ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 1

This year's Assembly District 1 election will be a rematch of the 2006 race between two-term incumbent Democrat Marilyn Kirkpatrick and Republican Linda West Myers.

Losing to Kirkpatrick has been a family affair for West Myers. She was defeated by the incumbent in 2006 by about 2,500 votes. And in 2004, Kirkpatrick defeated West Myers' brother, Ed Gobel, by more than 2,000 votes.

So what is going to make this year different?

"People are understanding the ramifications of what Marilyn did," West Myers said of her opponent's legislative record.

West Myers pointed to Kirkpatrick's support of the "green" construction bill, which gave tax breaks to companies building environmentally sound projects.

"In the time when there is a budget crunch, paying casinos to go green when they were already doing it is needless," West Myers said.

Kirkpatrick stood by her record, specifically the work she did to revise the construction measure during the 2007 legislative session.

The measure, originally passed in 2005, gave money away without any accountability, Kirkpatrick said.

"It was ridiculous how the regulations got out of control, so we reined it in. We didn't want to give money away," she said.

Kirkpatrick said she did not know much about her opponent. "I don't know what her beef is," the assemblywoman said. "I've worked very hard to be available to my constituents. I've worked hard so folks have a voice."

Kirkpatrick pointed to her work on a safety bill that gave school police the authority to issue parking tickets.

Kirkpatrick thinks that instead of raising taxes, government waste can be found and cut to help ease budget problems during the tough economic times.

West Myers said that if elected, her other priorities will include making the North Las Vegas Airport safer.

"We have to make things safe on the ground," she said. West Myers proposes an alarm system be set up on major thoroughfares like Cheyenne Boulevard, and if a plane has to land on the street, drivers will know to move to the side of the road.

West Myers also wants to see Clark County School District's teachers paid more and the administrators paid less. West Myers also wants teachers to be given merit raises based on student performance.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904.