Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2006 | 7:25 a.m.
The Las Vegas Sun endorsed state Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus for governor on Oct. 22. Here are our endorsements for the other statewide offices:
Encouraging tourism and recruiting businesses are two of the top jobs performed by the state's lieutenant governor, who also presides as president of the state Senate when the Legislature is in session. Voters have a choice between two well-qualified candidates.
Brian Krolicki is the incumbent two-term state treasurer. His accomplishments include running the Millennium Scholarship program, creating college-savings programs for parents and increasing the state's credit rating for the first time in 25 years. Krolicki, a Republican, says his institutional knowledge of state finances give him the edge when it comes to assisting with economic development.
Bob Unger, a Democrat, is a self-made businessman. An attorney and president of a real estate development firm, Unger brought the Showcase Mall to the Strip. Successfully negotiating his way through potential barriers and problems has been a hallmark of his private business ventures, and Unger says he will bring that expertise to the job of attracting business and tourism to the state.
We were impressed by the energy and backgrounds of both candidates. The Sun endorses both Bob Unger and Brian Krolicki.
The clear choice in the race for attorney general is Catherine Cortez Masto. She is a former assistant Clark County manager, overseeing public safety departments. An attorney, she is also a former federal prosecutor. Additionally, she served as former Gov. Bob Miller's chief of staff. She has the legal and administrative skills to hold this critical office.
Her Republican opponent, former District Judge Don Chairez, has lately thrown in his lot with a libertarian group supporting radical land-use changes in Nevada via Question 2, a reckless proposal that could cost taxpayers billions over the next couple of decades.
Meanwhile, Cortez Masto is offering sensible programs to fight ID theft, white-collar crime, domestic violence, the methamphetamine scourge and crimes against children and seniors. The Sun endorses Catherine Cortez Masto.
The primary duties of the secretary of state's office include managing elections, guarding against securities fraud and receiving business documents such as incorporation papers. The Republican and Democratic candidates each have family names that are prominent in Nevada.
The Democratic candidate is Ross Miller, son of former Gov. Bob Miller. A prosecutor in the Clark County district attorney's office, Miller says he would be attuned to any attempts to violate Nevada's fraud laws. He says he would seek to upgrade penalties for campaign finance violations. He wants the sex offender Web site and related documents moved from the Department of Public Safety to the secretary of state's office. He says his staff - professional record keepers - could expand the site's information and keep it more current.
Republican Danny Tarkanian is the son of legendary UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian and former School Board member and Las Vegas Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian. Among his ideas is that people must be required to show a photo ID before being allowed to vote. We're opposed to that requirement. Last year a federal judge in Georgia blocked that state's voter ID law, and the same judge earlier this year threw out a revised version of the law on the grounds that it discriminates against people who do not have driver's licenses, passports or other forms of picture ID.
Both candidates are running vigorous campaigns that are giving a lift to the profile of this important office. The edge, in our view, goes to Ross Miller, who we believe will keep elections honest without creating hindrances that would discourage participation. The Sun endorses Ross Miller.
The state treasurer's office manages and oversees investments and other financial transactions for state and local governments, and oversees monetary programs such as the Millennium Scholarship.
Kate Marshall, the Democratic candidate, is a former anti-trust attorney for both the U.S. Justice Department and the Nevada attorney general's office. She is now in private practice. Her opponent, Republican Mark DeStefano, a former air-traffic controller, deals in mergers of small companies with few assets. He declared bankruptcy in 1989 and in 2004 was thrown off the ballot for Nevada regent after testifying that he did not live in the appropriate district.
Marshall's legal career has been devoted almost exclusively to financial matters, which becomes apparent when listening to her plans for the treasurer's office. She believes in prudent investing and keeping sharp tabs on every dollar. One plan of hers is to renegotiate the fees paid by the state for credit card transactions, in order to lower the approximately $4 million in charges paid by the state each year. She pledges to review all of the state contracts to ensure that none are being systematically renewed without appropriate analysis. She favors a research and development fund, to be used for diversifying the state's economy. Cost-benefit analyses would play a large role in her administration, with options for savings being placed before the governor and Legislature. Marshall has the education and experience to lead the treasurer's office. The Sun endorses Kate Marshall.
As the state's top financial officer, the controller is the people's watchdog over state spending and revenue. The incumbent candidate, Republican Steve Martin, was appointed in July after the death of Controller Kathy Augustine. His Democratic opponent is Kim Wallin. Both candidates are certified public accountants who own their own firms. In our view they are both qualified. The Sun endorses both Steve Martin and Kim Wallin.
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