2012 Voter Guide: Nevada Assembly District 9

Andrew Martin and C. Kelly Hurst think they each offer the best solutions to residents of Assembly District 9 on how to fix Nevada's economy.

They bring, however, different experiences and backgrounds to the race for a seat left vacant by Richard "Tick" Segerblom, who is running for the state Senate. The district's boundaries also changed, eliminating part of the older city of Las Vegas to take in more suburban portions of Clark County.

The race's dynamic changed on Oct. 2 when Hurst filed a criminal complaint in Clark County District Court to disqualify Martin from running on the grounds he does not live in the district.

The court could hold an expedited hearing, but the case could go on past the Nov. 6 election.

Martin served a term on the state's Economic Forum, which is made up of five private business people who project how much tax revenue the Legislature has to spend.

Hurst operates a small business that purchases, refurbishes and sells small homes.

Both survived primary elections to reach the general election, although Hurst won his race by just nine votes.

"I won the primary despite getting outspent because I walked the district," Hurst said. "By the time the election comes around, I will have walked the entire district again."

Martin also is relying on a heavy walking campaign in a district with which he is somewhat familiar. Martin ran unsuccessfully for Assembly District 13 in 2008 and portions of that district were reapportioned into Assembly District 9.

"Some of the residents know me from the last time I ran," Martin said.

As of last month, Assembly District 9 had about 3,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans, and almost 8,000 combined nonpartisan voters or voters registered under another party.

Hurst, who grew up in Las Vegas, said he is undaunted by the registration figures.

"The biggest thing is turnout and targeting those active voters," Hurst said.

Both candidates said the economy is the No. 1 concern on the minds of voters they have contacted. Portions of the district have been hit heavily by the housing foreclosure crisis.

"Voters are very engaged and the state of the economy is clearly their top concern," Martin said.

Both candidates said their backgrounds would offer solutions in the Legislature.

Martin has spent 20 years as a CPA, which included a tax practice and time as federal auditor. He said he didn't seek reappointment to the Economic Forum because he had planned to run for the Assembly. Martin also served on the Clark County School District's Bond Oversight Committee.

"I've stressed my financial background to voters," Martin said. "I believe having that financial experience along with my Nevada experience would be an asset in the Legislature."

Martin thinks Nevada should adopt an "equitable business tax code" that provides exceptions for small businesses. He also said the state needs to do a better job managing its tax revenues and expenses.

He proposes establishing a government accountability office that would be operated by the Nevada state controller. Martin said the idea would offer a performance evaluation on the spending of state money.

Hurst said operating his own small business has given him insight into the state offering a more "free market" solution to growing the economy.

"Capitalism gets blamed by many people, but a stable economy is based on a free market," Hurst said.

While he originally entered the Assembly race because of his concerns over education reform, the economy is what he discusses with voters. He said "unintended consequences" of laws written in the Legislature hurt good laws.

For example, he said he would not have supported Assembly Bill 284, which halted housing foreclosures, because penalties for signing notices of default could make felons out of low-level bank employees. That's why, he believes, the number of foreclosures fell 3,800 to fewer than 100.

"I know the bill meant well, but that was an unintended consequence," Hurst said.

Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.