Name: Brittney Miller
Office: State Assembly, District 5
On-Air Interview Summary:
Miller told KNPR’s State of Nevada that she sees going to the Legislature as another step in her years of public service. Miller is a school teacher at Canarelli Middle School on the valley’s southwest side. She says many legislators don’t understand the education system, and she believes decisions made in Carson City do not always translate effectively to students, teachers or administrators.
She would like to be an advocate for students and the people working in the education system. She said there are a lot of good things happening in schools in Nevada that aren’t often recognized.
Miller also wants to look at ways to improve the economy. She supports effective spending before raising taxes.
Party Affiliation: Democratic
Website: miller4thepeople.com
Biography provided by the candidate:
My father served in the Marines and was a Vietnam Veteran. He was a police officer who earned the rank of sergeant and was one of a very few officers in the 70's to have earned a Bachelors Degree.
My mother worked as a civilian for both the police department and the U.S. Army Tank Arsenal. Eventually, she pursued her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. Public service is in our blood. As a result, I have a sister who is the Director of Fair Lending and another who is also a middle school teacher.
I have a B.A. in Criminal Justice, a Masters in Public Administration, and a Masters in Teaching with a K-8 Teaching Licensure. I spent 15 years developing and managing public service programs before becoming a Teacher with CCSD.
After years developing programs in public schools, workforce development, and prisoner reentry, I knew that becoming a teacher was one more way I could serve.
Part of my drive was seeing and hearing what was happening in CCSD. I'm not a bystander or a complainer, I'm a person of action! So instead of talking about how to improve our schools, I decided to join them and make a difference in the lives of children that I could affect directly. Indeed, I reduced my salary by over a third when I became a teacher, but that's how passionate and devoted I am to service. I believe strongly in education. To build a future, we must invest in our children first. It's now time for me to bring my education, experience, passion, and integrity to the Legislature to further serve my fellow Nevadans.
Question: In a 140 characters, introduce yourself as if you are introducing yourself to a neighbor:
Hello, I'm Brittney Miller. I'm a CCSD Educator and I'm running to be your representative in AD5. How can I work for you?
Question: Last legislative session, the major initiative was a tax increase to support education in the state. What should the major accomplishment of 2017 legislature be?
The citizens of Nevada desire a resolve to the issues of the PUCs and our use of solar and green energy. In addition, a stronger more diversified economy is needed. We need to attract new industries, position ourselves as the national leaders for solar and green energy, and expand assess for local Nevadans to start their own business.
Question: If recreational marijuana is legalized by voters in this state, do you want revenue from it to fund health initiatives, research and/or youth awareness campaigns?
If Nevadans pass to decriminalize the recreational use of marijuana, then the revenue should absolutely go to health and research initiatives, as well as youth awareness. Revenue should also be streamlined to public education and criminal justice reform. Our state will need to address the issue that fellow Nevadans have criminal records for the same instances that could potentially become legalized. Processes and supports should be in place for these individuals.
Question: Many elected officials in Clark County say they’d like to see the property tax cap changed – that its time because tax revenues aren’t meeting budgets. Is that an idea you want to see the legislature tackle?
It's more that the property tax isn't reflective of our market and revenue. It needs to flexible when reality doesn't meet projections. However, this is not the same as saying that taxes should be increased for the sake of meeting budget deficits. First, we need to scrutinize how our tax dollars are being used. Transparency and efficiency are vital. We need to review what our tax dollars are being used for. Is it being used for its intended purpose? Who is held accountable if it's not? How efficient are we with the use of tax dollars?
Question: Do you support the construction of a taxpayer-funded NFL stadium?
I love football. I appreciate the community building and many other benefits that result from having an NFL team in the community. However, I do not support a taxpayer-funded stadium. If we can come up with ideas to raise $750 million to build a stadium, we should be able to find the resources to provide quality funding to our Clark County Schools, mental health services, public safety initiatives, etc.
(Editor's note: The candidate's biography and answers were not edited for content or length)