Harry Reid has been a U.S. senator for as long as most locals have been residents, and it's nearly the same scenario for his son, Rory Reid, who has been on the Clark County Commission since 2002.

The younger Reid, named Best Up-and-Coming Politician by In Business' sister publication, Las Vegas Life, was a legislative aide in the U.S. House and served on the Clark County Committee on Efficiency in Government. He also was appointed to the Nevada Taxicab Authority by former Gov. Bob Miller.

Reid was elected twice to his District G commission seat, winning his second term in 2006. In 2005 and 2007, his board colleagues elected him chairman of that board, a position he continues to hold.

Presidential contender Hillary Clinton also has taken note of Reid, selecting him to head her campaign in Nevada.

Reid talked with In Business about the county government's relationship with business and the challenges of growth.

Question: Most people know you as the chairman of the Clark County Commission or as Sen. Harry Reid's son. But you also are a practicing attorney. What are your responsibilities with Lionel Sawyer?

Answer: My law practice isn't what it used to be, frankly. I'm doing more politics than law lately. I do administrative work, some state agency stuff, wills and trusts. A lot of what I used to do I don't because of conflicts. I used to be more of a regulatory lawyer, but it's hard to be on both sides of the dais. I'm transitioning.

Isn't it difficult to avoid conflicts of interest while holding such a high-profile county position? How do you avoid such conflicts?

It takes a lot of time. I'm really careful. I look at our agendas thoroughly. I compare the agenda to the client database at the firm where I work. Because we hear hundreds of items every month, it takes a significant amount of time. I'm very careful, as I said, and I think that if you're careful, it's easy to avoid a conflict because they're obvious if you're looking for them.

So if something comes up with anything in the practice, you remove yourself from the debate.

Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid speaks during a recent question-and-answer interview. Photo by Sam Morris

Yeah, I don't talk to my staff about it, I don't talk to my colleagues about it and I don't vote on it.

What do you think is the biggest problem facing Clark County and how would you propose solving it?

The biggest problem we have is a happy one. It's growth. Nine people move here every hour, they have for over a decade. It's the fastest-growing county in the country for the last 17 years in a row. That's good because it creates a more diverse economy, a more diverse populace. It creates opportunities for people. However, it puts a lot of stress on government to provide services that people expect, to provide the infrastructure we need, so it's a struggle to keep up. Every challenge the community has is directly or indirectly related to our growth, whether it be transportation, or air quality, or our water resource, our health care delivery system, our criminal justice system. All of those things are under stress because of the way we've grown and it's the primary thing we have to deal with in local government.

How large a population base do you expect for Clark County in the next decade?

When I was in high school here, there were barely over 300,000 (people). The day my first child was born, there were over 800,000 and she just started high school and there's nearly 2 million. So I expect at some point, that growth will level out and things will normalize. If you talk to the experts, that's what they say happens in communities, even in communities that are outliers statistically like Southern Nevada. So I expect at some point our growth will level out but that's certainly not our history.

So do you think in the next decade we might hit 3 million?

I don't know. I think that we need to plan for that and whether or not that occurs, we need to be prepared.

Should county government consider some limitations on growth so that government services can catch up?

One of the things I'm most proud of since I was elected was convening our growth task force. I think that was a historic effort. It's something we had never done before. We called the community together. We got a group of citizens, some of whom were environmentalists, some of whom were developers. We put people in a room who didn't agree with each other. And we asked that question: Look at what's happened here historically, what's the future going to be like? Can we sustain this? And if we can't sustain it, what should we do about it?

I think it's provocative to say, "We should just put a limitation or a moratorium on building permits. We should stop this darn growth because it's causing us so many problems." That makes sense to people, but it really overly simplifies a complicated set of issues. It's not as if there's a growth-control room and there's a meter in there and I can go in and if growth was 6.5 percent last month, I can't ratchet it down to 3.2 (percent) next month. It's just not that easy. And our task force bore that out.

We had people on there who were no-growthers when the task force commenced and we had people on there who were fans of growth. Together they came to the conclusion that there were things that we had to do to sustain our lifestyle, but that growth wasn't something that we could control. What we needed to do was plan for the future and make sure that we tried to address issues associated with growth to the extent we could. But there were tremendous economic forces at play that we can't throw our body in front of because we're frustrated by it. As a result of the growth task force's efforts, we initiated a number of policies to make our plans better. I think we need to continue to do that as we move forward.

How well does Clark County meet businesses' needs in terms of planning, zoning and building inspections? What are the turnaround times for these services?

I think we're doing better than we were, but I think there's more work to do. We made our Development Services Department an enterprise fund. What that means is the revenue that's generated by the fees we charge developers remain within the department and we can use those funds to address the issues that are arising because of our tremendous growth. We all have an interest in that. This isn't about doing what's better for developers. To the extent they are required to spend more money to pull a building permit, they're going to pass that cost on to the ultimate consumer of that product, the home buyer. So if we can shorten the process and if we can decrease the bureaucracy that the builders have to deal with, we're going to make homes cheaper.

By the way, that growth task force I mentioned indicated that the No. 1 problem confronting our community was the affordability of housing. By improving the system, we've met the needs of the business community and the needs of their customers. I think that's just one example of how government and business can work together to improve the bottom line for everyone that's involved.

What feedback does the county get on those services? What can the county do better?

It's still a work in progress. As I said, we've changed the system in a comprehensive way. We changed the way it was funded. We hired more people because ultimately, human beings need to review plans created by other human beings to make sure that they comply with all the codes and other requirements of the law. We staffed up. We also are now relying more on third parties to a certain degree to help us improve the process. We will continue to try to shorten the times required to build something here.

Third parties, is that having somebody on retainer to look at plans?

Exactly. We've hired other sets of eyes to help us work through the process.

What's the advantage of having it set up as an enterprise fund?

The advantage is that when we go to developers and say, "Hey, we want to raise your fees," they have a sense that those additional revenues that are generated will improve the system that they have to work through to build the product. We thereby were able to address both the needs of the homebuilder and the home buyer as I described earlier.

How supportive has the broader business community been to Clark County's efforts?

One thing that Clark County government has done very well is reach out to the community. We don't presume to know the answer to every problem that confronts us and when it was apparent that this was a problem and that our Development Services Department needed to improve, we didn't just implement changes. We went to stakeholders, both the development community, community activists, other interested parties and we said, "Hey, here's the problem. What do you think we should do to solve it?" And then, we had a dialogue and came up with solutions, the enterprise fund I described being one. That's the model that we've used very successfully at the county. You can't assume you know all the answers, but we certainly know what the problems are, we describe them to the community and we ask them to help us solve them.

How about the gaming industry's support?

I think we work well with them as well. They don't always like what we say and there are disagreements. There is tremendous growth in the resort corridor. There are billions and billions of dollars worth of development under construction there as we speak and billions more in the planning stages. All that additional development is going to challenge the existing infrastructure, everything from traffic to public safety. Similarly with the gaming community, we reached out to them and said we weren't sure that existing processes would allow us to mitigate the impacts of the development they had planned.

We've begun a process of entering into development agreements with those that would develop projects or regional significance. They're helping us solve the problems that they create. I think it's something we should have done years ago. It's another example of what I said: When we see a problem, we don't presume to know how to solve it, but we know enough to know whom to ask to solve it.

The Legislature seems to be stalled in its efforts to fund transportation projects that seem to be vital to Southern Nevada. What efforts are you and the county taking to get the area's transportation needs on track?

We're working together with legislators. They've asked us for information and we've provided it. We want to be part of the solution, not a part of the problem. This is a tremendously significant issue. When you have a tourist-based economy and your customers can't move from one place to another readily and without significant frustration, you have a problem. When we're growing like we are and we have a significant workforce that we need to move around in the valley, it's a problem as well.

People throw around that $3.8 billion number as an example of what the deficit is. What people need to realize is that only quantifies the cost of major state transportation projects. It doesn't have anything to do with our surface streets or local needs. Through the Regional Transportation Commission, there are plans that have been developed to address that, but we're trying to be part of the broader solution. No one can stick their heads in the sand in Carson City. They're hearing from every sector of the community that this is a very important issue that demands leadership and I think they will have to listen.

What's the status of the development of the Ivanpah Valley airport?

We're in the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process, that's to say that we're trying to meet the demands of the federal environmental laws and address whatever concerns arise in that process. It's also in design and we want to be in a position that once we've met the demands of the federal law that we're ready to go. It will take some time to do all of that. We need to be in a position to build that airport as soon as we can. McCarran soon will be at capacity. More than $2 billion is being spent on Terminal 3. McCarran won't be what you see here soon. We're realigning Russell Road, building a huge parking facility, another terminal. When all that's done, the capacity at the airport will be somewhere over 50 million passengers a year. I think there were 44 million last year, so we need additional capacity, which is what Ivanpah is for.

When anybody says government can't do things efficiently or effectively, I think the story to tell to rebut that is McCarran International Airport. It has built billions of dollars of improvement on time and on budget. It was recently named by J.D. Power, an objective third party, as the most efficient airport in the country. Despite its tremendous growth, we've handled that traffic very well and if our plans come to fruition, we'll be able to handle it in the future.

The county also oversees the area's water needs. What's the status of water development via the Southern Nevada Water Authority?

It's actually a regional responsibility. We work together with the other municipalities in the area through the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Because of our growth, our water resources is one of our significant challenges. The problem is our water portfolio isn't diverse enough. Ninety percent of what we use comes from the Lower Colorado (River) basin and just like your financial portfolio, you don't want all of your eggs in one basket. All our water eggs are in the same basket. We need to diversify, which is why we're trying to develop in-state resources and work together with other counties in the state to provide a win-win situation economically for everybody.

Do you see a scenario in which the county's residents will have to further ration water use if the drought continues and efforts to import water from Lincoln County take longer than anticipated?

I think we're going to continue to conserve water. I don't foresee us having to ration water. Conservation is something we should have been doing anyway. We live in the desert. This is one of the driest places known to man and we have to act that way. I think the responsible thing to do, as environmental stewards of this planet, is to conserve and we should continue to do that, notwithstanding what happens with our water resources.

Give your assessment of the prospects for a regional government.

Well, it would be very entertaining to have Oscar Goodman be the mayor of the universe. I think we've done that to a significant degree and I've talked about it already. We have the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which is a regional water authority. We have a Regional Transportation Commission, which is a regional transportation authority. We have a Regional Flood Control District. We have the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which is a regional law enforcement agency. We have the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which is a regional agency to market our town to the rest of the world. So we have a regional government. But I do not believe, though, there will be wholesale consolidation of all governmental authorities in Southern Nevada. I just don't think that's politically possible. I do think we should try to consolidate services where we can and when we can and I think that we will.

But wouldn't consolidation be less expensive in the long run?

It depends where you live. It depends what your property tax rate is. I think that some people, if they understood what it would do to them, would be quick to oppose the effort because property tax rates are higher in some parts of the valley than others. Some municipalities have chosen to increase property tax rates because they believe it's important for the parks and recreation services they want to provide or for other reasons. When I say it's not politically possible, that's one of the primary reasons. It would have a significant impact on property tax rates that certain residents of the community would pay that they're not required to pay today and I think it would create opposition to a wholesale consolidation plan. And that's why you haven't seen one.

You're a new member of the board of directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. What do you think is the most critical issue facing the tourism industry in the next decade?

I don't wake up at 2 in the morning and stare at the ceiling and worry about that. I think we're a very innovative community. We've been tremendously successful at building things that make people want to come here and there are people much smarter than I at this and they're very successful at it. They are building things to behold on the Las Vegas Strip. Project CityCenter is an amazing thing. Echelon (Place). The Fontainebleau. The additions at Wynn and at the Venetian. These are all things that have been designed by the best architects in the world and they'll be marketed by the best promoters in the world and we're going to do just fine. I'm not worried about that.

The LVCVA enjoys the position of having the largest marketing budget of any convention and visitors bureau in the nation. Yet there are many areas in the state for which additional funding could solve a lot of problems, transportation and education among them. Do you think the percentage of money generated by room taxes should be ratcheted back so that more could be spent for transportation infrastructure?

There's a debate going on in Carson City about how to fund the various needs that our state has, we talked about some of them, transportation being primary. I think I will let that debate rage in Carson City. I think our state legislators need to debate that issue and give direction to local government, not vice versa.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a father who is majority leader of the U.S. Senate?

I don't think of my father as the majority leader of the U.S. Senate, I think of him as my father and he was a wonderful father. I'm trying to model the way I raise my children after what he taught me. So the primary advantage of being his son is being his son. I'm proud of him and what he's done and I value our relationship very much.

Do your constituents, either business or private, try to lobby your father through you?

I have no idea. I think if they do, they're wasting their time.

You recently became the head of Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign efforts in Clark County. Why did you undertake that responsibility and what's in it for you?

I did it because I believe in her. I was approached by all the presidential candidates. They wanted me to help them in their campaigns. I talked to all of them. I believe that presidential elections have themes and I believe the theme in 2008 will be which of these people is the most intelligent, competent and experienced leader that's ready to confront all the problems we have in the world today. On that score, she does very well and I am proud that she asked me to be involved in her campaign and I think she'll be successful.

And is there anything in it for you?

I enjoy political campaigns, so this is like going to the Super Bowl. So what's in it for me is I get to help conceive a presidential campaign in the state I love and have lived my whole life in, so that's all I get out of this and I'm happy to do it.

What's in your political future?

You've been asking me to predict all these future events and I'm just not very good at that. I am enjoying what I'm doing and I don't have any plans to do anything else at the moment.

What observations do you have about Mayor Goodman's efforts to attract a professional sports team to Southern Nevada? Because land is so plentiful, do you see a scenario where land could be offered by the county for an arena in the same way that the city of Glendale, Ariz., has taken the Cardinals and the Coyotes away from Phoenix?

I think Oscar's a great promoter. What he has done for our community is valuable and I think he has worked very hard on this issue for many years and he deserves the credit for the progress that has been made in that regard. I think that if we do build a new arena, no one should expect that it would be done here in the same way it's been done in other markets. We're not going to do what Houston, Denver, Charlotte and other cities have done, which is provide 90 to 95 percent of the capital required to build a facility. That just won't happen.

We have so many other issues here that demand to be a priority. Because of our growth, we are behind in a lot of ways in terms of the services we provide the citizens here and the infrastructure that we have to meet our needs. I don't think an arena is what we should do next. That's not to say that there isn't a way to do this. I think that the private sector needs to step up and tell us what they can contribute to this effort rather than ask the government what we can do. On that point, I think Oscar and I have a different point of view, but I'm going to continue to say what I believe and I don't think anyone should expect that we're going to pay 95 percent of the costs for a new arena. But people also shouldn't minimize the impact of what a new arena would do for our community. I think it would be very positive. It would allow us to remain competitive to attract events that other cities now host. So, I think this is a conversation that will continue.