LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3) -- The Clark County Commission on Tuesday accepted for review a report from the County Manager that promises to be a hot potato.
The stated goal is to improve the flow of foot traffic on the Strip, but that includes removing adult-oriented newsracks.
The emphasis was on ease of movement for pedestrian traffic along the Strip, according to Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani.
Part of the remake includes removing news racks that advertise euphemistically-named escort services.
Despite a long-standing commission animus toward smut-peddling on the Strip, the Clark County Commission has adopted a new strategy this time around: It's not about what is in the box, it is about public access.
The general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, which has voiced concerns over free speech curbs, warned the commission that its solution might exacerbate other problems.
“If you ban the newsracks, that information and the people who want to put out that material will find other methods, mostly handbilling,” said the ACLU’s Allen Lichtenstein.
The County Commission will have public discussion on this subject at a later date. The price tag for the plan to make the Strip more accessible for pedestrian traffic is about $3.1 million.
