Editorial: New speaker shows vision

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007 | 7:21 a.m.

Barbara Buckley showed Monday why she has risen to the top leadership position in the Assembly. After being elected as Nevada's first female speaker, she took the opportunity to say a few words about the state's future.

Her words were encouraging in light of last month's State of the State speech by Gov. Jim Gibbons. She outlined a discernible and hopeful path for the future, unlike Gibbons, whose superficial proposals provided few insights.

Buckley, D-Las Vegas, acknowledged that Nevada's schools are lagging nationally and she offered several solutions, such as full-day kindergarten. She challenged legislators not to be content with the status quo when it comes to our schools.

She also spoke of her vision for health care, which included plans for getting more people insured, obtaining the best prices for prescription drugs and reforming now-abusive practices in medical debt collection.

Additionally, she promoted Nevada's potential for more fully using and selling its renewable energy. She called for ethics reform, including a "three strikes and you're out" rule for politicians. She called for a law requiring limited liability companies, which often make campaign contributions, to reveal all of their backers in filings with the secretary of state.

She called for solutions to other state problems, including those involving transportation, crime and housing.

With the newly elected governor so short on practical ideas, it's very important for the 2007 Legislature to fill the vacuum. We believe Buckley is a leader who can help make that happen.