Ask anyone in northern Nevada, and they'll tell you that this winter was a doozy. Back-to-back storms dumped record amounts of snow across much of the state, shutting down all nonessential work. That included the state legislature. For a few days this session, lawmakers, lobbyists, and bureaucrats were forced to hunker down and wait it out.
That cold weather finally gave way to spring in May, just in time for lawmakers to wrap up the 2023 legislative session. But the storms renewed a debate that creeps up every legislative session. It's a discussion held on the periphery that piques the interest of lawmakers and lobbyists alike.
The conversation usually starts the same way.
"Hear me out ... I've got a crazy idea ... It sure would be nice ... What if … we moved the Capitol to Las Vegas."
It’s a reasonably straightforward proposal on its face. Clark County is where 73 percent of the state’s residents live and would allow for greater access to the political process.
I get it.
The realpolitik of Nevada dictates that Clark County reign supreme. Taxes collected in the Las Vegas Valley help fund public services for other communities like Elko and Winnemucca, Reno and Sparks. Sin City's draw is legendary. It’s a gateway for outdoor recreation of every type. Only a handful of cities in the country offer the same entertainment or culinary options. In the American psyche, Las Vegas is in a class of its own.
That said, it’s just not the town for me. I prefer living somewhere with less glitz and more "character" — as realtors would say, somewhere a little more down to earth. That’s because I am, and always be, a Northern Nevada apologist. With my bias in the open, I present to you, dear reader, a case for Carson City.
We're Not Outliers
First and foremost, Nevada is not alone in sending lawmakers to a seat of power that is not the most populous city in the state. Thirty-two other states do the same thing.
Of course, many states are not nearly as large as Nevada. The people of New York do not have to drive seven hours to their Capitol in Albany, but the residents of California understand our situation. People living in Alaska may have to travel by land, sea, and air to speak with their elected officials. So, why is the travel to Carson City so burdensome?
Another question: If the largest population is the essential prerequisite to becoming a capital city, then shouldn’t we reconsider our nation’s capital? The District of Columbia was established as its own political subdivision to ensure that no one state would have an outsized voice in the operations of our federal government.
If we were to apply the logic that the most populous city should be the seat of power, then the metro areas around New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and Philadelphia would all be considered more appropriate capitals than Washington D.C.
The pandemic also helped create new avenues for constituents to communicate with their representatives. Every committee hearing, floor session, and vote is broadcast on the legislature’s website and YouTube. Voters are given every opportunity to voice their concerns during the multiple public comment periods of every meeting. They can also call, text, email, or video conference with their representatives at a moment’s notice. In many ways, access has become more of a scheduling concern than anything else.Historical and Cultural Significance
The communities of northwestern Nevada play an integral part in the state’s history. Lest we forget, the reason Nevada became a state in the first place was its large deposits of those most precious of metals — gold and silver.
In 1864, the United States was still fighting the Civil War, and while the tide had turned in favor of the U.S. Army after Gettysburg, the war effort was growing increasingly expensive. Access to freshly minted money was an incredible boon. It also gave Congress the political cover it needed to admit the relatively new Nevada Territory into the Union despite its having a population of only 7,000. At the time, federal law required a population of 60,000 for admittance as a state — a benchmark Nevada would not reach until 1906. It would be another 60 years before Las Vegas would become the state’s largest city.
During much of that first century of state history, rural communities were on equal footing with Carson City. It helped foster a political culture that embraced personal choice and freedoms and the importance of local control over local issues.
Those are ideals that remain foundational to many voters in Nevada and across the American West.
Nevada's Diversity
In recent years, Nevada has touted its place as a highly diverse U.S. state, and why shouldn’t it? The Silver State’s demographics and culture give us a unique vantage point in creating policies that could serve as a blueprint for the rest of the county.
However, that diversity also includes rural communities, whose influence has waned over the past two decades. During the most recent redistricting process, state politicians gerrymandered northern Nevada into political oblivion. Only 17 of Nevada’s 63 lawmakers represent voters outside Clark County.
It raises the question, if lawmakers were to move the capital to Las Vegas, would those 17 lawmakers have any say in the legislative process, or would they become backbenchers ignored because they represent “the North?”
By forcing policymakers to travel to Carson City, we also force them to acknowledge that communities outside of Clark County not only exist but also deserve representation, just like the urban centers.
The desire to consolidate power among Nevada’s largest communities shouldn’t come at the those who live in the state’s 16 other counties. With Carson City as the state capital, we can set the example for the country in closing the urban-rural divide that has seemingly cleaved this country in two.
Fewer Distractions, Better Policy
Perhaps the most common complaint about Carson City is the lack of late-night dining and entertainment options. It’s a fair point. On several occasions, I’ve left the Capitol Complex after a late bill hearing, hungry for a bite, only to find myself back home in Reno before stumbling upon anything that isn't Denny's.
The night scene is even scanter. Carson boasts some decent restaurants and watering holes, but there are no clubs to speak of. It's a source of frustration for the young attachés and interns who flit about the halls of the legislature during the day.
However, that’s not a bad thing.
Nevada is one of four states where the legislature meets on a biennial basis. That means they only have 120 days every other year to address the pressing concerns of all Nevadans. Lawmakers are tasked with managing the state’s finances through two-year budgets known as a biennium. It’s a lot of work that must get done in a very limited amount of time, so maybe it’s best our leaders aren’t going to lavish, lobbyist-funded dinners or drinking until dawn on the Strip.
It’s also good practice for those few politicians and staffers who will eventually serve in Congress. Three of Nevada’s four representatives in the U.S. House began their careers in the Nevada legislature — Mark Amodei, Dina Titus, and Steven Horsford. The lessons learned and the habits created during their tenure in Carson City have undoubtedly helped them as they regularly travel back and forth from Nevada to Washington.
Unpopular and Unpractical
Finally, making Las Vegas the capital city has never caught on with voters. A 2017 poll conducted by the Mellman Group on behalf of The Nevada Independent found that 70 percent of voters want to keep the capitol in Carson City.
At the time, then-Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak called the idea unfeasible— maybe because it would also cost an arm and a leg.
“There’s just too much tradition and infrastructure and history to contemplate that move seriously,” he said. “While it might be fun to talk about it, I don’t think it’s a realistic proposition.”
So, if we are to continue these conversations about moving the state’s seat of power, I propose we do ourselves a favor and make access to the Capitol as equitable as possible. Therefore, I propose we move the state Capitol to Tonopah.
That way, no one is happy, but the drive is shorter.
