Where Your Money Goes
Last Tuesday, Clark County commissioners voted to spend $26.6 million to buy an Ashley Furniture store property and set aside another $5 million for “future tenant improvements.” The 9.4-acre property includes two buildings, three billboards, and two cell-tower leases near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Interstate 11.
The stated purpose? To provide a new home for the Southern Nevada Children’s Advocacy Center (SNCAC), which has outgrown its current space on North Pecos Road.
The Children’s Advocacy Center: A Growing Need
The SNCAC brings together professionals who investigate child abuse cases and support young victims. According to executive director Cheryl Cooley, the center served about 900 kids when first accredited in 2009. Today, that number has grown to about 2,000 children annually.
“I’m willing to give up my office at times because we are, we’re out of space,” Cooley said in an August 2023 interview. “So if someone needs to talk to a parent, or finish up with some other client, I’ll leave my office so that someone can come and talk.”
Hard Questions Taxpayers Should Ask
While protecting children from abuse is a core government function that conservatives support, the purchase raises several fiscal concerns:
- The $31 million price tag is substantial for a property that will require extensive renovation.
- Ashley Furniture is already building a massive 273,222-square-foot flagship store in the southwest valley, set to open in May. The county is buying the old location now but letting Ashley continue using it until their new store opens.
- Converting retail space to specialized government use typically costs more than building purpose-designed facilities.
A Six-Year Search
Deputy County Manager Abigail Frierson noted:
“This new building is six years in the making for this incredibly special program.”
Yet the August 2023 news report indicated it would “likely be a few years” before the new location is ready. This suggests taxpayers will be paying for an empty or partially used building for quite some time while renovations take place.
Property Tax Implications
Each property acquired by the county:
- Removes valuable commercial space from the tax rolls
- Adds ongoing maintenance expenses to the county budget
- Requires additional staff and resources
The SNCAC brings together staff from multiple agencies, including Clark County Family Services, the District Attorney’s Office, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and federal agencies like the FBI.
Worthy Mission, Questionable Method
The SNCAC’s accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance with “the highest rating possible” speaks to the quality of its work. Their multidisciplinary approach helps reduce barriers to legal recourse and medical care for young victims.
However, fiscal responsibility remains important even for worthy causes. Could the same goal have been achieved at lower cost to taxpayers?
The Furniture Store Connection
Ashley Furniture purchased their new 20-acre site for $27 million in 2020 and will operate their U.S. flagship location there. Meanwhile, taxpayers are spending nearly the same amount for their old property. The county will lease the property back to Ashley until their new store opens, generating some short-term revenue but delaying the property’s intended use.
Looking Ahead
Once Ashley Furniture moves out in May, partner agencies and organizations will begin raising funds to help outfit the property for the SNCAC’s specialized needs.
For taxpayers, this means watching both the direct costs to the county and the additional fundraising efforts needed to complete the project.
The Bottom Line
The question isn’t if we should support child abuse prevention and investigation, but whether this particular purchase represents the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars to achieve that goal.
As Clark County grows, balancing essential services with fiscal responsibility remains a challenge that requires ongoing citizen attention and input.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
