Clark County Commission Ceremony - a sneak peek of Commission's Future - Our Dismal Future
Reference January 3, 2007 - Las Vegas Sun - Tony Cook Things can sure be extra chummy down at the Clark County Commission between the Service Employees International Union Local 1107 and Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Tom Collins. The SEIU represents county workers and is in the midst of negotiating a new contract with county management. At a January meeting, Giunchigliani mixed among the purple t-shirted union crowd wearing a purple blazer. Although ironic, GIunchigliani state that the purple theme in the room was merely coincidental. It tells a story though; families often think alike. Collins and Giunchigliani should abstain on all votes regarding unions that endorse and fund their election. Not to abstain is self-dealing.
Amid the fanfare and good cheer it was hardly likely that the board would take this conflict of interest into account. Little chance it would repeat what it did last year when it removed labor-friendly Commissioner Collins from the Metropolitan Police Fiscal Affairs Committee so as to block a salary increase in a proposed police union contract. Had Collins been allowed to vote it would have just been another instance of self-dealing because of the commissioner and the union's campaign financing connections.
On this day in January, Giunchigliani cast a lone vote not to give a substantial salary increase to Randy Walker, chief of McCarran International Airport. Although she was a lone wolf on this item, there is one person that she rarely butts heads with, the man whom she shares a campaign manager with, Tom Collins. Who is that campaign manager? Her husband Gary Gray. Clark County is apparently one big happy family. Try to forget about the strings attached.