Voters Guide 2022

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NEVADA NEWS GROUP TRI-COUNTY

VOTERS GUIDE 2022 Candidates who will appear on the general election ballot in Humboldt, Lander and/or Pershing County were asked by Nevada News Group to respond to two questions, and their 500-word responses are below. Candidates were asked to provide us with any background and experience they feel is relevant and particularly qualifies them for serving in such a capacity, and discuss their philosophy and goals if elected or re-elected. Answers were not edited for spelling or grammar.

ATTORNEY GENERAL — Republicans —

Chattah, Sigal QUESTION 1 Education Valley High School, Las Vegas NV Class of 1993 University Nevada Las Vegas, Class of 1997 Widener University School of Law Class of 2000 The Attorney General of Nevada serves as the Top Cop, the State’s Top Prosecutor and oversees the largest law firm in the State representing the People of the State of Nevada against public corruption, predatory markets, including insurance fraud and the constitutional offices of the state. As the Top Cop of the State, public safety is of primary importance along with government transparency and ensuring that the people of the State of Nevada do not have to speculate as to how our government and municipalities enter into contracts and do business with the private sector. I have over 20 years of litigation experience in criminal justice and civil litigation. As a trial attorney, I have defended multi-million lawsuits ranging from Uniform Fraudulent Transfers to frivolous premise liability cases. I have litigated cases involving political corruption effecting the private sector along with federal cases involving Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA). My criminal defense practice included State and Federal defense including 9th Circuit appellate work, State and municipal defense. I am the most qualified for this position because I have over 20 years of criminal justice experience in the field. I know the precise nuances and necessities in the criminal justice system to reduce wrongful incarceration, through diversionary programs and mental health assistance. In Nevada today, we have a severe shortage in mental health assistance which can only be rectified through extablishment of no less than two long term mental health facilities in the State. This is something I seek to establish by converting closed prisons that are not operation today and converting them to Long Term Mental Health facilities. As of now, Nevada does not have any Long Term Mental Health Facilities, and this would be a solution to both homelessness and an alternative to incarceration. I am against bail reform and have been a critic of the establishment of Initial Arraignment courts which release defendants based on arbitrary and faulty risk assessment reports. The attrition of law enforcement and low morale in our police department are a result of redundant legislation that aims to stifle law enforcement’s ability to conduct their jobs, ignoring the realities of split second decision making necessary to provide the public with the safety it deserves. Nevada is also a haven for predatory sales and human trafficking due to our tourism industry, which will also be addressed in a cohesive and objective manner. My goal would be to pass legislation providing immunity to minors trafficked to work with County Das and law enforcement to assure the prosecution and conviction of human traffickers in Nevada. As a lawyer well immersed in federal criminal justice including UIGEA and Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act, I’m well informed on public corruption and intend to use the office of Attorney General to investigate and enforce the law against bad actors in our governments and our state. I am a proponent of constitutional carry and believe that there should be mandatory minimums for felons in possession of firearms and prosecution of prohibited possessors who lie on their ATF 4473 forms. This is legislation that I will be introducing in office.

Black, Tisha

No response was received from this candidate.

ATTORNEY GENERAL — Democrats —

Ford, Aaron D. Question one: Provide us with any background and experience that is relevant to the office you seek. I am proudly serving as Nevada’s 34th Attorney General, and the first African American to hold statewide constitutional office in Nevada. A former State Senator, I previously served as both the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader in the Nevada State Legislature and held leadership roles on several legislative committees. I also spent many years in private practice as a partner at both Snell & Wilmer LLP and Eglet Adams in Las Vegas. Before practicing law, I served as a public school math teacher, shaping hundreds of lives. Question two: Discuss your philosophy and goals for the office if you are elected. As the chief law enforcement officer for the state, my primary goal continues to be helping to protect Nevada families. I believe there is no task greater than the pursuit of justice and has adopted the office motto of “Our Job is Justice.” My priority areas include what I refer to as the “Five Cs”: constitutional rights, criminal justice reform, consumer protection, client service, and community engagement. I have held several town hall forums to talk directly with Nevadans on relevant topics such as racial injustice, law enforcement policies, hate crimes, and identity theft. Under my direction, our office has made protecting consumers from fraud, scams, and anti-competitive activity a top priority. During my tenure in office, our Bureau of Consumer Protection secured over $85 million in recoveries on behalf of Nevada consumers. Consistent with my commitment to help Nevada families, I have aggressively pursued those responsible for fueling Nevada’s opioid crisis. I am proud to have obtained the State’s first settlement of $300 million on behalf of countless Nevada families who have lost relatives to opioid abuse.

Mackie, Stuart

No response was received from this candidate.

BOARD OF REGENTS — District 8 —

Laden, Steve Question 1: Provide us with any background and experience that is relevant to the office you seek. Over 32 years in business as a financial advisor in the Truckee Meadows. Past President/Board Member: Education Alliance of Washoe County. A Pre-K to 16 support and advocacy organization comprised of educators, community and business leaders (11 years). Past Board Member: Nevada’s Council to Establish Academic Standards. A statewide council to establish rigorous, measurable academic standards for our K-12 public schools (8 years). Task Force Member: A Department of Education task force charged with studying and developing standards for workplace readiness. Past President Exemplar/Trustee: Lions Eye Foundation of CA-NV: Providing free eye surgery, with a retail value of over $6 million annually, to uninsured, low-income residents in our service area (over 23 years).

Past President/Current Member, Reno Host Lions Club. Serving our community with a focus on vision and youth (over 33 years). BA Business Economics, University Service Award and Associated Students Legislative Council executive officer, UC Santa Barbara. Assistant Director of Admissions, Cogswell Polytechnical College (now University of Silicon Valley) Question 2: Discuss your philosophy and goals for the office if you are elected. My primary belief is that all of our young people have the right to dream big. One of the greatest pathways to achieving dreams in America is being able to pursue a quality, public higher education. Our colleges and universities must be shining stars that breathe life into those dreams. In my view, the core mission of our campuses is to educate our students. We must focus on this mission. This means providing safe, accessible, diversified, affordable, enlightened campuses where our students can learn and grow. It also means honoring the faculty and staff who make learning on our campuses engaging, meaningful and fruitful. To fulfill the mission I see, there are some current issues that must be resolved. They include the hiring of a new Chancellor, pending state budget challenges, reduced enrollments due to the pandemic and the need for a more highly trained workforce coming out of our universities and colleges. All of these issues cry out for strong, cohesive, thoughtful leadership from the Board. I will bring over 30 years of business experience to the position. I am not a professional educator. I am an education advocate. I am also a team builder, goal setter, communicator, budgeter and community networker. I do not have any predisposed biases other than to support our students, faculty and staff in order to provide a top-tier system of higher education.

Manfredi, Aaron Question 1: Provide us with any background and experience that is relevant to the office you seek. Aaron Manfredi has enjoyed a successful private and public sector career including being a small business owner. He’s worked in education, law enforcement, nonprofits, real estate, and gaming to name a few. As an Educator/Varsity Football Coach Aaron worked at Canarelli Middle School (Reading, English, Special Ed) and at Faith Lutheran Middle/High School (licensed sub). As a nonprofit founder/executive director (Asperger’s Training, Employment and Life Skills) and contractor for the State of Nevada (Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation) his team successfully secured competitive employment for 173 adults with autism, high functioning disabilities, disabled veterans, and ex-felons. This employment program focused on work force development covering Las Vegas and surrounding rural areas. Our organization also partnered with colleges across the state of Nevada for trade school licensing and certificate programs. Aaron’s served on numerous education executive boards over the years including Project FOCUS (UNLV-Dept of Education), The Achievement Academy, INC (President), UNLV Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (Ambassador), UNLV Veterans Alumni Club (President) and the Nevada Promise Scholarship Mentorship program (College of Southern Nevada). NPS mentors high school seniors entering college for the first time and monitors them their first year of college. Education CSN (College of Southern Nevada)-Associates, Mental Health Services UNLV-Bachelor’s in Arts, Criminal Justice UNLV-Master’s, Public Administration UNR-Master’s, Justice Management Educational Research (UNLV) Strategic Plan- R.A.G.E. (Rebuilding all Goals Efficiently-Nonprofit) Strategic Plan-Desert Breeze Community Center (Clark County) Restructured the Wetlands Park Volunteer Program (Capstone). Research Project-Affectability of the “Taser”- L.V.M.P.D. and Dr. William Sousa. Affiliations Pi Alpha Alpha-International Honor Society of Public Affairs and Administration The American Psychological Association-Academic Achievement in Psychology American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA)


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Voters Guide 2022 by Winnemucca Publishing - Issuu