Beers names Hettrick to head campaign

State Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, has named outgoing Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick chairman of his gubernatorial campaign.

Beers, R-Las Vegas, said he will formally introduce Hettrick on Monday at a Carson City press conference.

Hettrick decided not to run for re-election this year, leaving his District 39 seat representing most of Douglas County open. He said it was his intention to retire from politics to concentrate on family-business enterprises, including two development projects on Highway 50 East.

"While I still intend to dedicate more time to our family business and my grandchildren, the governor's race is too important for the future of Nevada," said Hettrick. "I cannot simply sit on the sidelines. Bob Beers is the only candidate with the integrity, originality and ability to lead in a fiscally responsible way."

Hettrick has been the Republican leader in the Assembly for seven sessions. He also led the effort on the property tax relief package last session.

"I consider it a true honor that Lynn has postponed his decision to completely retire from politics in order to join our campaign team," said Beers.

Beers also assailed government unions for their organized opposition to his proposed Tax and Spending Control Initiative. He said an opposing group, Nevadans for Nevada, is showing up where signature gatherers are collecting names to put TASC on the ballot handing out literature against the proposed amendment.

"It should be clear now what those of us advocating TASC are up against," Beers said. "The government unions and special interests will spare nothing in their arsenal to prevent taxpayers from having a say in how our hard-earned dollars are spent."

He said that because of that effort, he will focus his campaign on getting the signatures needed to put TASC on the ballot.

Jim Gibbons and all other candidates for governor except Beers have come out against TASC, which is modeled after the tax cap in Colorado. Voters there recently put their tax-control rules on hold while the state gets out of its financial troubles.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.