Adam Paul Laxalt

Jobs and the Economy

Nevada’s economy has made great strides in recent years, and I believe we have the potential to enter a new period of enormous prosperity and opportunity — if we take an effective, forward-looking approach to developing our economy. As Governor, I’ll promote policies that take advantage of Nevada’s many natural economic strengths, remove barriers to job creation and business expansion, and empower our education system to equip our future workers with the skills they need to succeed. That means eliminating unnecessary regulations and licensing requirements that only serve to stifle private-sector job growth and keep individuals out of the workforce. It means creating an environment that allows Nevada to become the most economically competitive state in the American West. In addition, our community colleges and Career and Technical schools need more flexibility to develop programs that are tailored specifically to the workforce needs of their local communities. By building an economic climate where businesses can innovate and grow, and where individuals can acquire the tools they need to get ahead, we can achieve the goal of providing each of our citizens with access to a better life.

Education

I believe that education is the civil rights issue of this time. Too many kids are never given a chance to succeed because they’re stuck in schools that are failing them. As your Governor, ensuring that every Nevada child has access to a quality education will be a top priority of mine. While some important steps have been taken in recent years, we owe it to our children and grandchildren to do much more to improve our education system. It’s important to realize that every child is unique, with his or her own particular educational needs and challenges, and our goal must be to make sure that every student graduates high school with the tools needed to succeed at the next level — whether that means attending college, pursuing career-focused training, or finding a quality job. My vision for education includes four main components: 1) strengthening our public education system by making sure it is properly funded, and by expanding upon some of the promising reforms implemented in recent years — particularly those geared toward improving early-age literacy; 2) empowering parents by supporting school choice — including better access to Charter Schools and Career and Technical Education, Opportunity Scholarships and Education Savings Accounts; 3) developing our in-state teacher talent by providing incentives, including scholarships, for those who wish to pursue careers in education to teach right here in Nevada; and 4) demanding more accountability for each and every dollar spent on our education system.

Taxes and the Budget

Nevada’s government should be funded well enough to provide quality, essential services, but should refrain from becoming too big, too costly, or too burdensome. Responsible budgeting is crucial to making sure that our government is providing necessary services to our citizens, such as quality education and infrastructure, but is not interfering with the private economy in a way that stifles job growth, business innovation or individual aspiration. That means setting clear budget priorities, and identifying and eliminating wasteful spending wherever it exists. I’ve shown a commitment to fiscal responsibility as Attorney General — my office has returned nearly $30 million to taxpayers since my inauguration, even while increasing services — and I’ll do the same as Governor. It is critical that we maintain a low-tax climate so that our businesses can thrive and our families can prosper. As Governor, I will oppose all efforts to increase Nevadans’ tax burden, and will also look for ways we can reduce taxes — starting with the Commerce Tax passed in 2015, which I opposed at the time and will seek to repeal. By making sure our government lives within its means, and our tax burden remains low, we can keep our state on the road to greater prosperity, and provide greater opportunities to Nevada’s families.

Public Safety

One of the things I’m most proud of during my time as Attorney General is the tremendous success my office has had in promoting the safety of Nevada’s communities. We have taken important and effective steps to increase penalties for criminals, to secure justice for their victims, and to protect the most vulnerable of our citizens.

As your Governor, I will continue to promote policies that keep Nevadans safe from dangerous criminals, including drug traffickers and sex offenders, as well as those who commit financial fraud and those who abuse the elderly. I will also continue to stand firmly with our local law-enforcement agencies against attempts to make Nevada a sanctuary state, or to turn any of our municipalities into sanctuary cities. Building a stronger and more prosperous Nevada depends first and foremost on the safety of our communities, and you can depend on me to bring the same commitment I’ve shown in this area as your Attorney General to the Governor’s office.

Gun Rights

I am a proud and firm supporter of the Second Amendment, and I take particular pride in the work my office has done, during my time as Nevada’s Attorney General, to stand up for the right of citizens to bear arms. I believe, as America’s founders did, that this right is essential to maintaining a free society, and I will defend it vigorously as your Governor.

Alarmingly, we have seen many attempts in recent years — both by far-left legislators here in Nevada and by out-of-state, anti-gun zealots — to infringe upon our Second Amendment rights. Nevadans should know that as Governor, I will oppose any such attempts in the future, and will continue to treat the right of free citizens to bear arms as sacred and non-negotiable.

Land Use and Water

One of the real challenges Nevada continues to face is the limited access we have to many of our natural resources. There are many reasons for this, including the overreach of various government agencies, but much of the problem stems from the fact that the federal government still maintains outsized control over our lands. This chokes off opportunities for economic growth and development, especially in our state’s rural communities.

My approach as Governor will include creating a new commission that will focus on identifying ways to empower our local communities with better access to our lands and natural resources. I’ll also work with the federal government to ease restrictions on land use and access, and to push for the transfer of ownership of more of the lands within our borders — particularly in cases where our local governments can demonstrate clear benefits that the transfers would produce. More local control will lead to greater economic opportunity and prosperity, more responsible use of our resources — including our water — and an environment in which our ranching, mining, agricultural and recreational communities can thrive.

Energy and the Environment

I believe we can meet Nevada’s energy needs, while protecting our natural environment, by taking a sensible, balanced approach to public policy. Too often, the heavy hand of government is used to try to force particular energy solutions on the entire population. This leads to public policy that is driven by political considerations, rather than the actual needs of our citizens and the realities of our energy markets.

My approach as Governor will be to support more choice and competition in our energy sectors, empowering individual consumers with the ability to address their energy needs as they see fit. I will also oppose efforts to impose or expand costly and burdensome mandates on energy providers, which only lead to higher prices that hurt Nevada’s families, and have a particularly damaging impact on those with lower incomes. At the same time, I will remain firmly committed to keeping in place those regulations that are truly needed to ensure the health and safety of our environment. I believe Nevada has an extremely bright energy future, and common-sense policies will help get us there.

Veterans

Our men and women in the armed services put their lives at risk every day to defend our freedoms. We must stand with them and their families while they are abroad and when they return home. Tremendous work has been done on behalf of Nevada’s service members, veterans and their families in recent years. Governor Brian Sandoval made it a priority in his administration to make our state the most veteran-friendly in the country and he has the results to show for it. I look forward to building on his success.

As a veteran myself, I understand how crucial it is that our veterans receive the support they deserve. As Governor, I will continue to build on our recent successes and toward the goal of making Nevada the most veteran-empowering state in the nation. ^[7]