(Annie Black) – Over the weekend I completed an online interview with the Moapa Valley Progress about my campaign for Nevada State Assembly District 19. Thought I’d share my answers with you…
Why does your background make you a good candidate for our rural area?
I actually live in and represent our rural community while Assemblyman Edwards lives in an urban area.
What inspired you to run for the State Assembly?
I’m running for the Nevada Legislature because our assemblyman has been a wishy-washy, powder-puff wallflower in Carson City.
- He votes for higher taxes
- He votes for more spending
- He votes for bigger government
- He goes along to get along with the political establishment and lobbyists
- He leads from behind
- And he’s been AWOL during the coronavirus crisis as Gov. Sisolak devastated our economy
The voters of District 19, one of the more Republican districts in the state, deserve to be represented by a true fiscal conservative who will be an outspoken fighter for limited government principles and policies rather than sit back and say, “Thank you, sir, may I have another?”
What will your duties be?
My duty will be to protect the individual, constitutional rights of Nevadans, to protect the parental rights of families, to protect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, to eliminate unnecessary government restrictions and fees on the right to own and operate a business, and to protect the wallets and bank accounts of taxpayers.
Also, what is your platform?
My platform is simple…
- Cut spending
- Cut taxes and fees
- Cut government regulations
We need to get the government out of the way of businesses and Nevada workers who are going to have to rebuild our economy from the ground up thanks to the Sisolak Shutdown.
What are the issues you care about most and why?
Other than tax-and-spend fiscal issues, the issue I care most about is education. A solid education fixes a lot of other community problems, including crime, unemployment and homelessness.
Here are three priorities…
1.) We need to make our public schools better. And you don’t do that by simply giving them more money. Shrink the bureaucracy. Put administrators back in the classroom. Allow teachers to enforce classroom discipline. Pay more for teacher excellence, not teacher seniority. Break up the Clark County school district. The needs and challenges of urban schools in Las Vegas aren’t the same as those in Mesquite and Henderson.
2.) School choice. Parents shouldn’t be forced to send their kids to schools that don’t work just because of their zip code. We need more charter, magnet and virtual schools. Low- and middle-income families should be provided vouchers, savings accounts or scholarships so they can afford to send their children to private schools just like those who are more affluent.
3.) The coronavirus crisis has shown that we need to move from *allowing* homeschooling to actively encouraging it. Homeschooling families should be able to form co-ops so that children of parents who have to work full-time can be homeschooled with other homeschooling families. Provide homeschool assistance and support programs.
The most important thing the Legislature needs to do if we’re ever going to get out of the basement and offer world-class education opportunities for our children is to break the stranglehold the teachers union has on our public schools. For decades the unions have stood in front of public school doors and refused to let our children out. It’s time to shove them out of the way.
What do you hope or want people to know about you?
- I come from a large family with nine brothers and sisters, so I understand the challenges of playing in the sandbox with other kids without getting bullied – skills that’ll come in handy in the Legislature
- I’m a mother, so I understand the challenges, fears, sleepless nights, stress, hopes and dreams of parents and will vote accordingly
- I’m a self-employed businesswoman, so I understand first-hand the pain-in-the-neck problems government creates for people who are trying to create jobs
- My family has spent decades in the casino and real estate development industries – especially in Mesquite – so I understand exactly how vital both are to our economic health and job creation
- I’m an unhappy taxpayer who believes taxes should only be high enough to pay for ESSENTIAL and CONSTITUTIONAL government
- I have lived, worked and shopped in both Henderson and Mesquite, so I understand the different needs of both parts of District 19
- I was President of the Mesquite Republican Women’s Club, so I fully appreciate how too many elected officials too often ignore grassroots activists; something I will never do
- I’ve been an elected official since 2018, so I know how the system works (and doesn’t)
