Opening remarks
LG Lowdown
There’s a lot of talk and media around the big races in Nevada: US Senate, Congressional seats and Governor. Today I want to give a little thought to another important race that’s shaping up for the June 14 Primary and ultimately in the General Election.
It’s considered to be a part time job, but it requires a full-time commitment. In my experience the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Nevada serves a lot of constituencies and deserves a lot of respect. The LG is required by statute to:
Most recently, former LG Kate Marshall worked with the Governor and the Legislature to create the Office of Small Business Advocacy within the office. The OSBA “serves as a centralized hub, connecting small business owners to available resources and working to resolve challenges and barriers to access.”
And don’t forget, the winner of the race in November will be a heartbeat (or resignation) away from the state’s top job.
You can see from our 2022 Candidate list that there are a lot of people that want this “part time job.” Lisa Cano Burkhead, appointed to the position when Kate Marshall resigned to join the Biden Administration and Debra March, the Mayor of Henderson appear to be the front runners in the Democratic Primary. Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony and banker/business owner and campaign newcomer John Miller are leading the way in the Republican Primary.
It’s not my intent to diminish the other candidates in the race and you can read more about each of them in this excellent story by Da Yeon Eom in The Nevada Independent.
We’ll be watching the big races, but I encourage everyone to pay some attention to this Constitutional office. The race will be fun to watch and the outcome is extremely important to the state.
Important Deadlines
| Primary Early Voting | May 28 – June 10 |
| Primary Election | Tuesday June 14, 2022 |
| General Early Voting | October 22 – November 4 |
| General Election | Tuesday November 8, 2022 |
ICYMI
GOP Gubernatorial Town Hall (Decidedly not a debate)
Joe Lombardo, Dean Heller, John Lee, Guy Nohra, Joey Gilbert, Eddie Hamilton, Tom Heck, Fred Simon, and Barak Zilberberg walk into a bar the Southern Hills Republican Women’s Club…
Joe Lombardo for Governor campaign’s first tv ad is on the air: Keyboard Cowboys
Police to pay RJ $250K to settle lawsuit over Las Vegas shooting records
The Metropolitan Police Committee on Fiscal Affairs of LVMPD approved a $250,000 settlement payment to the Las Vegas Review-Journal to settle the news organization’s lawsuit over access to records from the mass shooting that occurred on Oct. 1, 2017.
Dr. Susan Enfield selected by Washoe County School Board as new Superintendent
In a 6-1 vote, Dr. Enfield was selected as the new superintendent of Washoe County School District. Enfield’s contract will start “as soon as possible”, but no later than June 13 and run through June 2025.
Tilman Fertitta purchases six acres on the Strip-plans to build a resort.
Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta is in the process of acquiring property on the Strip and plans to develop an upscale hotel. The site, at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue, spans about 6 acres, and sources said Fertitta is acquiring the spread for more than $200 million.
Court News
The Nevada Supreme Court has been busy these past few days, ruling on several cases that have significant implications for this year’s election and beyond.
Court reverses ruling in challenge to lawmakers serving as public employees
In a unanimous decision issued Thursday, the Nevada Supreme Court granted standing to the Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI), a libertarian-leaning think tank, in their separation-of-powers lawsuit challenging the status of the numerous state legislators who also work for a government agency. The decades long constitutional quagmire will finally be answered.
Voter ID, mail voting rollback ballot questions likely dead after court rulings
Two ballot petitions sponsored by the Repair the Vote PAC, a political action committee led by former Nevada Republican Club President David Gibbs, were dealt the death knell by a pair of Carson City judges. The description of effect for both the Voter ID Verification initiative petition and the Repeal of Mail-In Ballot referendum petition were ruled to be argumentative and a new description be written, in effect nullifying all the signatures collected at this point. In a brief interview with the Nevada Independent on Monday, Gibbs said there was virtually no chance of getting the signatures needed to qualify for the ballot by the June 29 deadline.
Judge rules second school voucher initiative contains unfunded mandate
Two school voucher petitions were filed earlier this year by the Education Freedom PAC to appear on the 2022 ballot. In mid-April, a judge ruled that the constitutional initiative petition was a “shell game” by failing to describe the “enormous fiscal impact on the budget… of all school districts in Nevada.” Two weeks later, the same judge ruled the statutory initiative could also not proceed because it contained the same “sleight of hand” as the constitutional initiative by failing to identify a funding source to support the proposed school-voucher system.
Education News
New Clark County school focused on construction & manufacturing now accepting applications
Clark County School District is accepting student applications for the yet-to-be-named career and technical training academy focused on construction technology and advanced manufacturing, two of the biggest and growing industries in southern Nevada. Small classes, hybrid or distance format and an on-site “One-Stop Career Center” in partnership with Workforce Connections, southern Nevada’s Local Workforce Development Board, are some of the features students can expect. The school is accepting applications now through May 2 from interested sophomores across the district.
Click here to read the school’s FAQ to find out more.
Environment News
Low lake level pumping station now operational at Lake Mead
The Southern Nevada Water Authority says that as Lake Mead water levels continue to fall “during the worst drought in the history of the Colorado River Basin,” the low lake level pumping station will ensure that Southern Nevada maintains access to its primary water supplies in the lake.
Colorado River states agree to federal request to hold back water in Lake Powell
“In a letter sent Friday, the seven states that use the Colorado River agreed with the U.S. Department of Interior and recommended that federal water managers take an emergency action aimed at stabilizing a dwindling Lake Powell, one of the main storage reservoirs on the river.”
Federal Government resumes oil leasing in Nevada
“The federal government announced plans last week to resume oil and gas leasing on public land. And on Monday, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management sent out a press release that it would hold a lease sale on June 14 for 2,560 acres, split into five parcels, in northern Nye County.”
Fallon tribe seeks protection of sacred land.
In March, leaders for the Fallon Paiute Shoshone tribe traveled to Washington D.C. in a bid to protect what they view as a sacred valley: Dixie Valley, known as Paumu in Paiute. They asked the Biden administration and congressional representatives to designate the area a national monument, an act that would make it Nevada’s fifth and the largest in the continental United States.
Healthcare News
$5 Million Donation starts first-of-its-kind endowment for Renown Children’s Hospital
The Wilbur May Foundation recently announced a $5 million gift to Renown Health Foundation. This gift marks the first major donation to support the newly formed Renown Children’s Hospital Endowment Fund. The neonatal and pediatric intensive care units will be named after May in his honor.
Infrastructure News
Nevada State Infrastructure Bank to finance priority infrastructure projects
Using $75 million in general obligation bonds, the bank will be making allocations to support the following priority infrastructure areas:
Nevada will receive more than $57 million over the next five years as part of the Carbon Reduction Program.
The Carbon Reduction Program, created under the federal Infrastructure law, will fund a wide range of projects designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from on-road highway sources.
What we’re doing this Interim
The 2021 Nevada Legislature passed Assembly Bill 443, Legislation that fundamentally changed the way the Legislature operates between Sessions. The newly formed Interim Standing Committees have begun meeting, hearing overviews of their mission and setting agendas for the next eleven months.
Click here to view a list of upcoming Joint Interim Standing Committee meetings.
2021 Redistricting Maps
The new boundaries would give 14 of the 21 state Senate districts and 27 of the 42 Assembly districts a voter registration advantage for Democrats over Republicans of more than 4.5 percent.
The Nevada Independent
Please see the links below to view the new district lines for Nevada Assembly, Senate and Congressional delegation.