Carson City Ward 1 supervisor candidate Rob Joiner believes job creation and the state of the economy are the top issues facing the city right now, and he said working smarter with existing resources is the best way to address those concerns.
"We need to identify what our resources are and maybe reprioritize what our basic essential services should be, and the cost of providing those services. Once that's established, we need to use our resources to create new jobs and support existing businesses," Joiner said.
"There are a lot of unemployed and under-employed people, and we need to help them get back to full employment - especially those who produce products and support the gross domestic product. Those jobs support our small businesses, service industries and retail service industries," he said.
Joiner also believes in taking a conservative approach to spending.
"We have resources at our disposal, like redevelopment tax increment funds and the potential 1/8-cent sales tax - but before that is spent, we need to know the full ramifications. We need to know how spending those will affect the general fund. There should be a vote before sales tax is increased," he said.
The City Center Project is one such example of how ramifications should be explored prior to spending, he said.
"They've (P3) been working with the city almost a year and trying to make this feasibility study work in their minds, but they still admit there are major gaps in the funding," he said.
"In the first phase, they want the city to build a plaza, a learning center and a parking garage at the back door of the Nugget. How ironic it is that after 40 years of the Adamses promising to build a parking garage, they would now be asking us to build it to benefit them potentially more than the city project," Joiner said.
"Say phase two never comes? What do you have then? You have a public-funded garage, and they've doubled the value of their space at our expense. I don't see any gift in this," he said.
"I'm finding a lack of leadership when there are still so many questions," he said. "Doing nothing might be the only option."
Joiner, a self-employed consultant, said he will bring a nuts-and-bolts approach to city government.
"I have a background in planning, economic development, overall city administration and budgeting, including grants. I've worked in management of federal and state legislative programs, and we're going to be dealing, like never before, with the state Legislature on revenue structures," he said.
Joiner said the city also will be depending more and more on the return of federal tax dollars.
"We need to get our fair share back," he said.
Joiner stressed that his strong practical background would be an asset to the board of supervisors.
"I have a great desire to serve without special interests and without bias," he said.
Joiner, 55, faces business owner Karen Abowd in the general election Tuesday for the Ward 1 seat.