Tom Jones
 
for State Senator.
 
District 9

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My Platform

I believe in offering solutions, not just empty promises.

In 2011, you are facing historic tax increases by both the federal and the state governments. Several federal tax cuts will expire in 2011 resulting in a personal income tax rate increase of 3% to 5% depending on your tax bracket. Along with several other federal tax increases, you will have twenty new or higher taxes with ObamaCare starting in 2011.

You are also facing the next largest state tax increase in Nevada history. In 2003, we had a unnecessary record 886 million dollar tax increase. In2005 we had a surplus so we received a rebate. Realizing that they could have spent more money, the legislature passed spending bills resulting in a huge increase in the budget. Then, in 2009, we had another record tax increase of over one billion dollars. Now, in 2011, the Nevada legislature will be considering another record tax increase including a state personal income tax, a sales tax increase, a corporate tax, and many other tax increases in a desperate attempt to balance the state budget.

With people losing their businesses, people losing their homes, and people losing their jobs, how can we afford more tax increases?

How can we balance the Budget without tax increases
By removing excessive waste from Nevada's government spending and reducing the size of government, the budget can be balanced without raising taxes. Shouldn't your elected representatives work to down size Nevada's government especially when you are having budget problems and just had a huge tax increase a few years ago?

According to statistics, You have to work almost 6 months a year just to pay all the various taxes. You should be the master of your government not it's slave.

• Put the government's checkbook online so taxpayers can see where every dime is spent - to whom, for how much and for what purpose and start scratching off items line by line by line.
• Use the 2005 budget of 2.3 billion as the basis for examining the budget. This is the budget before the big spending spree by the legislature when they found out that there was a surplus that was returned to the taxpayer. We would probably have a surplus.
• Pass an admendment similar to the Tax and Spending Control Amendment (TASC) which would limit budget increases to the growth in population and inflation.
• Eliminate illegal immigration to save millions of dollars in educational costs and health costs.
• Divide the educational budget into 2 budgets. One budget for administrative expenses and one for teaching related expenses. We can then reduce the administrative budget and increase the teaching budget to put the money where it belongs.

Not more money for education, but more education for your money.
How can this be accomplished?

We can improve education and still cut the education budget by dividing the education budget into 2 categories. We can divide the budget into an administrative budget and a teaching budget. Since almost 50% of the education budget is spent on administrative costs, we cut the administrative budget by 10% and add 10% to the teaching budget. In this way, administrative cost would be reduced and more money would be available where it belongs in the teaching budget. Florida and Nevada ranked almost last in education 10 years ago. Florida has improved over 20%, while Nevada is still ranked at the bottom of the list.

We can learn from Florida and by using the proven strategies used in Florida and other states like"

• cutting administration costs
• implementing a voucher system
• dividing the large school districts
• giving the schools more control over their spending
• failing students who do not pass the standards of the curriculum

Nevada should have higher academic standards for education. According to a J. C. Watts article in the Las Vegas Review Journal, the United States passing grade for eighth grade math curriculum is two years behind the math being studied by eighth-graders in other countries. How can our children compete in the job market if they don't have an adequate education?

Another program that I would investigate would be a requirement that you must be 21 years of age to get a drivers license with 3 exceptions

• if you are 16 or older and have a high school diploma or trade school diploma,
• if you are in the military,
• if you are 16 or over and are in a trade school or school with a C or better average.

How do you stop illegal immigration?
Oklahoma and Arizona have been very successful in eliminating illegal immigrants from their states. How did they do it? Here is a portion of a news article in the Los Angeles Times written before SB 1070 was passed:

What can be done to reduce crime?
We must enforce the laws that we have. Then, the judical system must give out the maximum penalty for the crimes committed. The penalties for crimes should be increased for 2nd or 3rd offenses. Any illegal aliens who commit a crime should be deported.

Since I believe that education is so important for improving your life, I also believe that for minor offenses that require jail time, the convicted party should have to attend a class of some kind and pass to complete the sentence. For example, if someone gets 30 days in jail, they would have to complete a math class to complete the sentence. The class could consist of 7 days in class. When they successfully pass the class, they have completed their sentence and they are free to go. Therefore, by studying and learning the class, they can reduce the time in jail. Otherwise, they would spent the 30 days in jail.

Some of these suggested programs would also save the state money, help improve the quality of Nevada's education system and the education of the citizens of Nevada.

What about your individual rights?
Nevadians have always been independent, self-sufficient, and concerned about individual rights. However, your rights and independence have been reduced to the point where you are drones working almost 6 months a year to pay various government taxes.

You don't even really own your home even if the mortgage has been paid. If you don't pay your property tax, you will lose your home. You can lose your home to the government through eminent domain.

Alexander Hamilton said in the Federalist Papers no. 79 that "In the general course of human nature, a power over a man's subsistence amounts to a power over his will."

Don't give up any more of your individual rights. Reduce the Nevada government. I will fight to protect your individual rights.

Don't waste your vote by voting for the status quo. Don't vote for the ineffective Democratic and Republican candidates who spend your money on their party's pet projects. It is time to stop the reckless spending. Let your voice be heard.

Thank you,
Tom Jones