Vote 'none of the above' in GOP governor primary: House

Charlie House | Reno Gazette-Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Here's Nevada's top candidates for governor These are the front runners in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Nevada governor.

I have been a voting Republican for 19 years. Throughout all that time the support for funding public education has been a bipartisan effort with Democrats. Whenever Republicans and Democrats have worked together for our common good, it is an uplifting experience that I can be proud of as an American.

Such a time was in 2015, when our Republican governor, Brian Sandoval, proposed a $1.1 billion education reform package. Known as the Commerce Tax, the bill was passed by a Republican-controlled Nevada State Legislature. At the time, this badly needed bipartisan fix with Democrats proved that Republicans also cared about public education.

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Times have changed. The two Republicans running for governor, Attorney General Adam Laxalt and Nevada Treasurer Dan Schwartz, both agree that the Commerce Tax should be repealed. In order to replace the Commerce Tax, Laxalt would depend on increased economic growth and "bringing more efficiency to our state government" (whatever that is supposed to mean). Schwartz wants to reduce the size of the Raiders new stadium in Las Vegas to replace the Commerce Tax revenue.

Former reports from the RGJ can give added clarity to the thinking of both Laxalt and Schwartz. Laxalt wants to increase the marijuana tax, and Schwartz (aside from stiffing the Raiders) wants to "streamline teacher licensing."

Regarding teachers, these two candidates have their marching orders from the Washoe County Republican platform. This platform, which was passed without debate by a radical minority at the 2016 convention, backed principals' authority over teachers' collective bargaining agreements, and questioned the necessity of teaching degrees.

Laxalt and Schwartz should both be on notice. The teachers are coming. They have already changed West Virginia and Arizona for the better, and they are working on Oklahoma, Colorado and Kentucky.

Both Laxalt and Schwartz are in favor of Education Savings Accounts. This program, which was suspended by the Nevada Supreme Court, would enable parents to receive a greater than $5,000 subsidy per student, paid for by taxpayers to take their children out of public school, and place them in private school.

As a taxpayer I find this proposal to be repugnant. From an economic perspective, it makes far more sense to allocate my taxes to struggling schools.

Lastly, Laxalt wants to appoint trustees to the elected school boards of Washoe and Clark counties. What about my vote? He must not care about that.

We Republicans have to do better than Laxalt and Schwartz. I urge all Republicans who believe in public education to vote for “none of the above” in the June primary for governor.

Charlie House is a Reno resident.