State Assembly district 40

Bonnie Parnell

Age: 60

Hometown: Carson City

Occupation: Retired teacher

Family: Two children

Political background: Democrat, Assembly District 40 elected in 1998, 2000 and 2004.

Tell us about yourself

Public service has been a major part of my life, especially during my 30 years in Carson City. I began volunteering for our local PTA in 1976 and spent 20 years on the PTA State Board of Managers including two years as State President. In 1993, I was appointed to the Nevada Welfare Board by Governor Miller and to the Nevada Board of Osteopathic Medicine by Governor Guinn in 2003. Currently I serve on the Board of Directors for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program and as an Associate Member of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce. My interest in politics came as a result of the issues I dealt with during these years of public service and from teaching Social Studies for 23 years in Carson City. It was an honor to be selected as the Nevada Teacher of the Year in 1998. When I have free time, I enjoy camping, reading a good book, baking, or working in my yard.

If elected, would you support going beyond the spending cap? If you would hold the spending cap, where would you cut? What programs, services or expenses do you believe the state can reduce?

I would not support going beyond the 1979 spending cap. I believe that staying within the spending cap is the fiscally responsible course of action. Maintaining the cap in place does not necessarily mean that services would need to be cut or even reduced. The Legislature has historically spent under the cap, including in the 2005 Legislative Session. It is important to note that funding for construction is not limited by the cap. Balancing the budget with revenue within the cap must be our goal. It is the responsibility of those elected to prioritize expenditures and to do so in the most fiscally-sound manner. We must continue to maximize potential revenue through aggressive collections of state taxes and by fighting fraud. Everything possible should be done so that Nevada receives its fair share of federal dollars. Nevada cannot afford to lose available revenue. Being accountable in collecting and maximizing our revenue sources will assure that spending will be within our means and that raising the cap will continue to be unnecessary. Taxpayers deserve no less.

The state is looking at more than $3 billion in needs for transportation improvements, most of it in southern Nevada. How should the state fund those projects or should it?

The state has a responsibility to assist in funding the transportation needs throughout our state. The growth that our state has faced has created stress on our system of transportation. This affects economic development and vitality and our quality of life. Governor Guinn has appointed a Blue Ribbon Task Force to study transportation needs and to make recommendations for funding such needs. While I look forward to seeing these recommendations, I do know that I would not support raising the gas tax. As we have recently seen, the price of gas is too unpredictable to further burden our drivers with additional costs. Similar to my answer to the above question, it is imperative that we utilize all available revenue from the Federal Highway Administration.

Contact information:

Telephone: 883-4234

E-mail: bonnieparnell@sbcglobal.net

Sheila M. Ward

Age: 64

Hometown: Carson City, NV

Occupation: Housewife, grandmother

Family: Husband of 41 years, Sam Ward; sons Tom and George; daughters Sarah Myers, Anne Cater and Elizabeth.

Political background: Republican, volunteered as an advocate for education and family issues at the Legislature 1995, 1997, 1999; school trustee May 2001-February 2006

Tell us about yourself

For decades we have been told our education system is failing because it does not get enough money. But if money were the problem, our education system would have been fixed years ago. I hope to bring fresh ideas, ideas already working in other states that are raising student achievement levels, graduation rates, college entrance.

I am a CHS graduate 1960; BA University of Washington 1964. Volunteer activities: children's school 1973-1996; Carson Middle School PTA secretary 1998 and president 1999; Community Dir., Academic Year in USA 1998-99 placing students with host families; read and tutored for 5th grade Grace Bordewich Elementary School 2003-05; CHS senior Project 3 years; and third grade science projects 4 years Fremont Elementary School.

In 2002 to commemorate the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, I raised funds from community to provide specially designed "Pledge of Allegiance Posters" posters to 6000 our students and developed the America Essay Contest".

Hobbies: downhill skiing, baking bread, walking.

If elected, would you support going beyond the spending cap, approved by the Legislature in 1979 Ð which the Legislature is permitted to do by statute Ð or would you hold to the spending cap? If you would hold the spending cap, where would you cut? What programs, services or expenses do you believe the state can reduce?

I would hold to the spending cap. I would cut wasteful spending. As explained on my website and above, there are ways to raise student achievement levels that do not cost more money. It may cost the size of the bureaucracy. Find out where the waste is coming, cut and then prioritize.

The state is looking at more than $3 billion in needs for transportation improvements, most of it in southern Nevada. How should the state fund those projects or should it?

Having recently traveled to southern Nevada I realize the need of improved infrastructure in that part of the state, but I believe we in northern Nevada are experiencing many of the same problems created by growth. I will fight for northern Nevada's fair share. We must not only plan our infrastructure needs to keep up with the growth in northern Nevada, we must plan our infrastructure to proceed growth so we do not find ourselves in the same untenable situation as Las Vegas and the rest of southern Nevada.

Contact information:

Telephone: (775) 443-5223,

E-mail: wardshey@sbcglobal.net