Hettrick considers not running for re-election

Monday, July 18, 2005 | 10:46 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, said this morning that he is considering not running for re-election.

The seven-term assemblyman said he has not made a final decision about his future. He said his investment management business is taking up more of his time, and he is "not pleased with the direction" the Legislature is headed.

Hettrick said he is unhappy that lawmakers are using the Legislature as a place to launch their campaigns for higher office. He said these members are "running some agenda, running for governor."

Hettrick said he's tired of the game playing towards the end of the session, specifically the "hostage taking" of bills. A legislator may place a bill "on the desk" that allows it to stay alive without progressing forward. This tactic is used to negotiate a trade for another bill the lawmaker may want.

There should be a limit of 10 bills "on the desk" at any one time, Hettrick suggested.

In 2003, Hettrick was the leader of the opposition in the Assembly to the $833.5 million tax increase. His group of Republicans supported a smaller amount.

He also was among those who helped fashion the property tax limit plan in the 2005 session. He also sponsored a successful bill to require uniform regulations governing assessment of property for taxation. Also approved was his bill to allow counties to sell their tax liens against delinquent property.

Hettrick said today that even if he does stay in politics, he definitely will not continue to travel and raise money on weekends for GOP Assembly members.

"If I have to do that, I will quit," he said.

Those fund-raising efforts eat up too much of his time, about seven days a month with trips to Las Vegas during the campaigns, Hettrick complained.

Hettrick, 61, said other GOP Assembly members such as R. Garn Mabey, Jr., and Bob Seale, both of Las Vegas, and Heidi Gansert of Reno have expressed interest in taking up the slack.

As for whether Hettrick will quit politics altogether, "it's not an absolute," he said. He said if he does, he will make that announcement in plenty of time for a potential replacement to get into the race.

There are other Assembly members who are expected to bow out as well. Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, is expected to run for governor. Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, R-Reno,is seeking the GOP nomination for Congress from northern Nevada. Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, is expected to run for the Clark County Commission. Assemblyman Rod Sherer, R-Pahrump, is being transferred in his job out of Nevada.