Carson City’s Republican Women’s group hosted several candidates at a Tuesday luncheon in Casino Fandango including two statewide candidates who argued they’re best qualified for the jobs they’re seeking.
“I think this state has been mismanaged financially and economically,” said Dan Schwartz, a candidate for governor.
With both a business and a law degree, he said he opposed what he termed Gov. Brian Sandoval’s $1.2 billion tax bill, “not because I didn’t like what the governor wanted to do.”
But he said with all the money pumped into education, Nevada is “still last in every report on education.
“That’s not value for money,” he said.
Schwartz charged the Raiders’ Stadium project in Las Vegas “is the greatest con in the century.” He said that is taking money that should instead go into education and other needs.
He said it’s a $2 billion construction project “floated on a sea of debt.”
He said Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson was originally to put up $650 million toward the project but when he pulled out, the money was replaced with a loan and there’s effectively no equity in the project.
He was followed by Bob Beers, the former Assemblyman, state Senator and Las Vegas city council member who’s running for Schwartz’s current post, state treasurer. Beers touted his nearly 30 years as a Certified Public Accountant as well as his experience in state government.
He said he has the experience necessary to properly run the state treasurer’s office.
“Besides, I have the coolest bumper stickers,” he joked. “We like Beers, Vote responsibly.”
Assemblywoman Lisa Krasner asked voters to give her a second term in District 26 representing south Reno and Incline Village. She said she believes in limited government, low taxes and “equality of opportunity for all citizens under the law.”
“Our elected officials should not be spending your money frivolously,” she said.
Krasner said her proudest accomplishment in the 2017 session was passage of AB145 extending the statute of limitations for child victims of sex abuse to 20 years so even if it’s years before a victim is confident enough to come forward, they can get justice and closure.
And she said she would propose a law in 2019 to mandate those who appear before the parole board testify under threat of perjury. She said that was prompted by O.J. Simpson’s parole testimony he had led a “conflict-free life.”
Lieutenant governor candidate and current state Sen. Michael Roberson was unable to come and sent a spokesman who touted his record on gun rights, right to life issues and practical issues such as setting a cap on how much property taxes can increase in a year. One attendee, however, challenged Roberson over his support for the voter-rejected “Margins tax,” which was recreated as the commerce tax and approved.
Finally, District Judge Leon Aberasturi told the group he would represent rural Nevada’s concerns if elected to the Nevada Supreme Court. He said none of the current justices or the candidates in his race are rural.
“I understand that everything I do impacts people’s lives,” he said.