Reno will spend $70,000 on a public relations campaign to tout the city’s aggressive neighborhood street repair plan and convince voters to support continued funding of the program during the 2004 election, the Reno City Council decided Wednesday.

But one city official said a legal clarification would be required before city funds could be spent to support a potential ballot question.

The repair program is funded through a 1993 voter-approved property tax override that will expire in 2007. Without an extension of the override, the city will be short $5 million a year for fixing neighborhood streets.

The city is considering seeking an extension of the override during the 2004 election.

But council members are concerned the public will confuse the override with an advisory question supported by voters in 2002 that would raise $820 million over 30 years for major transportation projects.

That funding would be used for regional roads countywide. Reno’s rehabilitation program, created in 1997, systematically targets neighborhood city streets.

“That was all about roads,” Councilwoman Jessica Sferrazza said. “We really have to go out and tell people what the difference is between that bond and the overrides.”

Deputy City Attorney Randall Edwards cautioned the council about state law that prohibits the spending of tax money to advocate a political candidate or ballot question.

Edwards said a recent revision to the law prohibits spending tax dollars on a candidate who already has filed for office. The revision doesn’t specify whether money can be spent on a ballot issue before it becomes an actual question.

“I need to get some clarification from the attorney general’s office,” he said.

City Manager Charles McNeely said the campaign’s goal is to educate Reno residents about the program.

The council voted 5-0 to approve the campaign created by two Reno public relations firms, Synergy Communications and Olsen and Associates. Council members Toni Harsh and Dave Aiazzi were absent.

The campaign will be paid for with capital improvement funds.

Sam Dehne, a self-proclaimed citizen watchdog, spoke against using street repair funds for a public relations campaign.

“It is an insult to Northern Nevadans to spend $70,000 to brainwash them,” he said. “We do have some streets that are fine. We do have some streets that are a tragic mess.”

The campaign will include televised public announcements, a brochure, a traveling display to be erected at special events and area malls, a Web site and public access television shows.