Here in Nevada our quality of life is becoming desecrated and we have been driven into an economic abyss by current elected and appointed officials, the worst in the nation. For the past two decades or better Nevada's economy was driven by casino based tourism & a Ponzi chain letter like scheme of growth and construction for constructions sake; of ultimately carpenters building houses for carpenters, soon to be unemployed and foreclosed upon. We must build a brand new economy, an economy built on bricks not sticks. I am a lifelong practicing economist and a businessman. I have owned and managed agricultural, commercial, and residential properties for over 40 years. Excellence in education is an essential building block of any new economy. Green energy production and equipment manufacture should be pursued. Renewable energy systems manufacturing would be a more appropriate place to use STAR Bonding as opposed to big box stores to put legitimate old time mom & pop retailers out of business. We should also rebuild our tourism based on the great outdoors and our history and heritage. Agriculture could be revitalized and we could return to growing crops with our rural water instead of houses.

      We must leave behind the historic good ol' boys backroom special interest controlled so called leadership in this State. Insanity can be defined as continuing to do the same thing over & over and expecting different results. It would be fool hardy for we the people to rely upon the same old officials that led us into these crisis to now be somehow ordainly enlightened, and willing and capable of leading us out of them.

      Mining is a very important industry in the history and currently in Nevada and should not be looked at as a 'cash cow' to cover spending transgressions of previous local and state government officials. However, special privileges and in essence subsidizes adopted by previous legislatures and maintained and supported by the present legislature should be re examined and at a minimum put to a vote of the people. Kite and Wheeler have painted themselves into a corner in their blind support of no so called new taxes on mining while I feel their should be a public debate and examination of these extra special breaks and special treatment they receive. I believe that any increase in fees or taxes on mining should not be such as to discourage growth and expansion and the creation of new jobs nor should they be such that they discourage or inhibit individual exploration or extraction. Quite the opposite some new fees could encourage growth in that they could create incentive to mine the minerals rather then leave them in the ground at no fee or cost. The value of minerals and mines escape any form of property tax while they remain in the ground. If you own a 200,000 dollar house or a 2 million dollar industrial building you are taxed on it every year but if you own 200 million dollars worth of ore in the ground or a mine valued at 2 billion dollars it escapes taxation until it is mined. Placing a 'property tax' on minerals that are still in the ground would be more commensurate with the property tax we all pay and would encourage persons to mine and employ people rather than to be able to 'put off' any mining without any cost burden like the rest of the property owners have.

TAX PLEDGE
      I generally support lower taxes especially on small businesses and individuals. I believe that the primary method to deal with budget shortfalls is to reduce the size and function of Government and make it more efficient and to eliminate waste. Making Government less intrusive and oppressive generally, in addition to improving the quality of life, reduces the cost of Government; it is a double win situation. I believe that the taxes on nonrenewable resources, mining, should be reexamined and put to a vote of the people. I absolutely oppose any form of personal or corporate income tax for the State of Nevada. I believe the goal should be to reduce sales tax burdens. There should be no sales taxes on food, rent, utilities, medicines and medical equipment and supplies. These are necessities of life in my opinion. I oppose any form of sales tax on any used merchandise, equipment or products including used cars. The sales tax has already been paid once on these items. I support adequate 'fees', which some people may call taxes, on growth so that growth pays its own way and long time residents do not end up paying for the new public infrastructure caused directly by growth such as school expansions, new roads, new fire and police stations, new or expanded sewer and water facilities, libraries, parks, and so on. Existing residents and property owners should not be forced to subsidize the pocketbooks of developers. Development should pay its own way. Under certain circumstances I could support the increase of taxes on alcohol and tobacco especially if it takes the pressure off of other types of taxes and goes to a vote of the people. As an economist I know and understand that in an ideal world you do not tax savings, income or production at all, you tax consumption. Such a tax formula encourages work, productivity, and savings, and discourages waste. How we ever get there in regards to our federal income tax system is the real challenge, but in the meantime the first step could be a flat income tax that eliminates all loopholes.

Star Bonding
      There should be NO star bonding for Big Box Stores or other retail outlets that compete with existing retail businesses. Shields and Cabellas have been subsidized and therefore given a substantial advantage over other existing retail outlets many of them long standing mom and pop stores that have long histories in the area and are part of our history and heritage. Star Bonding should be used to encourage New Industries that manufacture somthing like solar panels or wind turbines or thermal generators and do not compete with existing industries. There should be some consideration of the possibility of modifying or adjust the current arrangements with Cabbelas and Shields/Legends if they have not lived up to projections related to the percentage of their customers and sales that are from out of State shoppers.

Public Comment at Public Meetings
      The historic Town Square in this Country where free speech flourished as citizens could fugitively and literally Stand on a Soap Box to express their thoughts to other citizens has been replaced and displaced in this age of television and the electronic media. I believe that the Public Comments Agenda item at Public Meetings is an appropriate forum to guarantee and encourage free speech activities which are essential to the maintenance of our free society and democratic systems. Some local Governments have attempted to severely limit first amendment free speech rights on Public Property such as Parks and within Senior Centers. I believe there should be hearings conducted to consider State Regulations that protect and affirm First Amendment free speech rights in Public Places where the general public gathers like parks and recreations centers. The General Public Comments Agenda Item at Public Meetings should be a minimum of three minutes. All Public bodies should provide at least monthly or as often as they meet, which ever is least often, a five minute general public comment period. The general Public Comment Period shall receive First Amendment Free Speech rights. All Land Use, Zoning, Special Use Permits, and other Public Hearing Items shall provide a three minute minimum opportunity to citizens. Written Public Comments submitted in advance of 300 words should be required to be read into the record.

Impact fees on New Entitlements Growth
      Growth should pay its own way. There should be impact fees on growth that provide for contributions into the various infrastructures such as roads, schools, police and fire protection facilities, parks and open space, courts, libraries, water and sewer facilities, government buildings and service facilities, etc., so that growth does not dilute these community assets and require existing residents to pays for the necessary upgrades and expansion directly caused by said growth. Growth that did not pay its own way was the principal cause of the severe financial collapse of both local and State economies. Local Government irrational drug binge like approvals of runaway sprawl growth with not planning or provision for funding to pay for all the infrastructure and services that would be and are now required for said growth are what have driven both Local and the State government into near bankruptcy.

Spheres of Influence and City Expansions
      We must protect against 'Sprawl Growth'. Growth in the State should be accommodated more by encouraging or facilitating economic expansion in our dieing small communities and not by forced subsidization of expansion of our existing cities though overburdening our larger communities such as Reno Sparks and degradation their (our) quality of life. Their should be considered a two or more year moratorium in expanding any City limits or Spheres of Influence until existing inventory of housing and building units stabilizes and infill and inner city renovation and redevelopment makes substantial strides and improvements.

Infill and Core Development and Redevelopment
      Sprawl Growth because it has been subsidized by the failure to require proper impact fees has artificially competed with and suppressed infill and core redevelopment. Proper impact fees on sprawl growth will rejuvenate infill and core redevelopment. The Old Lincoln Highway is a precious uncut jewel that waits to be capitalized on. It can potentially be a great boom to tourist dollars and entertainment and retail and residential opportunities for are own community. It can be promoted and facilitated through incentive programs and does not have to be directly financed or funded by the Cities or the State.

Restrictions on Water Transfer Between Basins
      There should be Public Hearings and consideration of requiring a vote of the people for the major transfer of water and/or water rights from basin to basin. A requirement of a voter approval should be considered for any transfer of water from County to County of the residents of each of the Counties.

More Transparency for the State Legislature
      The State Legislative process should be made more transparent and citizen friendly. The exclusion of Legislative Activities from the Open Meeting Law should be rescinded. All Legislative Hearings and Meetings should be broadcast on the internet and a digital history file base maintained for a minimum\m of ten years. There should be no closed secesions of any caucuses, hearings, or other gatherings of legislators on general legislative matters. Expand and clarify citizen rights under Open Meeting Law and Public Records Law

Citizen Committees to Reform Law Language
      I would like citizen review committees to work on redrafting sections of State Law (Nevada Revised Statute) into a more user friendly lay language. Law should be written in a manner that can be easily understood and interpreted by the average citizen and it should not require a lawyer to interpret and apply. Laws written by lawyers for lawyers to be applied and interpreted by lawyer Judges do not serve the PEOPLE well.

Court and Attorney Reform
      There should be considered a variety of reforms and modifications to laws and regulation related to lawyers and the Judicial system to lesson the influence and control said persons have over the day to day lives of regular citizens. Some of the potential changes and reformation I might suggest are the modification of the maximum small claims from 5,000 thousand dollars to 25,000 dollars, requiring mandatory mediation for any claims of less than 100,000 dollars, 500 limit it on campaign donations for judges without refusal, and Washoe judges. All County judges should be recused from actions against the County or Cities in which they serve. Judges should be brought in from other Countys. A judge would have a difficult time being impartial with the County or City that employs him or her.

Citizen committees to monitor police, DA, and AG
      I believe citizen review committees should be established to monitor and oversee the Police, the District Attorneys Office and the Attorney Generals Office. These groups have far too much absolute power and need the wisdom of the People looking over their shoulder. There can not be too much SUNSHINE in dealing with Public Servants.

City Council Elections by Ward
      I believe that the citizens of any community whether it be the County or a City are bettor represented if election for Commissioners or Council members are elected at both the primary and general elections from within their districts and nor city wide. That is how elections are now in County Elections but within the Cities the primaries are within district but then the district primary winners are forced to run City wide, I would support a ballot measure to ask the citizens how they would like to conduct these elections. Elected Officials Must Resign Current Office if Midterm to run for Different Office Current State Law does not permit the filing for two major elected offices at one time or the holding of two major (other than special assessment district offices) elected offices at one time. It does, however, allow a seated elected major Office holder to run for a different office while holding and purportedly serving in another Office. I oppose this permissiveness. Elected Office holder have to much incumbent power of the Office to compete fairly in a political campaign for a different Office. If an elected Office Holder wishes to run for a different office he should have to resign his existing office upon filing for a different Office.

New Limitations on Campaigning from Office
      Judges must rescues themselves if they received 500 or more from party or attorney in action No solicitations of attorneys from judge candidates. No publication using taxpayer money lauding any accomplishments of elected Official should be allowed any time during an election year. No awards or accommodations should be given to elected officials during campaign years.

Property Tax Reform
      The property tax CAP in its present form while protecting regular citizen home owners from inappropriate and unfair property tax increase spike that are not related tom the actual cost of services it also creates unnecessary and inappropriate tax shelters and discounts for developers who want to bank or pre-acquire density increases and entitlements in volumes that are far above what is reasonable for the immediate or near future.

Promote Alternative Energy Technologies and Manufacture
      The State of Nevada has great potential for various forms of alternative Green energy including wind, solar, and thermal. On e of the economical ways for the State to promote advancement in these fields is to not only unleash business interests in regards to such development but to encourage demand locally for such. Favorable tax treatment to residents that install any alternate green energy units is a low or no cost to the State process to move in that direction. Also of great value is to assure that there are no onerous or unreasonable regulations of restrictions in regards to land use or building code requirements related to such.

Fair Tax on nonrenewable Resource Consumption
      I support the review and reevaluation of the tax structure and policy on the mining of non renewable resources.

Virginia Truckee Railroad Loop
      The expansion of the Virginia Truckee Railroad to a loop through Reno Sparks, Fernley and Dayton could be a world class tourist attraction for the area.