Pundits like to joke that the Nevada lieutenant governor is the most useless office in Carson City, but the LG does sit on the tourism, transportation, and economic development committees, and presides over the State Senate during legislative sessions, casting tie-breaking votes there. He or she is also first in line to succeed the governor.
There are four candidates on the November ballot for that office. The Democratic one, Kate Marshall, stopped by State of Nevada in October to talk about her platform.
We sent multiple requests to the Republican candidate, Michael Roberson, to join us, but he did not respond.
DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS
Tell me what experience you have that qualifies you for lieutenant governor?
“I'm the former state treasurer of Nevada and I was also a federal prosecutor of corporate crime. Those two things really give me a good insight into finances and into the economy and how it works, how businesses work and both those things are in the wheelhouse of the lieutenant governor, which is really all about the economy.”
Let's start with the economy since you brought that up. What specific plans do you have?
"I think that when we talk about the economy we can really break it down into three things: First, a growing economy should mean that there's growing opportunities for the people of the state of Nevada. And I don't think that we have really accessed those opportunities here. I would say that as the economy grows wages should grow. When we talk about wages and growth in wages, we need to talk about education. That's the second thing. I would say that we need to make sure that our education system is resilient and that our education system sets up the people here in Nevada so that companies that come here will hire them. So, then when our businesses open they thrive."
When you say wages need to grow are you specifically advocating for a higher minimum wage?
"Absolutely. In 1968, the average wage in today's dollars would be $10.90. So, we've gone backwards and certainly, prices haven't."
You've said in other interviews that you would rethink incentives for economic development, giving the Raiders stadium as a specific example. How do you reconcile that with the desire to create jobs?
“I think tax incentives are important and I really, really support the governor's program and GOED [Governor’s Office of Economic Development]. But incentives should be tied to what we need in this economy, and what we need is for Nevadans to have jobs. So, the incentives should be tied to jobs.”
Let's talk about the other agencies whose committees you would be overseeing: tourism and transportation. Any specific plans that you have to make changes there?
“No, I think that tourism is a very, very important part of Nevada's economy and I hope to work with the business community in Vegas in Reno and in the rural areas to ensure that we continue to bring tourists here to see all of Nevada. I think that's a real opportunity. And I think that we have a lot to offer tourists.
"In terms of transportation, the lieutenant governor is a member of the Board of Transportation and as that it's very, very important that we have the infrastructure to move people and goods.”
What, if you were elected lieutenant governor, would you do differently than the current person in that job?
“I would be much more active.
"I think that as lieutenant governor I will sit with that Senate Democratic Caucus, and I hope to be a resource for them -- someone who understands the budget, someone who understands bonding, someone who understands numbers. And I also hope to be someone that the people of Nevada can see as their advocate for the things that they need.”
Your opponent Michael Robertson, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, didn't respond to our requests to be interviewed but he has said in published reports on his candidacy, “The Democratic candidate for governor wants to force taxpayers to fund Planned Parenthood at the state level in Nevada for the first time. This is unacceptable. And as lieutenant governor and president of the Senate I will fight to stop this.”
Would you like to respond to that?
“I don't really know what he's referring to. I certainly support Planned Parenthood. I support what they do for both our men and women and our families in Nevada. But I don't know what he's referring to in terms of the budget.”
He also said that he backs a yes vote on Question 3, the so-called energy choice initiative. What's your stance there?
"I'll do whatever the people choose to do. I will tell you that it concerns me if you're going to put issues with respect to our utilities in the Constitution. That is a very fast-moving industry, and we've seen in other states where they've done that and electric utility prices have gone up. Our Public Utility Commission produced a report saying it would increase utility prices and that gives me great pause.
"There's a lot of people who are on fixed incomes, and increasing utility costs to them would be very detrimental."
I take from your answer that you're among those who would rather see this done in the legislature than in the Constitution?
“I think that it needs to be vetted more fully. I worry that we're putting the cart before the horse.”
Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt is currently polling neck-and-neck with Democratic candidate Steve Sisolak, depending of course on which polls you read and believe. If Laxalt did win, how would you work with him?
“Well, I've actually always worked under Republican governors so I presume I would work with him the same way I worked with Governor Gibbons and Governor Sandoval.
"I think when you're in state office it's Nevada first and Nevadans first. While we may run for office under a party affiliation, the fact of the matter is at the end of the day it's about Nevadans."
Do the two offices just strictly function on separate tracks?
“When you're when you're in this state, you basically have a budget. You have a large number of agencies and you have limited resources, and there are decisions to make about how to make sure that you provide the services and the consumer representation that the people need in the most efficient and least costly way. And that has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with administering things properly.”
People care about things that directly affect their lives. Give me an example of something that you could do as lieutenant governor that you think would have a positive impact on your fellow Nevadans?
"Two years ago, I had cancer. It was very, very scary. We hit our annual cap in 30 days. Then we hit it again and we dipped into our savings. It's not in the wheelhouse of the lieutenant governor, but I will tell you that because it's so personal to me I will be a very, very strong fighter for affordable health care. I don't see how in this country we can put people in a position where they can't afford a cure."
Can you give me a few specifics about what you would change or what you would like to see done in education?
"When I was Treasurer, I started the College Kickstart program which gave kindergartners in public school in Nevada $50 in a college savings account at no taxpayer expense.
"Right now, when I look at the budget, what I see is that the people of Nevada have voted again and again and again for money to go to education. But it says if they pour that money into a glass with a hole at the bottom, then all the money that was there before was taken out. I think one of the things that I will be a strong voice for is to ensure that the money they said had to be added to the education budget is added.
"There's three places where that money resides. There's that 3 percent room tax since 2009, about $900 million. There's the cannabis revenue, maybe $90 to $95 million. And there's the Internet sales tax, which is not quite as much as people think, but probably will come out to around $90 million. I think that money needs to go to education first because if we're going to have a resilient economy, we must make sure that our Nevadans get a good education."
Doesn't it have to go to the Rainy Day Fund first and then once the fund is fully funded then it goes to education, and isn't the Rainy Day Fund as important for resilience?
"The Rainy Day Fund is important and it is disturbing that they are parking education money there instead of funding the Rainy Day Fund as it should be funded.
"When the economy is growing is when you should save, so that when the economy is not growing you can then push money out where needed. But the fact of the matter is the economy's growing. We are bringing in revenues and the people voted for that money to go to education."
You have said, again in other interviews, that you support a form of school choice but not a voucher system. Can you explain that?
"I support children and their families who want to choose between public schools. When I grew up, I lived in a neighborhood where my high school lost its accreditation because it was doing so poorly. I would have liked the opportunity to go to a different public school. I think if you are a child and your family and your school is failing then you should have the opportunity to go to a different public school. I don't support using taxpayer dollars for a private school."
How would that work?
"I think you get people to the table to make sure that it works appropriately. I don't think that you put forward those details without talking to the administrators and the teachers and others."
Kate Marshall, candidate for Lieutenant Governor
