LV Democrats to chair key Assembly panels

Erin Neff

Monday, Dec. 2, 2002 | 11:08 a.m.

Two veteran politicians were named today to lead two key committees in the state Assembly.

David Parks, D-Las Vegas, was named to chair the Taxation Committee, and Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, will lead the Government Affairs Committee when the Legislature convenes in February.

Parks replaces David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, who was moved to head the Commerce and Labor Committee.

"David Goldwater has an extraordinary grasp of the tax code, but he was burned out on the issues," Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, said as he announced the appointments. "David Parks has a wonderful understanding of both tax issues and the way they can affect local government."

Taxes will be the dominating issue in the 2003 Legislature because of the state's growing $350 million deficit. Proposals to raise taxes will be crafted in the Taxation Committee, and distribution of tax revenue between the state and municipalities likely will be dealt with in Government Affairs.

Perkins unveiled the appointments this morning after months of lobbying by some caucus members for chairmanship positions.

Parks, who is the assistant majority leader, has served for three sessions and is often a member of interim committees studying finances.

In addition to his fiscal knowledge, Perkins said, Parks has good working relationships with key Senate Republicans, including Ann O'Connell of Las Vegas and Mike McGinness of Fallon, a member and the chairman of Senate Taxation, respectively.

"He's been a good team player and a good soldier," Perkins said of Parks.

This election year Parks, the only openly gay member of the Legislature, faced several challenges from anti-gay candidates and from a California resident named David Parks reportedly put onto the ballot by the son of one of the incumbent Parks' opponents.

A judge tossed the challenger named Parks from the ballot when he failed to prove Nevada residency in a court hearing.

Manendo, D-Las Vegas, takes over a gutted Government Affairs Committee, which saw its chairman, vice chairman and numerous members lose elections or retire. Government Affairs handles issues involving public employees, municipal charters and other government proceedings.

Manendo, who has served since 1995, is the assistant majority whip and former vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, will be vice chairman of Government Affairs.

Both Manendo and Williams are employed in the public sector, with Manendo working for the Community College of Southern Nevada and Williams working for the city of Las Vegas' neighborhood services department.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, had sought the chairmanship of Government Affairs, but also wanted to keep her position as vice chairwoman on another key committee, Ways and Means, which deals with government spending.

She could not do both, because the committee meeting times during the legislative session conflict, and Perkins did not want to shift times.

In addition to keeping her Ways and Means position, Giunchigliani will continue to chair the Elections and Procedures Committee, which deals with changes to elections, ethics and legislative procedures.

Other new chairmen are Harry Mortenson, D-Las Vegas, who will head the Constitutional Amendments Committee previously chaired by Bob Price, who lost his re-election bid.

Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, will chair Natural Resources, replacing Marcia de Braga, a Democrat from Fallon who lost her re-election bid. Natural Resources handles mining and environmental, water and animal issues.

Other chairmanships remain the same, with Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, heading Judiciary despite the fact that he is not an attorney. John Oceguera, D-North Las Vegas, a law school student and fire captain, will enter his sophomore term as vice chairman of the committee.

Morse Arberry Jr., D-Las Vegas, will again chair Ways and Means. Ellen Koivisto, D-Las Vegas, will again chair Health and Human Services. Williams will return to chair Education, and Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, will remain Transportation chairwoman.