Legislature not part of state’s hot job market

Wednesday, May 20, 1998 | 2:50 a.m.

Three senators and five Assembly members were virtually assured re-election when they drew no major political party opponents by the close of candidate filings on Monday.

An additional 10 legislators, nine of them Assembly members, called it quits, choosing not to run for re-election.

Veteraan legislators aren't surprised by the lack of candidate interest. As sessions have grown longer in the 1990s, they've noticed an increase in the number of lawmakers quitting and in the number with uncontested races.

"I think we are going to be deprived of our best and brightest people," said Assembly Speaker Joe Dini, D-Yerington. "I think the economics are getting to a lot of the people."

"It was difficult to get people interested in running," added Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno. "There is a lot more time involved in serving in the Legislature than there was years ago."

A legislator since 1967, Dini said Tuesday that few lawmakers, particularly those from southern Nevada, can afford to spend six months in Carson City every other year and keep up family and private job responsibilities.

Nevada's part-time citizen legislators are paid $7,800 plus per diem and various expenses for the every-other-year sessions. But they get little during the 18-month interim. During that time, they're expected to respond to constituent requests and attend interim committee meetings.

Dini and Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, figure they spend three hours a day on legislative matters during the interim. Raggio estimates 30 percent to 50 percent of his time goes to handling constituents and legislative matters.

"I get about 30 phone calls a week and maybe five letters," added Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas. "It takes a lot of time."

Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, has a similar story. He pays a paralegal in his law office to handle constituent matters.

Buckley and James, who both drew no major party opponents, emphasize they are not complaining. It's just that they think the rigors of the job may scare off candidates.

"Legislative service in Nevada is difficult, particularly if you are from southern Nevada," James said. "It is really a volunteer job. I think the legislative system suffers because people don't stay in office for long. If legislators are inexperienced, then the bureaucrats and lobbyists control the process."

When Dini ran for the Assembly back in the 1960s, legislative sessions ran 90 days. The 1997 session lasted 169 days, with lawmakers working through the July 4 weekend and adjourning after 26 consecutive hours of work.

Hettrick figures more people would be induced to run if legislators would approve an independent commission's recommendation to increase their pay to $11,100 per session and give themselves $350 a month for interim expenses.

But the pay plan was rejected last year, largely because newer legislators feared that future opponents would rip them in campaigns if they supported pay increases. Hettrick may try to push the pay bill in 1999.

Raggio figures the public approval of a ballot question this November may rekindle interest in running for the Legislature. He sponsored the question that allows citizens to limit Legislatures to 120 days, or about 50 days shorter than recent sessions.