Las Vegas, Nevada
August 20, 2024
The unfolding catastrophe surrounding the Badlands Golf Course development in Las Vegas is a glaring example of political failure, and one person must be held accountable: the elected representative of Ward 2, Victoria Seaman.
As voters, we entrust our elected officials with the responsibility to represent our interests and solve the issues that affect our communities.
When they campaign on specific promises, we expect them to deliver. If they fail, they should not be rewarded with higher office but held accountable for their shortcomings.
Victoria Seaman ran her campaign on the promise that she would resolve the Badlands situation, a contentious issue that has plagued Ward 2 for years. The residents of the ward, as well as the rest of the city, placed their trust in her to end the legal battles and find a resolution that would protect both the community and the taxpayers.
However, instead of solving the problem, Seaman has exacerbated it, leading to what is now a potential financial disaster for the city of Las Vegas.
Before Seaman took office, the city had no judgments against it and owed nothing concerning the Badlands dispute.
However, the city’s liability has ballooned to over half a billion dollars under her watch. This staggering amount directly results from Seaman’s inability to follow through on her campaign promise to resolve the issue.
Instead of finding a solution, she has allowed the situation to spiral out of control, and now the taxpayers of Las Vegas are on the hook for an enormous sum.
This situation is even more egregious because Seaman was allowed to settle the dispute. She was handed a $49 million settlement, a chance to put this issue to rest finally. But instead of crossing the finish line and securing a resolution, Seaman pulled the item from the agenda, derailing the settlement process. This decision failed to solve the problem and exposed the city to even greater financial risk.
It is one thing to fail to achieve a campaign promise, but it is another entirely to make the situation worse. Seaman has done just that, and now she is asking the voters to reward her failure by electing her as the next mayor of Las Vegas.
This is not how leadership should work. When elected officials fail to deliver on their promises, they should be held accountable, not promoted.
Seaman’s record speaks for itself. During her time in office, she voted 22 times to fund outside legal counsel to continue the fight over the Badlands, spending millions of taxpayer dollars with little to show.
This prolonged legal battle has not only drained the city’s resources but has also eroded public trust in the city’s leadership. And yet, Seaman continues to campaign for higher office, as if her record of failure should be overlooked.
The voters of Las Vegas face a critical decision on November 5. Do we reward Victoria Seaman for her failures or tell her that she has let us down? The choice is clear.
Suppose we allow Seaman to ascend to the mayor’s office. In that case, we effectively endorse her mishandling of the Badlands situation and signal that we are willing to accept failure as the standard for our city’s leadership.
This situation should serve as a wake-up call for all voters in Las Vegas. When you elect someone to represent you, it is not enough for them to make promises.
They must deliver on those promises, or they should not be re-elected. The stakes are too high, and the costs are too significant. We cannot afford to have leaders who fail to act in the best interests of their constituents.
The Badlands debacle is a testament to the importance of accountability in politics.
Seaman had the chance to resolve this issue and failed.
Now, as the city faces the possibility of paying over half a billion dollars, the voters must decide her fate. Will we allow her to continue down this path of failure, or will we choose a leader who can deliver results?
The answer should be clear. On November 5, let’s message Victoria Seaman that failure is not an option and that the people of Las Vegas deserve better.
Our city’s future depends on it.
Badlands price tag could top half a billion dollars, city manager’s memo warns
