including firefighters and police officers.

**Hermod** · June-24-12, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

I could not agree more. I don't understand how Ann Arbor had the money to double the size of city hall, spend a million on some rusted i-beam seen as 'representational art', is planning to double the size of its library, yet has some of the worst roads in the state and has laid off countless employees including firefighters and police officers.

It is a game that all municipalities [[and school districts) play. They spend money on things they "like to have' and when they run short, they cut the things that most affect the public [[like beat cops and fire stations) as a way to push for higher taxes.

9mile&seneca · June-24-12, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

It is a game that all municipalities [[and school districts) play. They spend money on things they "like to have' and when they run short, they cut the things that most affect the public [[like beat cops and fire stations) as a way to push for higher taxes.

At last! Someone finally has govornment's number! That's what they do from the feds on down.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · June-24-12, 11:18 PM

Ask your governor, he lives there.

**Danny** · June-25-12, 12:01 PM

Soon all of the North Las Vegas will just like Detroit and Flint. Filled with vacant and abandon structures after the middle class became the pauper class.