ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 17

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 1:25 a.m.

David Gibbs, an Air Force retiree with experience developing long-range fiscal and resource plans will attempt to unseat incumbent Kelvin Atkinson in Assembly District 17.

Gibbs garnered eight of every 10 votes in the Republican primary. However, District 17 has about 3,100 more Democrats than Republicans. Atkinson was unopposed in the primary.

"The most pressing issue facing District 17 would be growth," said Atkinson, 35, who has been a Clark County employee for 12 years. "North Las Vegas is the fastest-growing city in the valley.

"Almost daily, the area has a number of streets being repaired at the same time. I hear all the time that we need to coordinate projects better so that we do not have five streets in the same area detoured at the same time."

Atkinson, who has a bachelor of political science degree and works as a management analyst, said his platform also includes addressing the need for growth-generated jobs, assisting seniors in paying utility bills and paying for prescriptions and improving health care and education.

He is a member of the NAACP.

Gibbs, 48, served in the Air Force for 25 years, retiring in 2003. He is an operations manager.

His service included being a squadron commander, overseeing more than 200 airmen. He also spent more than three years developing long-range fiscal and resource allocation plans. He said that work helped the Air Force meet defense policies and priorities.

The experience, he said, gave him "insight into how government manages its budgets."

A graduate of the Air Force Academy, Gibbs is running on a platform that includes improving education by creating "standards at all levels of education" so students who are having problems can be identified earlier.

He is a member of the Mojave High School Parent Advisory Committee.

Gibbs also plans to tackle the doctor and nursing shortages in Nevada by addressing high medical-malpractice insurance premiums and improving the nursing programs at Nevada's colleges.

District 17 is one of the northernmost Southern Nevada districts, generally bounded by the Nye and Lincoln county lines, U.S. 93 and Interstate 15.