Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2004 | 2:12 a.m.
The contest for the Assembly District 22 seat has focused on the issues of open government as four Republicans duke it out in the primary for an open seat.
Democrats Caren Levenson, who ran in the heavily Republican district in 2002, and Richard A. Young also will square off on Sept. 7. The winners of the primaries will face Independent American Joshua Hansen in the general election.
Republican candidates include:
Thomas "Tommy" Holmgren, 42, a paralegal.
Holmgren counts his lack of experience in politics as a plus and said his experience of helping his wife open her own law firm has given him insights into the problems posed to small-business owners.
Holmgren said he will work to track tax dollars. He said he doesn't believe in putting out campaign signs because he thinks they don't say much about a candidate's stance and they litter the roadways.
Kathy Von Tobel Martin, 46, an assistant auditor for Risk Services of Nevada.
Martin previously served six years in the Assembly, during which she said she focused largely on water issues. She also supports tort reform for medical-malpractice insurance.
Martin also worked to open government, introducing bills that would require lobbyists representing the government to report money they spend on legislators. The bill failed in the Assembly, she said.
She also pushed for a bill requiring legislators to put their name on all bills they write. That bill also failed.
Martin wants to control increased taxes for residents and businesses and cap property taxes. However, she said a proposed 6 percent cap on property taxes still would hurt seniors.
Scott Sibley, 30, publisher of Nevada Legal News.
Sibley inherited the paper from his uncle and worked every job from printer on up. He also has worked as a real estate agent.
Sibley said he was motivated to run partly because of the contentious legislative session last year. He would push to strengthen open-meeting laws to ensure government is accessible to the media and the public, he said.
There is "unbalanced" taxation in the state, yet budgets need to realistically provide for services and a quality of life, Sibley said.
Lynn Stewart, 63, a retired high school government teacher.
Stewart said he supports the protection of marriage, limiting property assessments, ensuring Southern Nevada gets its fair share of funding for education, highways and other projects, and working to reduce traffic and better air quality.
He added he knows many government officials in Southern Nevada and would work with them to address the challenges facing the community.
Democratic candidates include:
Caren Levenson, 46, a community activist. Levenson has served on various community boards, including the Clark County Commissioner's Nuclear Waste Advisory Board and the National Council of Senior Citizens.
Levenson wants to fund education first in the budget and increase per-pupil funding to the national average. She would fight putting nuclear waste in Nevada. She would work to increase benefits for seniors and implement alternative energy sources.
Richard A. Young, 73, a retired president and chief executive of North American Petroleum. Young has served on various government boards in Pennsylvania.
Young would work to combine busing efforts for public and private school students and work to add an additional beltway on the east side of the valley. He also would establish a permanent base camp in Northern Nevada so that juveniles undergoing rehab could work on outdoor environmental projects.
Young pledges to make the water supply his top priority and thinks the rivers of the Idaho Basin could offer water to Clark County.
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