2012 PRIMARY ELECTION: ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 15

Two years ago, Elliot Anderson emerged from a crowded field to represent the people of Nevada Assembly District 15, where the incumbent was leaving because of term limits.

Now Anderson is the incumbent and must overcome his Democratic challenger if he hopes to face off against the Republican who emerges from a trio of candidates.

Although he hasn't lived in the district as long as his primary opponent, Anderson said he knows it well because he regularly walks its neighborhoods, going door to door and listening to people's concerns.

"You can be in the district for 20 years and not know anything about it," he said.

He highlighted his experience during the 2010 Legislature in Carson City, where as a freshman lawmaker he introduced three bills that became law. Those included a bill to address trespassing by prostitutes on the Strip and another to create a license plate for female military veterans.

With more state budget shortfalls in the forecast, Anderson said Nevada needs to broaden its revenue base and avoid cutting public services that have taken large hits in recent years.

"We've cut government to the bone, so we can't cut any more," he said.

Anderson's challenger is Lou Toomin, who is looking to return to the post he held about 25 years ago.

He called Anderson a "carpetbagger" who doesn't know the district as well as he does.

"My experience overshadows the incumbent's by 10-to-1," Toomin said. "I've just got more experience at living life than Elliot Anderson has."

Toomin, who has made a variety of failed runs for public office in the past decade, said he would support making the Legislature abide by the state's open meeting law and allowing every bill to get a public hearing.

He also supports a broad-based business tax and raising the gaming tax.

On the other side of the ticket, three Republicans go head to head.

Benjamin Donlon said state agencies need to justify the money in their budgets, but he doesn't support draconian cuts to government services.

"You have to be realistic to know it costs money to run government," Donlon said.

The real estate agent said the state needs to revisit Assembly Bill 284, which has had the unintended consequence of bringing foreclosures to a trickle and letting homeowners stop paying their mortgages without fear of being foreclosed upon for months or even years.

The loan modification process also needs to be speeded up so underwater homeowners can know sooner whether they can stay in their homes or will face foreclosure. Too many homes are stuck in a "no-man's land" and can't get back on the market, which is necessary for the housing market to stabilize, he said.

Megan Heryet also believes that AB284 is holding back the state's recovery because so many homes are stalled in the foreclosure pipeline. The Legislature needs to fix that, she said.

"I have people who haven't paid their mortgage in three years, but what about all of us who do pay our mortgage?" Heryet said.

When it comes to the budget, she believes both parties need to work together to broaden the tax base. She suggested creating a nonpartisan panel to look at alternatives before the legislative session begins so lawmakers can hit the ground running when they return to Carson City.

She disagrees with Gov. Brian Sandoval's extension of a tax package passed in 2011 because much of it included fees instead of addressing the larger revenue issue.

"That's nickel and diming. That's not a solution. That was to bridge a gap, and it's time for that to end," Heryet said.

M. Marco Miller believes the answer to the state's financial bind is a lottery.

Not only would it boost state coffers, it would also bring hope to constituents who can buy a ticket and dream about becoming instant millionaires, he said.

Miller opposes any tax on businesses because they are already reeling because of the economy.

"These people are barely surviving, and you're going to put another tax on them when the casinos are making serious money?" Miller said.

The retired casino worker once ran for the Assembly in the mid-1980s but was turned off by the experience. He changed his mind two decades later because he is worried about his grandchildren's future.

"I'm looking at my grandkids and thinking, 'There's got to be some serious changes or these kids are doomed,' " he said.

Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281.