Dina Titus Files Candidacy For Governor: Reaffirms Agenda Of Change

Dina Titus Files Candidacy For Governor: Reaffirms Agenda Of Change

May 1, 2006

CARSON CITY - Democratic gubernatorial candidate State Senator Dina Titus filed her candidacy for governor today, renewing her pledge to bring needed change to the state's education system, ethics laws, energy and environmental policies and economic development.

Dina Titus, who has consistently polled as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, also contrasted her record and agenda with that of Republican frontrunner, Congressman Jim Gibbons.

"With the help of many good Nevadans across the state, I am confident I will win my party's primary," Dina Titus said on the steps of the Nevada Capitol. "Voters will then see a clear contrast between my record and plan for Nevada and a Republican candidate who has lined up more than 90 percent of the time with the failed policies of the Bush administration and a Republican-led Congress that has mortgaged our children's future with obscene corporate tax breaks, put us at the mercy of oil companies and created a nightmare for seniors with Medicare reform benefiting mostly big drug companies."

Dina Titus outlined an education reform package she unveiled on Sunday at a Reno convention of the Nevada State Education Association, which has endorsed her candidacy. That plan includes: a guarantee that 90 percent of all state education funds go to classrooms and student services; creation of a special fund to help local school districts build and rehab schools; full-day kindergarten in every school; more vocational education opportunities; initiatives to keep high school students in school and better prepare them for college; and measures to attract and retain the best teachers.

Dina Titus also reaffirmed her commitment to an ethics reform package that includes a ban on contributions from developers to local officials while they are considering land use applications, eliminating "pay to play"; a prohibition against all public officials accepting any gifts from lobbyists; more aggressive prosecution of ethics violations; and fuller disclosure of candidates' and officeholders' personal assets and campaign contributions.

Dina Titus renewed her pledge to reduce Nevada's reliance on high-priced natural gas that is driving up utility bills by pushing for power from Nevada's abundant renewable energy sources. "I will appoint a Public Utilities Commission that will actually enforce Nevada's Renewable Portfolio Standard rather than let utilities slide year after year in failing to produce power from renewable energy sources," she said.

In coming weeks, Dina Titus said she will introduce her proposals for moving the state in new directions in protecting the environment and promoting economic development that leads to higher-paying jobs, with special emphasis on rural Nevada.

In contrast, Dina Titus said, "Jim Gibbons is dead wrong on the issues Nevadans care about most. While Jim Gibbons has been on the backbench in Washington, I have been on the front lines in Nevada, fighting to improve the quality of life for all of us."

Nevadans want cleaner government, she said, but "Jim Gibbons time and again has voted against toughening ethics rules in the House of Representatives. Just last week, he supported a bill that specifically excluded imposing a ban on gifts from lobbyists, making retiring lawmakers wait longer before becoming lobbyists and creating a new office to oversee ethics violations."

Nevadans want something done about gas prices and continued reliance on expensive foreign oil, Dina Titus said, but "Jim Gibbons has supported billions in tax breaks for oil companies, he's opposed stricter fuel economy standards for automakers and his support for renewable energy has been lukewarm at best."

All Nevadans want a better education system for our children, but "Jim Gibbons blindly followed his party's line in imposing No Child Left Behind on local school districts without giving them adequate money to carry it out."

"Nevadans, especially Nevada seniors, want to be able to purchase less expensive prescription drugs from Canada. Jim Gibbons voted against that," Dina Titus said. "Nevadans want a healthy environment for their kids. Jim Gibbons believes mercury isn't all that dangerous and opposes stricter standards for mercury emissions. He even co-authored a report last year saying so."

"Nevadans want a governor who practices fiscal responsibility and knows how to balance budgets. Jim Gibbons has spent the last decade voting for the largest federal deficit and highest debt limit in national history," stated Titus.

Dina Titus said the choices in the governor's race are becoming clearer: "Do Nevadans want a governor who has spent the last decade in Congress voting against their interests while currying favor with special interests? No. I believe they want leadership, not "followship" and will choose a person who will move this state forward with initiatives that serve the interests of all Nevadans, not a favored few."

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