Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal
Former Department of Transportation engineer Paul Saucedo filed Monday for the Carson City Supervisor Ward 1 seat being vacated by Robin Williamson, who is running for state assembly.
Saucedo, 68, said one reason he wanted to run for office was so that he could become more involved in the community he has lived in for nearly 37 years.
"I believe we all need to work in the community, and I can offer maturity. What you see is what you get, and my wife says I'm honest to a fault," he said.
Saucedo is particularly concerned about the future of city government.
"It's not looking very pretty," he said. "I don't believe in laying people off and I believe we need to investigate how to avoid that. Employees are an investment."
He said he also is concerned about the economy and how it plays out in Carson City.
"We have a better environment than most places and a good social structure. We're very friendly, and the city should sell that along with our tax structure and history. We need to be proactive," he said.
Saucedo said Mayor Bob Crowell's attendance at the mayor's conference later this month in Arizona is great way to tell Carson City's story.
"That's a real step in the right direction," he said.
Saucedo said he believes the proposed Nugget project is good in concept, but he is concerned that there isn't enough information available at the moment.
"I'm skeptical until we see the details," he said. "I make decisions based on facts."
What he thinks Carson City needs most is a convention center.
"I'd love to see a convention center. This is a historical city, and that is a tremendous asset. We need to sell that - make that our selling point. It could provide permanent and seasonal jobs, and it's something we haven't explored yet," he said.
"The Nugget project has a lot of merit - maybe it's even the trend of the future, I don't know. But right now, the economy is flat, we're losing jobs and I find layoffs very distasteful," Saucedo said.
He said he believes it is critical that the city live within its means, just as families must do.
He also said he is a strong proponent of being an accessible official.
"People need to be able to say what they want for their city and I would want to make people feel comfortable contacting me," he added.
Saucedo and his wife Beverly have a 46-year-old daughter, two sons, 27 and 49, and seven grandchildren.
Three other candidates have filed for the seat: Gary Schulz, Karen Abowd and Norm Scoggin. Sean Lehmann has announced his intention to run.