Six file for Assembly district 39 seat

The state Assembly district 39 race has drawn six candidates.

Republicans Kelly Kite and Jim Wheeler, both of Minden, Republican Janet Murphy of Zephyr Cove, Republican Barbara Smallwood of Gardnerville, American Independent party candidate David Schumann of Minden and Democrat Joetta Brown of Gardnerville are the registered candidates for the 39th district, which includes part of Incline Village, all of Douglas County and part of Carson City. James Settelmeyer, the current assemblyman, has filed to run for state senate.

Kite, a former Douglas County commissioner, said he hopes to bring some experience from that position into the assembly. He cited the economy and budget deficits as the biggest problems in Nevada today.

"We've got to get our people back to work," he said.

Incline Village citizens' concerns aren't new to Kite, either.

"I'm familiar with their property tax problems," he said. "The whole Tahoe basin is vital to the state."

Wheeler, a businessman, said he decided to run because he's tired of citizens complaining without taking action. He said he thinks the best way to deal with the state's deficit of nearly $3 billion is to bring businesses and jobs to Nevada.

"I will bring no new taxes to the table and will fight new taxes," Wheeler said.

What matters most, Wheeler said, is the opinions of the citizens of the 39th district.

"It's their views that count, not mine," he said. "I have no political agenda."

Brown said she's running because she believes each election should have options from different parties. She cited a lack of effective solutions in the debate about Nevada's budget problems as part of what she wanted to change.

"That's the state's highest priority, to try to find answers to the budget problem," Brown said.

Including Incline Village in the debate of the district, Brown said, is also important.

"I know what they've been going through with the property tax issue," she said.

Schumann, whose party is the state affiliate of the U.S. Constitution party, said he believes Nevada is supporting a national move toward socialist policies, which he doesn't support. The federal government is not following the 10th amendment, he said.

"This nation is headed for socialism and our state assembly is a willing participant in that," Schumann said. "The federal government is now taking on powers that the Constitution does not define."

Friday was the filing deadline for this and all other Nevada races in anticipation of the June 8 primary and Nov. 2 general election.