Thu, Oct 14, 2004 (1:35 a.m.)

Three candidates, Republican Ed Gobel, Democrat Marilyn Kirkpatrick and Independent American Peggy Williams, are vying for the Assembly District 1 seat vacated by Tom Collins, who is running for the Clark County Commission.

Atop the list of plans Gobel backs is to lower health insurance costs by setting up an insurance pool for an estimated 118,000 small-business employees. Gobel said that Sen. Ray Shaffer, R-North Las Vegas, has introduced the plan to an interim legislative committee.

The state would allow insurers to bid for the pool. Current rules require that people in the existing pool be covered for 21 medical situations, Gobel said, and his plan would cut it to 14, which would allow the insurer to drop premium costs.

Currently, "a 62-year-old single male would have to purchase coverage for maternity under those plans. And a 60-year-old single female would have to buy coverage for vasectomies," Gobel said.

He said the plan could drop the cost of health insurance premiums for a family of four to $180 from about $700.

Williams did not return a Sun questionnaire.

Kirkpatrick is running on a platform that includes capping property taxes, expanding the Nevada Rx Plan to help people buy prescription medicine and working to get more instructional materials in classrooms.

"We don't have enough money for textbooks ... classrooms are still overcrowded, we need the proper materials and we need to pay our teachers. These are big issues," Kirkpatrick said.

Kirkpatrick, 37, is a sales executive for local food distribution companies and is a former North Las Vegas planning commissioner. She has also been involved with the Parent-Teacher Association and other civic groups.

Gobel, 54, chief executive of Gobel Lowden Veterans Center & Museum in Las Vegas, is a Vietnam War veteran who is active in several veterans' organizations.

Gobel also said he promoted and helped get passed a 2001 increase in tax exemptions that veterans can claim. He said he wants to cap property-tax increases to the consumer price index.

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