Thom Reilly
Seven Questions
Thom Reilly
The ex-county manager on the public-employee compensation crisis, how to fix it and the one job he’ll never have
May 31st, 2012
During Thom Reilly’s tenure as Clark County’s CEO from 2001-06, local unemployment was low, spirits were high and government coffers were overflowing with cash. But as the economic train was cruising down the tracks, Reilly was the lone passenger who could see a red light at the end of the tunnel. In particular, he was alarmed by the way politicians, public managers and public-employee unions at the state and local levels were negotiating billion-dollar contracts that included, among other perks, pensions for life and endless retiree health benefits—without ever considering the need for a safety net in case the financial bubble burst. Read more »
