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Lt. Governor candidates spar over education funding

Lucy Flores, the democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, is criticizing her opponent, Republican Mark Hutchison, for not supporting legislation last year that would have directly helped the Washoe County School District improve its aging infrastructure. Reno Public Radio's Michelle Bliss reports.

Flores made the comment during a debate that aired Tuesday on KRNV-TV's Nevada Newsmakers program. She said Republicans in the Assembly "punted" on the issue.

When it was introduced, Assembly Bill 46 would have required the Washoe County Board of Commissioners to raise taxes for funding school repair projects. Before gaining approval, that bill was revised so that it merely authorized the board of commissioners to take a vote on the issue. Because the board took no action on AB46 late last year, that legislation eventually died.

Assemblywoman Flores said that funding was critical for the district.

"Unfortunately," Flores said, "my opponent passed on supporting a bill that would have allowed the Washoe School District to improve on the buildings and to repair the very old structures of our schools here in Washoe County.

State Senator Hutchison said he supported giving Washoe County the authority to raise its own taxes for funding school repairs because he believes local government should be in charge of solving local issues.

"If there are issues in Clark County regarding school matters, particularly school construction and school infrastructure, I think that's best handled by local authorities," he explains. "Same thing in Washoe County."

The issue came up during a larger discussion of how Northern Nevada will need to prepare for improving and expanding its infrastructure for transportation, education, and public safety because of the increased demand Tesla's gigafactory will have on those resources.

Hutchison said that concern is exactly why legislators have required Tesla to contribute to the cause.

"Anticipating that there would be those kinds of impacts, Tesla's agreed to pay education funding, for example, has agreed to pay some research funding down at UNLV, has agreed to do what they can to lighten the load there," Hutchison said. "But I think we need to continue to work very hard with Tesla and see them continue to make those kinds of commitments."

Flores agreed that Tesla's promise to give more than $37 million to public education in Nevada will eventually be helpful, but not in the immediate future:

"We have to focus on ensuring that our school districts and the infrastructure that we need has the appropriate revenue that they need to deal with this. Tesla is going to give a certain amount of funding to the schools; however, that's not for several years."

Tesla's electric car battery factory will employ 6,500 people and the company must begin its contributions to education in 2018.

This year's race for lieutenant governor is drawing unique attention and the candidates are debating topics out of the scope of that office because there's speculation that Governor Brian Sandoval could run for senate in 2016. If Sandoval runs and wins against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, that would leave the lieutenant governor in command.

Michelle Billman is a former news director at KUNR Public Radio.
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