2012 Voter Guide: Nevada Assembly District 42

In his bid to unseat incumbent Democratic Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams, Republican challenger Robert McEntee wants more accountability in government agencies and would like to give parents the choice to send their children to better schools even if they would pay more for public education.

"Give parents the option to choose a school that best fits their children's needs. They're going to have to pay a little extra but send them to the best option to graduate," McEntee said.

He faces an uphill battle in Assembly District 42 where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2-to-1 margin.

Bustamante Adams, who is vying for her second consecutive two-year term in Assembly District 42, said the way to improve public education is through accountability at the top, which is why she supported a strategy that requires the state schools superintendent to report directly to the governor.

Her view for sustaining public education in the weak economy is to make more efficient use of money that's budgeted for it, like all public services.

"I wouldn't necessarily say increasing taxes is the option. I would say, how do we utilize existing revenues that we have to pay for services we need," Bustamante Adams said.

She did, however, vote to extend tax increases in 2011.

Her top priority if re-elected will be to focus on economic development. "That's my expertise and my background. It's essential for rebuilding Nevada."

With 2,000 micro-businesses in her district, she will support legislation for small business development and advocate networking among micro-businesses that have fewer than four employees.

McEntee said he has a number of priorities to put Nevada back on track toward a more stable economy.

"I want to enforce open meeting laws and apply those to all government meetings," he said.

On taxes, he said, "We're taxed enough already."

McEntee said there should be more funding and accountability for the school district and higher education.

He said the Millennium Scholarship Program "bothers me. We've taken tobacco settlement money ... and applied it to scholarships for $10,000." The money was supposed to have been used "for those who were sick from smoking," he noted.

In making cut s to balance the state budget, he would privatize a lot of services. McEntee would also cancel a lot of monopoly services like twice-a-week trash pickup, and allow homeowners to put their own wind and solar energy power generation systems on their homes with approvals from homeowner associations and building departments.

"I'm for smaller government, and people given a choice will make the right decision," he said.

Bustamante Adams said she loves being a public servant and believes her experience building collaborative efforts in the gaming industry during an 18-year career gives her an edge over her opponent.

McEntee said he decided to run for office out of frustration with the way the current government system was going. "We need to change it. The status quo doesn't seem to be working."

Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.