ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 5

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 1:23 a.m.

Assembly District 5 incumbent Valerie Weber is leaning heavily on the Republican Contract With Nevada in her re-election bid against Democratic challenger Kirk Kaplan, who for his part said the contract was out of touch on some issues.

The contract calls for a focus on water issues, audits of education performance, a limit on government growth and a change in medical-malpractice and construction-defect laws, no new taxes and a cap on property taxes.

"It's a seven-point program that is so pragmatic that it in my opinion is going to restore the individual citizen's belief that government is open and honest, and their voice counts," Weber said.

Kaplan is running on a platform that includes a property-tax cap, making sure money goes into classrooms instead of administration and making health care -- particularly prescription drugs -- more affordable.

In criticizing the Republican contract, Kaplan pointed out the education system performance audit was not a new idea, having been brought up by Democratic Assemblyman David Goldwater in the last session. "And from what I understand, the Republicans didn't want it."

The district in western Clark County has a slight Democratic advantage, which grew from about 10 people in the late summer to hundreds by Sept. 21. As of then, the Clark County Elections Department showed that the district had 9,065 Democrats and 8,910 Republicans, with 3,416 registered as unaffiliated.

Kaplan, 41, an attorney, is a graduate of Valley High School, Regis University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He is a member of Friends of Red Rock Canyon and serves on the Red Rock Interpretive Association board.

Weber, 49, is the owner of Collaborating Solutions, an organizational development company. She is a 1998 graduate of the Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Las Vegas program, participated in the Leadership Las Vegas Youth Program, served as a Habitat for Humanity board member and was a member of the Board of Displaced Homemakers.