The amount of potential population growth in the next five years will be our biggest challenge in Southern Nevada. How, we as a community, handle water, land, property taxes and mortgage lending for our new residents will impact our potential growth and development.
The biggest challenge facing the future of Las Vegas is the funding of education and mental health services. The increasing demand for these services, with the lack of appropriate funding, is a mounting crisis that threatens the future growth and vitality of this community.
Our biggest challenge is responding to the growth that has ensued and the demands it places on each of our systems, particularly the education, health care, mental health and workforce development systems.
I think the biggest challenge is going to be housing and homelessness. Right now, property values in most areas are increasing because of the demand.
Specific to Las Vegas, the biggest challenge I foresee is keeping Nevada’s business taxation policies how they are, and avoiding the destructive policies of California, which seem to be creeping their way into our state.
I don’t believe we have enough community infrastructure, or developing it as quickly, as our population’s growth. Our schools, hospitals and other community resources will be stretched thin and will be difficult to keep pace of a thriving community.
I think that we need to focus on what’s next and what the future Las Vegas will look like. We have so much to offer as a city and a community, in addition to being a thriving tourist and gaming destination.
Q: How do you decompress after a hard week? A: I have a standing date with my wife every Friday. I’ll meet Catherine at a restaurant where we’ll have dinner and drinks and discuss the week’s challenges and successes. Sometimes, we’ll stay at home on Friday night, and believe it or not, watch a Hallmark movie. I’m such a softy for her, and it is what she enjoys.
That’s one of the reasons I came to NBCF, to create a dedicated school for visually impaired kids. Nevada is one of just five states that does not have a school for the blind. We’re going to change that.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing Las Vegas in the next five years? A: Vegas is undergoing a pretty significant transformation. In the last 10 years it went from one of the hardest-hit communities in the country to a city with professional sports, a growing job market, and is once again one of the fastest-growing populations in the nation. The public sector has to make sure our ability to serve the needs of a thriving community keeps pace with the growth.